Stories about Latin America from January, 2014
How Brazilian Taxpayer Money Finances Construction Projects in the Amazon
During three months, reporters from Agência Pública sought to uncover the trail of investments of the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) in infrastructure projects in the Amazon.
The Cost of Living in Rio de Janeiro Is Too Damn High
In Rio de Janeiro, you'll pay 72 reals (30 US dollars) for chicken stroganoff or 43 reals (18.20 US dollars) for a green salad. Residents have had enough.
According to Google Autocomplete ‘Colombia is Passion’ and ‘Mexico is Culture’
Colombian blogger Javier Moreno typed “[Name of country] is” on Google search to see auto-complete suggestions for each country in Latin America and Europe. He modeled his experiment after the...
Ecuador's Indigenous People: “We believe in development that respects Mother Earth”
“The Government is appropriating our spiritual values of the Amazon region, it’s seeking to deconceptualize our cultural concepts”, says [Carlos Pérez, President of ECUARUNARI (Confederation of Kichwa Peoples of Ecuador)]....
Putting Faces on the Mysterious Disease Killing Nicaraguan Sugar Cane Workers
A fatal disease is killing sugar cane workers in Nicaragua. Photojournalist Ed Kashi wants to raise awareness about this mysterious epidemic through a documentary project that is looking for funding.
Coursera Online Courses Blocked in Syria, Iran and Cuba by US Sanctions [UPDATE]
Hit by US sanctions, Coursera students from Syria, Iran and Cuba, can no longer complete their studies on the online learning platform. Netizens react.
Presidential Debate in Panama Creates More Questions Than Answers
The second presidential debate took place on January 20 in Panama. Panamanians interacted on social media with a debate that seems to have been left in question.
Nine Questions for Arien Chang Castán, a Photographer from Havana
"This damned Havana is a double-edged sword, which I thank for who I am and what I do," says Arien Chang Castán.
Nicaraguan Micro-Fiction by Alberto Sánchez Arguello
Blogger Mildred Largaespada of 1001 Trópicos [es] writes about Alberto Sánchez Arguello, a Nicaraguan writer who shares his micro-stories through his Twitter account @7tojil [es]. “He is definitely an outstanding...
Journalism, Cuban Style
Iván's File Cabinet shares some of the must-haves if you want to be a journalist in Cuba.
Skepticism and Expectation Ahead of Ruling on Maritime Boundary Between Chile and Peru
On January 27, 2014, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague will announce a decision on the dispute about maritime delimitation between Peru and Chile.
Brazil's Evolving Relationship With Refugees
The number of refugees accepted into Brazil practically tripled from 2012 to 2013.
VIDEO: Memories of the Violent Eviction of Brazil's Pinheirinho Community
The documentary Somos Todos (We Are All), now available online, gives a voice to the former residents of the Pinheirinho community who lost their homes in January 2012.
From Barcelona to Madrid for the Love of a Candidate
Blogger Denise Duncan makes a confession [es] on her blog: ¿Por qué voy a viajar 1400 kilómetros para votar por Luis Guillermo Solís? ¿Por qué ir y volver de Barcelona...
The Online Presence of Puerto Rican Women: Gender, Creativity, and Equality
Angel Carrión features some of the online spaces Puerto Rican women have created to express ideas, creativity, exchange information, or provide resources that further education on women's issues and equality.
PHOTOS: Over 5,000 Children Break Guinness Record Painting Panama Canal
The Canal's centennial celebrations kicked off with a world record for people painting simultaneously. The event's festive atmosphere diverted the attention from a dispute threatening to halt the Canal's expansion.
Vargas Llosa's ‘Conversation in The Cathedral’, 140 Characters at a Time
The anonymous Twitter user behind the handle @EnLaCatedral is determined to share [es] the whole content of “Conversation in the Cathedral“, a novel by Literature Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa,...
Traditional Puerto Rican Saint Sebastian Street Festival Fills Every Corner of Old San Juan
The festival has lost much of its religious character, and has transformed more into a city festivity that attracts more than 300,000 people annually.
10 Documentaries on South American Music to Watch Online
Nick MacWilliam from the blog Sounds and Colours has compiled a list of 10 documentaries, “looking at all manner of musical styles and movements from the region, with films focused...
Political Propaganda in the New Panamanian Passports?
The new electronic passports issued by Panama carry in its pages images of accomplishments by the government of Ricardo Martinelli. The move has generated irritation and reactions.
Work on the Panama Canal Continues for Now
The GUPC continues its work on the Panama Canal despite threats to suspend construction. Meanwhile the Canal Authority is holding the company's feet to the fire.