Music soothes the savage beast

Salma Hayek eat your heart out! (Image of Julieta Venegas via Sitios España)

• A few days ago, Colombian singer Carlos Vives insulted Shakira's decision to crossover into the North American market by singing in English. Vives- whose claim to fame was recycling old vallenato music- conveniently ignored how she’s called the shots to her English-language albums. Though guided by Emilio Estefan, Shakira was practically given full creative control of her musical content in English. Perhaps Carlitos is jealous that his career is pretty much done and that his knowledge of English may be enough to get him by while vacationing in Miami?

Shakira - Ciega, Sordomuda

• The Vives-Shakira debate reminds me of this post from blogger Muruch’s review of the latest album from Puerto Rican singer Zayra Alvarez.A former contestant on reality show “Rockstar: Supernova,” Zayra’s album was released in both Spanish and English. Muruch feels that Zayra’s Spanish songs are far superior to those in English “as singing in Spanish seems to give her pretty voice much more strength”. (Maybe Vives was on to something? Gulp!)

Zayra – Lluvia de Mar (File removed upon request)

• Earlier this week, Jennifer Lopez (sorry, I refuse to call her by her nickname!) took a trip back to her old stomping grounds in the Bronx.No, it wasn’t for charitable or benevolent reasons but rather to promote her upcoming Spanish-language (reverse crossover?) album.Though not his “cup of tea”, Chapín over at La Onda Tropical took a listen to her album and recommends it to those who “have a soft spot for tacky lyrics, and don't mind enduring the horrible music.”Pity it will most likely become a platinum album.

Jennifer Lopez - Te Voy a Querer

• Rockera Julieta Venegas will embark on a mini-tour of the U.S. in April that includes New York, Chicago, and San Antonio.Venegas has (deservedly) won several musical accolades including Latin Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards.Though she recently released her newest album- Limón y Sal- the song below is a stirring cover version of Juan Gabriel’s “Siempre en Mi Mente.”

Julieta Venegas - Siempre en Mi Mente

• Speaking of tours, English artist Morrissey announced of an extensive tour of the U.S. starting in late April. An interesting aspect about Morrissey is that he has a rabid and loyal fan base amongst Mexican-American fans in southern California and southwestern U.S.In response to his adoration amongst Chicanos, Morrissey recorded “First of the Gang to Die” in 2003.It is a great rock tune that differs greatly from the dark, depressing sounds that he was best known for as lead singer of The Smiths.(I suppose I should clarify that I’m a big fan of “Moz” as evidenced by these posts).

Morrissey - First if the Gang to Die

• Reggaeton has become one of the hottest musical genres in the Hispanic market.Entering the fray is seven-year-old Miguelito who is trying his best to emulate the urban thug look in his album cover.Masala has a clip of Miguelito’s music; judge for yourself if he belongs in the studio or at home playing on an Xbox.

Miguelito – Montala

• Lastly, we’ll end on a smooth note with the dulcet sounds of Brazilian chanteuse Maria Rita.We mentioned Rita in a previous post last May but it’s worth mentioning her again since her smooth and velvety voice is the perfect way to wind down after a busy week.

Maria Rita - Estrela, Estrela

See you all on Monday. Chao!

Links- Too many to mention!

The blogosphere and Cesar Chavez

Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez would have celebrated his 80^th birthday tomorrow. Several bloggers have recently spoken out over Chavez and the impact he has had:

• Duane Campbell examines the impact that Chavez had to the United Farm Workers- the labor union he co-founded and led for nearly two decades.
• In honor of Chavez, Sactomato describes an agricultural bill currently in California’s legislature that would help small farmers and conservation efforts.
• The Uncommon Man cites an article that will be published tomorrow on how Chavez help champion the use of nonviolence as a means of protest.
• Pat Joseph at the Sierra Club’s blog mentions that it supports efforts to make March 31^st a federal holiday in Chavez' name. (This is a measure that I wholeheartedly and unequivocally agree with).
• One blogger mentions how Chavez campaigned against illegal immigration; however, would someone as humane as Chavez support measures by “the xenophobic right” such as anti-immigrant laws in Pennsylvania or conditions at some immigrant detention centers? I think not.
• The “Golden Rule” according to Chavez.
• Medusa’s Kitchen gives a few poems by famed Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca to honor Chavez.
• Perhaps the best and most succinct quote to describe Chavez: “Rock on, Cesar Chavez.” Damn straight.
• Lastly, this is not a blog post, but a news report on how some students in Sacramento walked out of class as a way of honoring Chavez. Though Cesar Chavez Day is a state holiday in California, it is up to school districts to decide whether or not to close school today. (Sounds odd, doesnt’ it?)

