Latest posts by Silvia Viñas from November, 2011
Peru: Rain Causes Flooding in Iquitos
Rains have once again caused flooding in the city of Iquitos in the Amazon Rainforest. The blogger behind De la Selva [es] attributes the flooding to sewage works and posts Facebook pictures of the flood.
Peru: ‘Sugar Camp Lima’ Aims to Give Children a Learning Platform in Their Native Language
“Inventors, artists, educators and citizens” are invited to participate in Sugar Camp Lima 2011 [es] on November 18 and 19 in Lima, Peru. Participants will work on the ‘Sugar’ learning platform for XO Laptops by translating content [es] into Quechua and Aymara and participating in a ‘Hacker's Space’ [es]. Registration [es]...
Peru: Reflecting on Anti-Mining Protests
Peruvian bloggers reflect on recent protests and social conflicts related to environmental problems caused by mining, and the influence these problems might have on the future actions of the government of President Ollanta Humala.
Honduras: National Popular Resistance Front Forms New Political Party
The National Popular Resistance Front (FNRP for its initials in Spanish) has formed a new political party called Libre (short for Libertad y Refundación, “Freedom and Refoundation”). The blog Honduras Culture and Politics explains how the party was founded and provides an English translation of its declaration of principles.
Chile: Changes in University Student Leadership
Robert L. Funk blogs about the recently elected president of the Catholic University Student Federation (FEUC), Noam Titelman. Titelman belongs to “the same political faction as the outgoing president, Giorgio Jackson”, Robert explains.
El Salvador: A Sustainable Alternative to GMO Crops
Colleen O'Brien in Locavore del Mundo reports “the Salvadoran government is considering trials of genetically modified crops.” However, she argues “a more sustainable solution would be to implement other types of technology – such as micro-hydro irrigation projects that could extend the growing season and give the farmers more stability...
Nicaragua: Opposition Youth Affected by Hacktivism
In The Nicaragua Dispatch, Tim Rogerts reports that opposition youth “have discovered that trying to organize protests using social media networks such as Facebook […] can be harmful to one’s health in Nicaragua. ‘They are monitoring our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and they’ve hacked our accounts and our emails,’ says...
Honduras: Police Corruption
La Gringa's Blogicito summarizes several incidents that reveal police crime and corruption in Honduras.
“Twitteristan”, a Country Where Everyone Talks but Few Listen
Peruvian Global Voices author and translator Gabriela García Calderón writes in her blog [es] about “Twitteristan”, describing Twitter as if it were a country and arguing that the strangest thing about this “country” is that you have to limit your messages to 140 characters: “I say that in Twitteristan people...
Mexico: Netizens React to “Good Weekend” Initiative
Mexico's President Calderón has announced the "Good Weekend" initiative to boost the economy, by applying discounts in stores whilst advancing the year-end bonus for government employees. The concept has generated diverse reactions among Mexican netizens.
Venezuela: Opposition Candidates Debate on November 14
Juan Cristóbal Nagel in Caracas Chronicles says it is “hard to overstate the significance of tomorrow's [November 14] planned televised debate between the opposition’s five candidates for President.” He also posts videos of the debaters’ recent campaign ads.
El Salvador: Lower Lempa Citizens Protest Dam Management During Tropical Storm
“Three weeks after floods devastated the [Lower Lempa] region, communities have organized the first demonstration against the CEL (the corporation that manages the hydroelectric dam upstream from the communities). While the demonstration is going on, the CEL and Salvadoran Military have set up a health brigade in the community of...
Peru: Farmers’ Strike in Andahuaylas
Tuesday, November 8, marked six days of a farmers' strike protesting mining activity in the area in Andahuaylas, in the Apurímac region of Peru. Netizens are reporting through Twitter as the strike continues.
Peru: Over 30 People Injured in Farmer's Strike in Andahuaylas
A farmers’ strike [es] against mining activities in Andahuaylas, in the Apurímac region, turned violent on November 10, leaving damages and 38 people injured, according to the latest reports by El Comercio [es]. Juan Arellano gathers citizen reactions and reports via Storify [es].
Chile: Netizens Denounce Police Violence in Mapuche Community
Using social media, netizens share and comment on photos that show a police deployment in the Mapuche community Wente WinKul Mapu Lof Chequenco, Ercilla.
Peru: Protests Against ‘Conga’ Mining Project in Cajamarca
Citizens of Cajamarca, in northern Peru, protested against the ‘Conga’ mining project on November 9. Juan Arellano put together a Storify post [es] with background information on this conflict, and citizen reactions and reports shared on Twitter.
Latin America: New Online Learning Platform Oja.la
The Next Web highlights new online leaning platform Oja.la [es], which plans to offer IT courses in Spanish starting with “How to find investors for an online project” with entrepreneur Wenceslao Casares. However, as TNW explains, students have to pre-register through Facebook because Oja.la wants to “makes sure enough people...
Nicaragua: Protesters Denounce Election Fraud
Opponents to Daniel Ortega's reelection protested on November 8 denouncing electoral fraud in the November 6 elections, as reported by El Nuevo Diario [es]. The blog Política Mente Incorrecto [es] shares links to articles, pictures, and several citizen videos of the protest.
Mexico: Global Voices Contributor Receives Praise for Her Poems and Her Tweets
Global Voices contributor Issa Villarreal is recognized in the UNAM's (National Autonomous University of Mexico) ‘Poetry Periodical’ [es] for her poem El cuerpo siempre pierde [es] (“The body always loses”) and her informative tweets about Monterrey. You can follow Issa on Twitter @hiperkarma.
Bolivia: The UN Development Program's Video Series on Inequality
The United Nations Development Program has produced a series of videos focusing on inequality in Bolivia [es]. Blogger Pablo Andrés Rivero -who appears in two videos- posts the series [es] in his personal blog.
Honduras: The Relationship Between Poverty & Crime
A guest blogger in La Gringa's Blogicito writes about poverty and crime in Honduras: “This rampant poverty, lack of education and lack opportunities drives some young people to become delinquents and gang members. They grow up to become thieves and killers. They grow up to believe the only way to...
