Week in Review (news and blogs): September 18 to September 24

It was a very busy week with lots of news such as Hugo Chavez’ controversial discourse at the U.N., more allegations of rigged elections in Mexico, and multi-billion dollar contracts for U.S. border security. Unfortunately we cannot report on every single thing that happened last week so here’s a list of events that we did not post on covering a wide range of subjects:

Monday September 18

• Did you know that Buenos Aires was deemed the nosiest city in Latin America?
• F.B.I. agents searched through the homes of two members of Puerto Rico’s separatist movement.
• A Paraguayan court cleared ex-resident Luis Gonzalez Macchi of corruption charges.

Tuesday September 19

• The head of U.S. Southern Command started a trip to Bolivia and will check out the country's counternarcotics efforts.
• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet with Caribbean counterparts to discuss security.
• Japan and Chile reached a bilateral free trade deal.

Wednesday September 20

• An O.A.S. spokesman denied that the body will make an official comment on the U.S.-proposed referendum on Cuba until a more detailed plan is presented.
• Colombia’s president did not hide his disappointment during a television interview when asked if Hugo Chavez is "a nut".
• The I.M.F. said that Haiti is eligible for a debt-relief package.

Thursday September 21

• A book by Noam Chomsky held by Hugo Chavez during his speech at the U.N. has raced up the book sales lists.
• Controversial ex- Peruvian spy chief Vladamiro Montesinos was sentenced to 20 years in jail for gun-running operations with Colombian rebels.
• Blogger Brooklyn Vegan covered Rodrigo y Gabriela, an Irish-born Mexican brother and sister team that combine fast-paced acoustic guitar and violin with rock overtones.
• Blogger Living in Peru reports on the Andean Community’s proposal of passports for the bloc’s member states.

Friday September 22

• New York politicians were none too happy with Chavez’ twin speeches at the U.N. and a Harlem church were he called U.S. President George W. Bush “an alcoholic.”
• U.S. embassy in Bogota warned travelers to be wary of shopping centers and parks in affluent areas that may become bombing targets.
• Brazilian autoworkers in the southern state of Paraná voted to continue their strike. (Earlier this month, Volkswagen workers in Sao Paulo ended a one-week strike).

Saturday September 23

• Did you know that on this day in 1956 Ozzie Virgil officially became the first Major League baseball player from the Dominican Republic?
• A U.S. man was nearly lynched by a mob in Guatemala after being accused of raping an 11-year-old girl.
• Raul Castro appeared on Cuban state television to report that his brother Fidel is recuperating slowly but surely.
• The first ever National Hockey League exhibition game in the Caribbean was played in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the New York Rangers beating the Florida Panthers by a score of 3-2.

Sunday September 24

• Argentina secured their ticket to their first Davis Cup final since 1981 after shutting out Australia in the semifinals.
• The latest edition of the Homeless World Cup (soccer) got underway as hosts South Africa triumphed over their counterparts from Chile.

Image- University of Manchester, U.K. (Upside down map of Latin America).

Links- The Latin Americanist (blog), CNN, Gridskipper (blog), Living in Peru (blog), Houston Chronicle, Fox Sports, International Herald Tribune, Brooklyn Vegan (blog), ESPN, iafrica.com, Gothamist (blog), Bloomberg, Reuters The Kansas City Star, Voice of America, Prensa Latina (Cuba), Newshounds (blog)

Tags- Argentina, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Latin America, Mexico, New York, Cuba, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, armed conflict, blogs, corruption, energy, international economy, international politics, music, sports, free trade