Here’s a list of several important and not-so-important news stories that have made the rounds over the past few days. We’re doing this in order to make up for the lack of posts over the past week. Enjoy!
* Here’s a thought on last weekend’s Guatemalan presidential elections: Granted, a runoff will be held next month between Alvaro Colom and Otto Perez to determine the country’s presidency and much has been made of the poor sixth place reached by Rigoberta Menchu.
However, nobody seems to realize that in such a close race the support of losing candidates could make a huge difference. Twelve candidates were eliminated in Sunday’s election and though most of them only reached single-digit percentages they can be one of the keys to deciding who Guatemala’s next president could be. In other words, Sunday’s losers like Menchu could end up as November’s winners.
* Don’t cry for me Argentina! – FIFA president Sepp Blatter complained after Germany whipped las albicelestes 11-0 in the opening match of the Women’s World Cup on Monday. "Definitely I did not like this result, I can honestly say that," said Blatter who in 2004 caused an uproar by advocating the use of skimpier uniforms by female soccer players.
* Court documents showed that a member of uber-popular Mexican pop group RBD was arrested earlier this year for drug possession. Christian Chavez- who in March publicly announced of his homosexuality- was caught by police buying marijuana while in New York’s Washington Square Park. (Every NYU student like yours truly knows that you need to go uptown to make such transactions. Jeez Chrisitan!)
* Colombia’s government rejected an offer by Hugo Chavez to meet with the leaders of the country’s largest rebel group. Despite offers by the Venezuelan president to serve as a mediator, Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said the government "does not consider appropriate" a meeting between Chavez and FARC leaders in Colombia.
* Brazil banned all imports of toys by U.S.-owned firm Mattel due to controversy over items manufactured in China with lead paint. “The goal is to halt defective toys in the company's worldwide recall list from entering Brazil,” said a statement from Brazil’s government over the prohibition that took effect last month.
* Surely some people will make a mountain out of a molehill over this story – three Mexican police officers were arrested in Arizona over the weekend at a gun show. The policemen were detained after trying to buy guns at a gun show due to a law stating that noncitizens cannot purchase firearms.
Sources (English)- The Latin Americanist, BBC News, International Herald Tribune, Associated Press, Forbes, Bloomberg, People’s Daily Online, BBC Sport, AFP, Guardian UK
Source (Spanish)- El Diario/La Prensa
Image- Xinhua
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