Links- Sactomato, TPM Café, The Uncommon Man, Sierra Club, Contrary, The Arizona Daily Star, Corruption Chronicles, VivirLatino, the Golden Rule Radical, Medusa’s Kitchen, bear mountain picnic, KCRA

Image- Reason.com (1969 TIME cover art depicting Cesar Chavez)

Bill Richardson on “The Daily Show”

Below is video of New Mexico governor Bill Richardson’s appearance Wednesday night on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” Richardson explains why he is “the most qualified candidate to be president” and confesses how cultural differences nearly derailed negotiations with Saddam Hussein in 1995.

Links- YouTube, Albuquerque Tribune

Free Internet for Brazil’s indigenous peoples

Indigenous communities in the Amazonian rainforest will get free Internet access according to the Brazilian government. The aim behind the measure is for residents in the Amazon to denounce illegal logging and ranching activities. “It's a way to open communications between indigenous communities...to the rest of society,” said Environmental Minister Maria though local governments will be in charge of providing computers.

Links- FOX News, Reuters UK, BBC News

Image- Conservation International (Members of the Kayapó tribe in Brazil’s Amazon region)

Mexican anti-poverty model to be applied in the Big Apple

“If you’re serious about tackling poverty…you have to be serious about trying new things” said New York mayor Michael Bloomberg (image) announcing a pilot program to combat poverty. Under the joint public-private sector program modeled after a plan in Mexico city, impoverished families will receive cash incentives in the areas of education, labor and health care and could earn between $3000-5000 yearly.

Bloomberg will visit Mexico City on April 24^th in order to view first-hand how the “Oportunidades” program works to give incentives to single mothers.

Image- New York Times

Links- Gothamist, Reuters, El Diario/La Prensa

Lou Dobbs’ dream comes true?

I swear you can’t make this stuff up:

“Two executives at a company that once helped build a fence to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican border were sentenced Wednesday to six months of home confinement for hiring undocumented workers.”

Yes ladies and gentlemen you read that right. A company hired to build a fence keeping illegal immigrants out of the U.S. was fined for hiring illegal immigrants to build the fence in the first place.

Somewhere in Mexico City President Felipe Calderon is having a hearty chuckle over this.

Links- ABC News, Los Angeles Times, The Latin Americanist

Image- David Bacon

Daily headlines: March 30, 2007

* NPR provides a great audio clip on the hoopla surrounding Wednesday’s friendly soccer match in California between Ecuador and Mexico.

* Will Nicaraguan civil society benefit under Daniel Ortega’s second time as president? The International Relations Center thinks it’s moving in a positive direction.

* Déjà vu- Chilean students clashed with police; this time, it was in memory of two students killed by police in a 1985 protest.

* Colombia’s government estimates that the percentage of residents living in poverty has decreased inasmuch as rural poverty remains at a high 62%.

Links- NPR, The Latin Americanist, BBC News, Washington Post, International Relations Center

Image- Boston Herald (Mexico’s Omar Bravo and Andres Guardado celebrate one of their team’s four goals in their win against Ecuador)

Salvadoran family dead under mysterious circumstances

An absolutely disheartening tale out of a suburban town near Washington, DC where a Salvadoran father may have killed his four children before hanging himself. The kids- ages 9, 4, 3, and 1 year old- where found in their beds dead of unknown causes.

The press is painting the portrait of an immigrant family trying to live the “American dream” with Pedro Rodriguez and Deysi Benitez working odd jobs for nearly 7 years in order to provide a future for their children. Neighbors of the family praised them and considered them as very “nice”.

Yet behind closed doors, Rodriguez slapped and attacked Benitez on several occasions according to her sister. Benitez herself has been missing since police found the dead bodies; her whereabouts are unknown though the Salvadoran consul in Washington taped a video begging for her to contact him.

