Uruguayan-Spanish journalist, editor, and blogger. Currently living in Chile, tweeting in English and Spanish under @silviavinas, and blogging on silviavinas.com
Latest posts by Silvia Viñas from May, 2011
Bolivia: Do Massive Religious Images Promote Tourism?
Luis Ramos in Citizen of La Paz [es] writes about two projects in Bolivia to build “the largest religious statue in the world” and asks: “can religious images alone promote tourism?” He argues that before building “cement idols” Bolivia should focus on creating adequate conditions for tourists to visit cities...
Chile: 5 Great Moments of Chilean Hip-Hop
Music blogger Roberto Carreño lists “5 great moments of Chilean hip-hop” [es]. He includes a brief description and a video of each song.
Mexico: Blogger Interviews Teacher Who Sang to Students During Shooting
Martha Rivera Alanis, the teacher who sang to her students during a shooting in Monterrey, México was given an award for her bravery. In an interview with Regioblogs [es], Martha describes what happened before, during and after the shooting. She explains she decided to sing to the children to try...
Mexico: ‘Información Cívica’ Summarizes Week in Civil Society
David Sasaki in Información Cívica explains they will “begin publishing weekly summaries of what Open Society Foundation partners in various countries around Latin America are sharing via their websites, blogs, and social media accounts.” Their first summary focuses on their partners in Mexico.
Uruguay Implements Argentinean Initiative ‘I read this book’
In Pires Mios [es], Macarena announces that the initiative ‘I read this book’ (in Spanish: “yo leí este libro”) that began in Argentina is now being implemented in Uruguay. On its official blog [es], the organizers explain how it works: you leave a book on the street (in a bench,...
Honduras: Former President Manuel Zelaya Returns
Ousted president Manuel Zelaya returned to Honduras from exile nearly two years after he was removed from office through a coup. Bloggers report on the atmosphere before and after his arrival, and analyze what his return means for the country.
Peru: Protests Against Mining Projects in Puno
Juan Arellano, Global Voices author and Spanish Translation Manager, blogs [es] about an indefinite strike the Aymara community began 20 days ago against mining projects in Puno.
El Salvador: Problems After Change in Propane Gas Subsidy
El Salvador from the Inside explains the controversy over a change in the propane gas subsidy which was meant to help the poor. The subsidy is now “tied to your electric bill [and] given only to those who use less than a specific number of Kilowatts […] In theory, it...
Mexico: Gun Trafficking in the Southern Border
In Vivir México [es], Ximena Vega blogs about gun trafficking in Mexico's southern border, an issue that has been shadowed by the problems in the northern border with the United states.
Venezuela, the USA and their ‘Oily’ Co-Dependence
“The current flap between the United States and Venezuela, where the U.S. is imposing sanctions on PDVSA, almost immediately brought up the elephant in the room: co-dependency,” Greg Weeks argues in Two Weeks Notice.
Guatemala: Voters Register for Upcoming Elections
Antigua Daily Photo posts a picture of a registration booth in City Hall in Antigua, Guatemala: “This is an election year in Guatemala and the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) is rushing to get all potential voters registered and updated.”
Peruvians Say No to Fujimori in ‘March for dignity, Fujimori never again! #26m’
Global Voices author and Spanish Translation Manager Juan Arellano is updating a Storify post [es] on the developments of “March for dignity, Fujimori never again! #26m” taking place in Lima right now, on May 26. Protesters have mobilized to show their rejection of ‘fujimorismo’ and their discontent with the possible...
Honduras: ‘Golpista’ Rhetoric Continues as Country Prepares for Zelaya's Return
In PULSE –“a collaborative political weblog”– Belén Fernández sheds some light on the current situation in Honduras: “Earlier this month, a Honduran court dropped remaining corruption charges against Zelaya, who is expected this coming Saturday in Tegucigalpa. Despite the accord, golpista rhetoric continues in the same broken-record fashion as always...
El Salvador Gets its Share of WikiLeaks Cables
Tim from Tim's El Salvador Blog reports that online news site El Faro has started releasing WikiLeaks US diplomatic cables related to El Salvador. Follow Tim's blog for future posts on individual cables.
Venezuela: Fee Hikes for the Caracas Metro and the Bolivarian University
Setty writes about recent price hikes that, he argues, are getting little attention: “The Caracas Metro is tripling its fares, from 0.50 bolivars to 1 bolivar in June and 1.50 in December. Meanwhile, a friend who takes language classes at a Bolivarian University, President Hugo Chavez’s new public university system,...
Mexico: Teacher Protests in Oaxaca Continue
“Fourteen thousand schools shut down in Oaxaca. 1.3 million students left without school, as their teachers are continuing their actions against the state government of Oaxaca, protests that appear increasingly radical,” Aguachile reports.
El Salvador: Poll Results Show 65% Approval for President Funes
In Central American Politics, Mike points out that although May poll numbers show “65% of San Salvador's residents approve of the job that [President Mauricio Funes] is doing” his party, the FMLN, is not doing as well.
Colombia: The Reasons Behind the Floods
Lorenzo Morales blogs for Americas Quarterly about ‘the reasons behind’ massive floods during Colombia's rainy season: “Unpredictable forces of nature are in play in Colombia’s current disaster. No one can be blamed for that. But as national and local authorities wash their hands of responsibility, they persist in sponsoring policies...
Panama: Remembering Raúl Leis
On April 30, sociologist, writer and committed member of Panamanian civil society Raúl Leis passed away. His death has left a void and also a place full of fond memories and learning, shared both by traditional media and by the Panamanian blogosphere.
Colombia, El Salvador: Outlook for Coffee Exports
“How many of you know where your coffee comes from? And does it make a difference to you?” asks Colleen O'Brien in a post about the outlook for coffee exports in El Salvador and Colombia.
El Salvador: Government Program Seeks to Improve Lives of Low-Income Women
Tim's El Salvador Blog comments and shares information on ‘Ciudad Mujer,’ a government program “creating a series of regional centers which to address specific needs of poor women […] Violence against women is a serious problem which the country is only starting to address. Discrimination against women in employment is common according...
