“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered”

Skyline of Bogota, Colombia

Hello everyone! It’s great to be back in the States though my 6 weeks in Colombia were magnificent. The humanity of the people is without equal, the culture was spectacular, and the country contains a wealth of natural beauty. Yes, shit happens there (as mentioned a few times in this blog) but the reality of the country is much more than violence, corruption, and drugs. I already miss it there very much and thankfully I learned a lot from the many things I observed there.

With that said here are several recent blog and news stories that caught my eye and will hopefully whet your appetite for now. Regularly-scheduled posting will resume mañana (Tuesday).

• 2006 was not a banner year for Latin American journalists as 28 of them were killed and 5 others disappeared according to the International Relations Center.
• An entry to Metafilter looks at the beauty of Peruvian cuisine which is “more than Inka Kola” and roast guinea pig.
• A sad tale out of New York City- a 6-year-old boy died suffocated in a plastic container while imitating Mexican kids show “El Chavo del 8.”
• A spokesman for Panama’s government said that they will imprison former leader Manuel Noriega in case he tries to return to Panama after his September 9^th release date.
• Blogs have been banned from this year’s Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro along with live Internet streaming of the events.
• Brazilian police have spent investigating the possibility of human trafficking in the disappearance of former national beauty queen Taiza Thomsen.
• Central American immigrants are pouring into Mexico despite measures to combat migrant flow, while Costa Rica is having problems dealing with migrants from Nicaragua.
• Disgraced ex-New York City police chief Bernard Kerik was hired to be state security officer of Guyana.
• Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa has ordered an official investigation into the helicopter crash last Wednesday that killed the country’s Defense Minister and her daughter.
• In the world of sport, drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Salvador Duran (from Colombia and Mexico, respectively) were part of a team that won the 24 Hours at Daytona while Chilean Fernando Gonzalez settled for second as he lost in straight sets to Roger Federer in the Australian Open men’s final.
• Now I’m not an expert in public relations, but I don’t think it’s a wise idea to hire a short-tempered supermodel as ambassador for one of the world’s most violent cities.
• The chief of Bolivia’s state-run oil company quit after multiple disagreements with president Evo Morales.
• The Mexicans are coming! The Mexicans are coming!
• The World Court ordered Argentina and Uruguay to find an amicable resolution to the ongoing feud over the construction of a Uruguayan paper mill near the border with Argentina.
• Two Latin American films- “Padre Nuestro” and “Manda Bala” received top honors at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
• So who’s the real ruler of Nicaragua: Daniel Ortega or First Lady Rosario Murillo?
• VivirLatino lists the nominees for Best Latin American Blog as part of this year’s edition of the Weblog Awards.
• What is the appeal of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ classic “One Hundred Years of Solitude”? Minnesota Public Radio (U.S.) investigates.
• With the growth of anti-affirmative action initiatives in the U.S., public universities are frantically finding alternatives to attract Latino students.
• Yet another interesting lesson in race relations via Overheard in New York.
• “You can have your guns back” said Mexican federal authorities over the weekend to Tijuana’s police force.

p.s. #1 I would be remiss without wholeheartedly thanking Maegan “la Mala” Ortiz for guest blogging over the past few weeks. Gracias for an exceptional job Maegan!

p.s. #2 Here is the origin of the quote at the top of this post.

p.s. #3 Please feel free to check out my personal blog- Huevos Pericos- where I’ll be posting this week on my trip to Colombia. (Sorry for the shameless plug!)

Links- The Latin Americanist, International Herald Tribune, International Relations Center, Metafilter, Gothamist, Taipei Times, USA TODAY, Global Voices Online, FOX News, New York Times, NY1 News, CNN, ESPN, FOX Sports, Foreign Policy- Passport, San Jose Mercury News, Wonkette, BBC News, IMDB, Reuters, VivirLatino, 2007 Weblog Awards, Minnesota Public Radio, MSNBC, Overheard in New York, Huevos Pericos, quoteland.com

Image- thomaslockehobbes.com

Tags- Latin America