Stories about Latin America from January, 2011
Honduras: New WikiLeaks Cables Reveal US Involvement in Honduran Politics
“The cables that Wikileaks have been releasing about Honduras, and that in the uproar over Tunisia and Egypt have been ignored by the mainstream media, make the level of US...
Guatemala: The Left Unites During Election Year
Central American Politics reports that leaders from Guatemalan left-leaning parties have met with “representatives from the country's social organizations, unions, and peasant and environmental groups” to try to form a...
Comparing Mexico to Egypt
Rich, in The Mex Files, compares the situation in Egypt with Mexico's past and present. He concludes asking, “what will happen if the Mexicans decide it is time for a...
Venezuela: Cholera Cases on the Rise
During a wedding held in the Dominican Republic, a group of Venezuelans were diagnosed with symptoms of cholera after eating contaminated food. What were initially 13 cases has increased rapidly within a few days; the most recent reports speak of 135 people treated for cholera.
Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago: Looking at Egypt
Cuban bloggers speculate that the Egypt protests may set an example for Cubans, issue advice to the Egyptian people and blog about similarities and differences between the two countries, while...
Cuba: Arrest & Release #3
A third arrest and release for Guillermo Fariñas in three days: Uncommon Sense has the details.
Venezuela: Explosions Rocked the Maracay Night
Early Sunday morning the city of Maracay was rocked with explosions from 5 government ammunition warehouses which caught fire. Some are calling it gross negligence while others suggest it might not have been accidental at all.
Brazil: Exclusive Internet Interview with the Founder of WikiLeaks
Brazilian netizens were invited to participate in an exclusive and collective interview with Julian Assange, founder and editor of the polemical WikiLeaks. Assange explains why he works with mainstream media – though he never fails to criticize it.
Could Nicaragua experience “the Egypt and Tunisia phenomenon”?
In an interview with El Nuevo Diario [es], Global Voices author Rodrigo Peñalba was asked [es] if the phenomenon seen in Egypt and Tunisia is “far from the national reality”...
Brazil: Ministry of Culture abandons Creative Commons
Brazilian Minister of Culture's decision to remove a Creative Commons license from its website provoked all sorts of reactions on social networks and among bloggers. It is the first instance of undoing of the previous government inclusive public policies regarding Internet, digital culture and authorial rights.
Mexico: Relatives of Children Killed and Injured in Nursery Fire Seek Justice
On June 2009 a fire killed 49 children in a nursery in the city of Hermosillo. Erwn C. reports that this week 23 people “related to children either killed or...
El Salvador: Court System Employees End Strike
Judiciary workers have concluded a week-long strike requesting higher salaries. Voices from El Salvador's Weblog summarizes how the strike ended and its impact.
Cuba, U.S.A.: New Travel Rules in Effect
Cuban diaspora bloggers note that the new Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations, which contain the new Cuba-related travel policy, are out; from Havana, Iván García observes that “the...
Cuba: Second Arrest for Fariñas
On learning that Guillermo Fariñas was arrested for a second time in less than 24 hours, Uncommon Sense says: “Nothing is unusual about what is happening…what is unusual is for...
Puerto Rico: Violence Continues as Students Engage in Civil Disobedience
On January 20th, students from the University of Puerto Rico started staging acts of civil disobedience as part of their strike against the $800 dollar annual fee imposed by the administration. The Police has arrested almost 100 protesters and assaulted journalists who have been covering the incidents. Social media and blogs have been an important tool of dissemination and a space for analysis.
Bolivia: Coca-Chewing Protests Held Around the Country
Pablo Andrés Rivero [es] and J.F. String blog about recent demonstrations held in several cities in Bolivia to overturn a UN ban on coca-leaf chewing.
Ecuador: Blog Competition Focusing on Public Safety
Ecuadorian bloggers are encouraged to participate in a Blog Competition [es] organized by the Guayaquil Canton to, “encourage the use of blogs as a platform for expression of ideas by discussing proposals related to public safety in the canton.” Visit...
Ecuador: Netizens Discuss Referendum on Constitution
President Rafael Correa has presented 10 questions in a "popular consultation," a referendum which amends several parts of the most recent Constitution drafted in 2008. Ecuadorians are using blogs and Twitter to discuss the proposed changes.
Jamaica, Cuba: Bye Bye, BBC
Cambios en Cuba [ES] and Jamaica Salt both note with sadness the BBC's decision to cut parts of its Caribbean service in a bid to save money: “The expertise and...
Cuba: Fariñas Arrested & Released
Uncommon Sense has been following the recent arrest of Cuban independent journalist Guillermo Fariñas and calls his detainment a “We told you so” moment. He has subsequently been released.
El Salvador: 19 Years Since Signing of Peace Agreements
Peace accords ending a Salvadoran civil conflict were signed 19 years ago on January 16, 1992. Although Salvadorans consider the peace agreements were an accomplishment, they feel the country has not achieved the peace, stability and reconciliation that was expected.
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