Latest posts by Silvia Viñas from November, 2010
Argentina: Study Reveals Statistics About Internet Use in Argentina
Ayentina [es] reports on a recent study that reveals statistics about the use of the Internet in Argentina. The study reveals that Facebook is the site that grew the most in Argentina, with a growth of 54%; Facebook is also the third most visited site in the country.
Chile: Protests Against Mining Industry
The Latin Americanist writes about recent protests targeting the government and the mining industry: “Chile’s mining industry has come under increased scrutiny since the mine collapse that left the 33 miners trapped underground for about seventy days. Unfortunately the reform promised by President Sebastian Pinera has been slow to materialize.”
Mexico: How Can Mexico Help Migrants?
Gancho writes: “Amnesty [International] says that 20,000 immigrants per year are kidnapped in Mexico. With all the other security problems in Mexico, it's going to be hard to make threats to poor Hondurans and Guatemalans a major focus without periodic massacres, but Mexico can do a lot to alleviate this...
Chile: Staying Informed Through Twitter
Sigrid Huenchunir [es] wrote a post for El Quinto Poder [es] on how Twitter has become one of the main (and fastest) ways for her to stay informed on what is happening in Chile while she is away studying. She says that through Twitter she learns about things the Chilean...
Latin America: Music Blog “Club Fonograma” Reviews Latin American Music in English
Club Fonograma: We are Sudamerican Pop! is a music blog, written in English, that reviews Latin American music. Blog posts include audio or video of the band or singer being reviewed. They are on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, and My Space.
Mexico: More than 400 “Narco Refugees” Leave Ciudad Mier
Tim Johnson from Mexico Unmasked reports on “Narco refugees,” people who are trying to escape violence caused by drug gangs: “More than 400 residents have fled Ciudad Mier for a larger nearby city, Miguel Aleman, where they have packed into a Lion’s Club auditorium. City Hall is giving them food...
Chile: Three Chilean Pop Bands Reviewed
Music blogger Roberto Carreño [es] reviews three Chilean pop bands: Portugal [es], Denver [es] and Oddo [es].
Ecuador: Short Film About Migration Available Online
Forced Migration Online shares a link to a short film by Simon James called “Ecuador: Migration and Remittances”: “This short video offers a general overview of current Ecuadorian migration to Europe and the United States. The work touches on relationships between migrant and employer and the impact on the Ecuadorian...
Panama: “Previous Controls” on Public Finance Eliminated for Six Institutions
The control that is responsible for monitoring how public funds are invested has been eliminated for six institutions, including the ministries of Health, Public Works and Education. The decision has caused anger among Panamanians, who have expressed their disagreement through Twitter.
Blog “Words of Resistance” Gives Voice to Teens from Small Town in Mexico
In the blog "Words of Resistance," Chantal Flores publishes the poems, letters and stories written by middle school students from Zapotitlán Palmas, a town in Oaxaca, Mexico with a population of 1184 and high rates of migration to the United States. In this interview with Global Voices, Chantal talks about her students and the blog that features their work.
Mexico: Data on Femicides, 2006-2008
Diego Valle-Jones provides data on femicides in Mexico from 2006 to 2008, pointing out that “As a consequence of the drug war Chihuahua has the highest levels of femicides.”
Venezuela: Expropriations ‘eating up’ Venezuela
Juan Cristobal from Caracas Chronicles criticizes recent expropriations by the Venezuelan government. He writes that, “Like a monster from a 1950s B-movie, Hugo Chávez has gobbled up major food distributors, a glass factory, milk distribution companies, newly-built shopping malls, and entire rows of apartment buildings.”
Bolivia: Site Shows Life of Bolivians Living in Spain
The online citizen newspaper Ahora Bolivia [es] introduces the site Bolivia Magazine TV [es]: “The life of Bolivians in Spain,” a project that “tries to strengthen the positive image of Bolivians, showing different cultural activities that take place in Spain.”
Colombia: Discrimination Against LGBT Community
Bitácora [es] shares a video report created by university students on the discrimination against the LGBT community in Colombia.
El Salvador: Organized Crime and State of Prisons
Tim's El Salvador Blog: “One of El Salvador's most intractable problems is the state of its prison system. The high crime rate has filled the prisons to three times their capacity. Conditions are deplorable. Gangs control large areas inside the prisons and direct their criminal networks outside the prison walls.”
Chile: Globalization, Not Just About Big Macs and Pizza Hut
Greg Weeks from Two Weeks Notice: A Latin American Politics Blog, briefly talks about Chile and globalization: “Globalization in Chile is not just about Big Macs and Pizza Hut.”
Mexico, USA: Border Women Begin Hunger Strike in Front of White House
The Latin Americanists reports that, “Thirteen women gathered in front of the White House on Monday and commenced a hunger strike. They requested that the U.S. government pay more attention to social problems along the border region.”
Uruguay: First Blog Competition for University Students
Gabriel Budiño [es] shares information on the first blog competition for Uruguayan university students, which seeks to promote debate and is open to any university student from Uruguay.
Guatemala: Internet Accessibility and Mobile Phones
Antigua Daily Photo shares a graph that shows the exponential growth of mobile phones in Guatemala: “Soon you will see a similar pattern with Internet access as a result of free Internet 3G modems; although I suspect the numbers will not be as high unless smart phones become the new...
Costa Rica: Mudslides and Climate Change
In Central American Politics, Mike writes, “While most of the region's attention is on the river dispute between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Costa Rica is also suffering through the worst natural disasters in recent memory. […] According to the Climate Change Vulnerability Index, most of Central America is highly vulnerable...
Honduras: Indigenous Heroes
Nacer en Honduras [es] lists 6 indigenous heroes from Honduras, giving a brief biography of each one.
