Latest posts by Silvia Viñas from February, 2011
Guatemala: Threats Against Journalist Oscar de León
“Last week, the CPJ reported on a series of threats against Oscar de León, a television journalist with the Guatevisión TV network. The CPJ is calling on Guatemalan authorities to investigate the source of the threats and to take steps to protect De León,” Mike reports at Central American Politics.
Uruguay: Ceremony Kicks Off Bicentennial Celebrations
Sebastián Chocca from El Informante [es] was present in the Legislative Palace in Montevideo, Uruguay during the opening ceremony of this year's Bicentennial celebrations. He details his experience and comments on different aspects of the event.
Costa Rica: Crowdfunding Costa Rican Film “El Regreso”
In Fusil de Chispas [es], Cristian Cambronero writes about how the Costa Rican film “El Regreso” (“The Return”) is using crowdfunding through Kickstarter to try to raise $40,000 USD by April 2.
Bolivia: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit La Paz
In Citizen of La Paz [es], Luis Ramos lists 10 reasons why you should visit La Paz, Bolivia, including: its nightlife, its surroundings, El Alto, Lake Titicaca, and more.
Colombia: Interview with director of English magazine “La Arepa”
Albeiro Rodas from Colombia Passport interviewed Robin Finley, director of La Arepa –an English print magazine that can also be found online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
Mexico: Journalist Carmen Aristegui to Return to MVS Radio
Aguachile reports: “In a joint communique, MVS Radio and Carmen Aristegui announced that the journalist will be back at the radio station the coming Jan. 21″ and wonders “if we'll ever know more about what led to her dismissal: Was any pressure coming from the presidential office of Felipe Calderón,...
Latin America: Conversations About OCD Iberoamérica
Juan Arellano spoke to Soraya Sacaan [es] and Juan José Retamal [es] of OCD Iberoamérica [es], a Chilean initiative whose mission is to “contribute to knowledge of digital communications in the private sector, academia and government to promote and understand its scope and application in society.” Juan added both videos...
Ecuador: Judge orders Chevron to pay $8.6 billion fine
“The eighteen-year lawsuit against Chevron came to a climax when a judge ruled that Texaco (now owned by Chevron) was liable environmental damages in the Ecuadorian rainforest. The court decreed that the oil company pay a reported $8.6 billion fine and apologize publicly or risk doubling the damages figure,” reports...
Venezuela: Remembering a Historic February 14
Alejandro Tarre in Caracas Chronicles writes about February 14th 1936: “In my view, February 14th 1936 was the initial spark that marked a process of democratization without precedent in our history. Democracy might not have “flowered” that day, but it did begin to gain ground against an authoritarian inheritance of...
Colombia: A “dry canal” to rival the Panama Canal?
Bloggings by boz reports: “Colombian President Santos told FT there is a ‘real proposal… quite advanced’ for a rail link connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through Colombia, serving as a “dry canal” to rival Panama's.” He adds: “For Colombia, it's a fantastic opportunity that comes only because it has...
Panama: Crowdsourcing to Map Corruption and Crime
Periodismo Ciudadano [es] describes Mapa Transparente [es], a crowdsourcing initiative in Panama which allows users to track corruption, theft, homicides, sexual assaults, kidnappings and other forms of crime on a map.
Guatemala: Living Conditions in La Limonada
“Consider the comforts in your home. Carpet. Furniture. Microwaves. Insulation from the cold and heat. Water that won’t make you and your family sick. Privacy. Now imaging your life without these things. For some it seems impossible. This is how people live every single day in La Limonada,” concludes Kerry...
Argentina: 26 Years Since the Death of Julio Cortázar
Today, February 12, 2011, marks 26 years since Argentine writer Julio Cortázar died of leukemia. Simon Kofoed writes about the author's life in argen-times.
Argentina: Street Art in San Telmo, Buenos Aires
In ¿Qué Sé Yo, Argentina? Allie Lazar writes about the neighborhood San Telmo in Buenos Aires and shares pictures of her favorite thing about San Telmo: street art.
Honduras: Government Says 2011 is Year of Food Security, Food Prices Say Otherwise
RNS in Honduras Cultures and Politics writes: “There's something ironic about Porfirio Lobo Sosa announcing today that 2011 is the year of food security when food prices are skyrocketing and the government is doing nothing to assure food supplies.”
Venezuela: Hugo Chávez Marks 12 Years in Office
On February 2, 2011, President Hugo Chávez celebrated 12 years in power. Venezuelans have made Twitter their platform to discuss the country's situation and what for one side means 12 years of the government's mistakes, and for the other the revolution's accomplishments.
Colombia: A trip to Colombia's gold mining region
“We watched miners handle mercury with their bare hands, empty chemical-laced water into open drains, and reuse empty vats of cyanide. One of the rivers in the area has been used for dumping cyanide-sodden dirt for so long that everyone calls it La Cianurada,” writes Jim Wyss in Inside South...
Latest Developments in Bolivia's Demands for Access to Sea
“For the first time since 1950, Chile’s Foreign Minster met with his Bolivian counterpart in La Paz,” Erwin reports at The Latinamericanist. “Bolivia’s David Choquehuanca is expected to bring up the contentious issue of Bolivian access to the Pacific Ocean during his meeting with the visiting Chilean diplomatic chief, Alfredo...
Colombia: Coffee Farmers Face Challenges After Heavy Rains
Locavore del Mundo reports on the challenges coffee farmers are facing in Colombia and what they are doing to overcome them.
Argentina: Expat and Argentine Team up in Entertaining and Informative Podcast
The Argentine Post interviews the hosts of the B.A. Cast podcast: “Expat Daniel Karlin (Portland, Oregon) and Buenos Aires native Fernando Farías (Monserrat) have teamed up to provide you with a weekly podcast looking at everything from lunfardo to tax evasion and the ‘laws of mate.’ The shows, available online...
Guatemala: 19th Anniversary of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG)
Mike writes: “On February 7, 1982, the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), the Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), and the Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT) formed the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG).” He goes on to write about the URNG‘s history, including the...
