Titulares de las Americas

Though we consider this blog as an “English-language forum” sometimes the English-language media does not reveal all the important news occurring in the Americas. Hence, here are several news stories making the rounds in the Spanish-language Latin American press:

* Clarin & Diario Hoy (Argentina): A pair of articles on soccer from Argentina. First, a suspect was arrested in the murder of a 15-year-old boy who was caught up in a quarrel between fans of rival soccer clubs. In addition, soccer legend Diego Maradona publicly denounced rumors that he had died in an auto accident earlier this week. ”I’m more alive than ever,” said Maradona in a radio interview earlier today.

* Diario ABC Color Digital (Paraguay): Statistics from Brazilian energy firm Electrobras show that Paraguay receives more revenue than Brazil from the Itaipú hydroelectric plant. The Itaipú power plant is located along a section of the Paraná River between both countries and each share the plant’s operation.

* El Comercio (Peru): Former presidential candidate Lourdes Flores will run again in 2011 said a leader of Peru’s Popular Christian Party. Felipe Osterling denied that she was a “political cadaver” and assured that she would have a solid chance of winning the presidency.

* El Mercurio (Chile): Problems continue with the public transportation system in Chile’s capital; this time, bus operators are complaining that buses are too slow and that’s causing an abundance of delays.

* El Universal (Venezuela): A court ordered the halt to the government’s planned expropriation of the golf courses at the Caracas Country Club. The court’s decision deemed the government's actions as “intimidation” where they overstepped their legal bounds.

* El Vocero de Puerto Rico: Anti-war group Madres Contra la Guerra (Mothers Against the War) revealed that an alarming number of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq suffer mental and psychological problems. “Madres Contra la Guerra has had to intervene on several occasions to prevent cases of domestic violence and obtain health services for soldiers,” admitted the group’s spokesperson.

* La Hora (Ecuador): President Rafael Correa instituted emergency measures towards improving the country’s educational system. An additional $125 million will be invested in infrastructural improvements and meals for students.

* La Jornada (Mexico): The country’s Chamber of Deputies is split between supporters and detractors of a comprehensive reform bill backed by President Felipe Calderon. If approved, the bill- known by the Spanish acronym ISSSTE- would modify the pension plans of hundreds of thousands of Mexicans and would bring changes to the Social Security system.

* La Tribuna (Honduras): Police captured one of Interpol’s most wanted fugitives- a 30-year-old alleged gang leader who had escaped from prison eight months ago.

* La Nación (Costa Rica): A congressional advisor assured that at least 38 votes are needed in the legislature to ratify Costa Rica’s entry into the CAFTA free trade pact. The advisor’s report was signaled by a change in the legislature’s quorum, and her news was welcomed by politicians opposed to the free trade plan.

* La Razón (Bolivia): An immigration operation at eight European airports resulted in the detention of hundreds of illegal immigrants from the Americas including almost 900 Bolivians. “Most travelers were deported because they did not have the correct documents to justify their entry into Europe” asserted a senior European immigration official.

* RCN (Colombia): Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba compared President Alvaro Uribe to Chilean ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet. “I believe there are plenty of similarities between Pinochet’s government and Uribe’s. All roads to paramilitarism go through Uribe,” said Cordoba during a radio interview Friday morning.

Image- Fisica y Sociedad