Stories about Latin America from March, 2015
A Crowdsourced Project to Map the Amazon
Mapazonia is a crowdsourced collaborative mapping project focused in the Amazon region in South America.
Why Students Think Reforms Fall Short of Fixing Chile's ‘Educational Apartheid’
A new Chilean law bans profits, tuition, and selective admissions in private primary and secondary schools that receive state subsidies, but students say much more is needed.
Back-to-Back Murders of Journalists Raise Concerns in Colombia
The murders of Colombian Edgar 'Quintin' Quintero and Luis Peralta highlight the dangers journalists face in Colombia today.
The Butterfly Effects of Panamanian Social Media
Venezuelan immigrant Rita García answered a lawmaker's reactionary speech with a controversial tirade against Panamanians, comparing them to "monkeys" and saying they're incapable of respecting foreign cultures.
The Facebook Pages Behind Sunday's Anti-Government Protests in Brazil
On March 15 at least 50 cities in Brazil will host noisy anti-government rallies. Who are the protesters and what do they want?
Chilean Espionage in Peru Cools Diplomatic Relations
The traditionally complicated Chilean-Peruvian relations have reached a new level of complexity thanks to the latest round of espionage accusations.
The Country as a Mirror: Reflections of a Young Colombian in Bristol
"When you immigrate for a second time, the home that remains closest to you is the one you just left behind. You end up with a significant identity crisis."
#Pyrawebs: Online Activism Against Metadata Retention Bill in Paraguay
The retention of metadata coming from the digital environment has special relevance in Latin America, where throughout history several dictatorships have spied and collected private data to implement a policy of terror. Paraguay is not an exception. Nowadays, Paraguay is a democracy, but the use of data recalls the dangers of...
Gender Perspective Comes to Puerto Rico's Public School System
"Even though it isn't an end in itself, this step is a tremendous instrument in favor of human rights in Puerto Rico."
Diary of Journalist Pedro Canché Herrera, ‘Prisoner of Conscience’ in Mexico
Pedro Canché Herrera is awaiting sentencing on sabotage charges, after recording video and interviewing protesters. He describes his experience and thoughts on free expression on social media.
Mexico's Most-Wanted Drug Lord Captured
Some consider Gómez to be the country's most-wanted suspect and blame the Caballeros Templarios for the outbreak of violence that has afflicted Michoacán for several months.
If It's Not on YouTube, It Does Not Exist: A Look at Puerto Rican Music Videos in 2015
"If it is not on YouTube, it does not exist,” said one of the members of the Puerto Rican band Los Niños Estelares to the author years ago.
Spain and Latin America Celebrate Open Data Day
One again, bloggers, hackers, designers, experts, as well as citizens interested in open data and transparency will meet to celebrate International Open Data Day 2015 all over the world to promote the opening of government data. The event is expected to have online meetings but also in-person activities all over...
Fast-Growing City of El Alto Turns Thirty
Relatively young by Bolivian city standards, the city of El Alto celebrates its 30th anniversary on March 6th, 2015. What initially started as a small suburb of the city of La Paz, the seat of government located 4,070 meters above sea level, it became its own municipality in 1985. It...
Brazilian University Won't Enroll Guinea-Bissauan Woman, Even Though She Passed All Requirements
A Brazilian institution claims Domingas Mendes doesn't fulfill the criteria to pursue higher education in Brazil as a 'quota student'. Is there a racial issue here?
#FragaWantsToPost: A Brazilian Activist Has Been Forbidden From Protesting for Two Years
Ricardo Fraga’s right to protest has been legally suspended for the last 728 days. He cannot post or mention anything about the high-rise construction project that is changing his neighborhood.
Beachgoers Form Human Chain to Save Drowning Swimmers in Peru
"To witness the solidarity shown by swimmers at Arica beach to save some people with a human chain makes me believe in humanity!"
Mexican Protesters Show Creative Activism
@faeriedevilish, blogging for Infoactivismo, reflects on the need to be creative in communicating our protests. Along those lines, the author explains the importance of creativity while referring to protesting events in Ayotzinapa, where photocopies of the victims’ faces were used to attract and generate awareness about the terrible incidents. Illustrators...
Smart Cities Hackathon in Venezuela
Global Datafest is organizing the Smart Cities Hackathon, held simultaneously in 27 different cities around the world. The Venezuelan edition of the Smart Cities Hackathon calls on programmers, big data experts, urbanists, public officers and communications specialists who have an interest in developing technological solutions for issues related with the...
Indigenous People, Afro-Colombians and Peasants Unite Against Illegal Mining in River Ovejas, Colombia
Despite threats, indigenous people from the Laguna Siberia, members from five different areas within the ancestral territory of Sat Tama Kiwe de Caldono, Afro-descendents from the La Toma Community Council and resident campesinos in the surrounding areas joined together to protest against illegal mining in the area of Río Ovejas...
Mining and Ecocide in Santander, Colombia
Illegal mining is a problem affecting the Colombian department of Santander, where residents have seen first-hand how extraction and other processes linked to mining cause pollution. The video below was produced by Corporación PODION, as part of the project “Caravan for the awareness and collection of complaints in defense of...
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