Silvia Viñas · September, 2010

Latest posts by Silvia Viñas from September, 2010

Chile: 80 days later, Mapuche still on hunger strike

  29 September 2010

Today marks 80 days of the Mapuche hunger strike over the Anti-terror law in Chile. Observatorio Ciudadano published a list [es] of demonstrations that will take place throughout Chile and in Italy to support the Mapuche on their hunger strike.

Colombia: Rainy Season Especially Strong This Year

  29 September 2010

Albeiro Rodas writes that this year's rainy season”has been especially strong, according to the authorities.” He also writes about a landslide that took place yesterday and “covered the Medellín – Urabá Road in Manglar county, municipality of Giraldo. Thirty persons were reported missing when tons of mud and stones fall...

Argentina: Clarifying Myths about Tierra del Fuego

  29 September 2010

In Patria SI, Colonia NO, Gabriel Carol clarifies [es] five myths about Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago in the southernmost tip of Argentina. These myths include that Tierra del Fuego is unsafe, that it invests a lot of money in education, and that the region depends on its natural resources.

El Salvador: Aquaponics in El Salvador

  28 September 2010

Colleen writes about Aquaponics, “the combination of freshwater fish aquaculture and hydroponic vegetable production” in El Salvador for her blog Locavore del Mundo where she covers local farms and food movements around the world.

Mexico: Landslide in Oaxaca Buries 300 Homes

  28 September 2010

Erwin from The Latin Americanist writes: “In a piece of breaking news hundreds of people are feared to be trapped in the Mexican state of Oaxaca as a result of a massive landslide during the overnight hours.”

Uruguay: A Weekend Celebrating the Country's Heritage

  27 September 2010

Every year, Uruguayans dedicate a whole weekend to remember their heritage during the so-called “día del Patrimonio” (Heritage Day); they attend different cultural events and visit historic sites and venues. To commemorate the weekend, Todo Por la Misma Plata [es] shares three videos of Uruguayan musicians.

El Salvador: The New Anti-Gang Law Explained

  24 September 2010

Voices from El Salvador explains the new Anti-Gang law in El Salvador. The post concludes with these questions: “does imprisoning gang members really treat the root of the problem?  Will the harsher penalties imposed under the new law be enough to deter individuals from joining gangs?”

Guatemala: Tuk Tuk Taxis Revolt in Antigua

  24 September 2010

Photography blog Antigua Daily Photo shares images of a Tuk Tuk Taxi protest in Antigua: “It turns out, the tuk tuk taxi drivers were protesting the high number of traffic citations they are given by the Antigua Guatemala transit police. They felt they are being targeted unfairly by the transit...

Peru: Superficial Solutions As District Elections Approach

  24 September 2010

Gabriela García Calderón shares photos [es] of a recently fixed street in the Miraflores district in Lima, coinciding with mayoral and district elections. But the images that follow prove that only a few meters away the streets have holes that make it dangerous for anyone to pass through, especially those...

Mexico: Government Announces Plan to Protect Journalists

  23 September 2010

Gancho writes about the government's new plan to protect journalists, concluding that, “What's missing is a genuine recognition from the government that journalists being killed is a substantial problem for the nation at large. I'm skeptical that Calderón's plan can will that element into existence.”

Peru: Hydroelectric Project Raises Concerns

  23 September 2010

The blog Warmiboa [es] shares its concern about hydroelectric project Corina, which would divert water from two rivers (Huallaga and Marañón) to the coast in order to irrigate the desert, causing “unpredictable consequences.” The blogger explains that this project would affect the people of Loreto, who suffer from a lack...

Paraguay: Interpreting the Constitution

  23 September 2010

José Maria Costa analyzes [es] how the Paraguayan constitution is interpreted to fit different political agendas. For example: “For some, freedom of speech is a relative right: it works in relation to who and what is being expressed. For others, freedom of speech is absolute and allows them to violate...

El Salvador: Is the Anti-Gang Law the Right Solution?

  22 September 2010

Hunnapuh [es] writes about the Anti-Gang law, saying that it has been presented to the public as a magical solution for crime and violence. But this blogger things that the law does not address the main problem: poverty, exclusion and lack of opportunities for the young men that join gangs...

Mexico: Indigenous Community San Juan Copala Ordered to Evacuate

  22 September 2010

Kristin Bricker explains that, “Authorities of the autonomous municipality of San Juan Copala, Oaxaca, have ordered the total evacuation of the town, which has been under siege since February of this year. The authorities issued the order when alleged paramilitaries raided San Juan Copala and said that they would massacre...