It’s premature to blame domestic violence for what occurred, but it is important to emphasize that victims should need not be afraid to denounce if it happens. If you are a victim in the U.S. please do not hesitate to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Si usted eres una victima de violencia domestica en los Estados Unidos puedes llamar al National Domestic Violence Hotline donde un consejero te pueda ayudar. El numero de telefono es 1-800-799-7233.

Links- Houston Chronicle, Guardian UK, International Herald Tribune, WBAL, National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence, Waynesboro Record Herald

Image- Waynesboro Record Herald (Police at the home of Pedro Rodriguez and Deysi Benitez on Monday)

Colombia: Gov’t slow to respond to health crisis

Colombia’s government has just begun to spring into life in response to a health crisis in Chocó province. Though the government has been on the defensive citing the funds they have sent to Chocó, local health officials and community leaders have claimed an increase in the number of children affected by severe malnutrition and hunger.

Chocó is located in the northwestern part of the country and is the only province that has coasts on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is also one of the poorest provinces in Colombia with approximately 1 in 4 inhabitants of African descent. Lately, it has become a center for thousands of displaced people fleeing civil conflict.

Links- El Tiempo, BBC News, RCN, Wikipedia, Information Services Latin America, Refugees International

Image- International Red Cross (Red Cross doctor helping a child in an indigenous community of Chocó)

Labeling “left” isn’t right

Former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos said Tuesday that it would be a “huge mistake” to assume Latin America’s recent election results veer toward the “left,” El Universal reported. Instead, he told the Committee on Latin American Affairs, Spanish Senate, democracy is rising in the region as voters focus on the opportunity for change. Lagos did acknowledge that the “division of power” in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador is troubling, but dismissed the idea of a Chávez influence.

-Contibuted by Alison Bowen

Link- El Universal

Image- The New York Inquirer

Fidel Castro blasts U.S. biofuel campaign

Under the headline “Condemned to premature death by hunger and thirst more than 3 billion people of the world," Cuba’s Granma newspaper published an article by ex-dictator Fidel Castro condemning U.S. environmental policy. Fidel condemned “the sinister idea of using food as fuel” by the U.S. though he did not comment on biofuel usage promoted by several Latin American countries like Brazil and Mexico.

Fidel’s article can be read here (in Spanish), though here are a few key translated quotes:

• The sinister idea of using food as fuel was definitely established as the economic component of U.S. foreign policy.
• The tragedy is not in reducing energy but in the notion of converting foodstuffs into fuel.
• Give financing to poor counties to produce ethanol from corn or some other crop and there won’t be a single tree to defend humanity against global warming.
• In our country, lands that are used for alcohol production would be more suitable to produce food for the people and to protect the environment.
• All the countries of the world, rich and poor, without exception could save millions of dollars…switching all incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, something that Cuba has done in all homes throughout the country.
• There are other topics that can be discussed, yet I merely wish to use this article to comment on the meetings (U.S. President George W.) Bush has had with the main North American auto firms.

Update: Brazil is an area of "pilgrimage" for developing alternatives to fossil fuels, said the country's Foreign Minster in an energetic response to Fidel's remarks. (Link via Monsters & Critics).

Links- CNN, Monsters & Critics, Reuters, The Latin Americanist, Granma

Image- BBC News

Democrats want to change free trade deals

Democratic Congressional leaders announced that they are “restoring bipartisanship to American trade policy” after negotiations with the Bush administration on free trade pacts between the U.S. and several Latin American countries. Since regaining majority rule of both chambers of Congress last November, Democrats have been calling for stronger labor and intellectual property provisions to free trade deals with nations like Colombia, Peru, and Panama.

Links- Guardian UK, The Latin Americanist, ABC News

Image- ABC News Online

Daily headlines: March 29, 2007

* Former Major League Baseball pitcher Ugueth Urbina (image) was sentenced to 14 years jail time in Venezuela.

* Another day, another “Fidel Castro’s health is improving” news report.

* Bolivia’s mining minister was fired after taking an “unauthorized” trip to Cuba.

* Approximately 9000 members of Brazil’s police went on a one-day strike yesterday.

Links- CNN, ESPN, BBC News, Canada.com

Image- SignOnSanDiego.com

Mexico City tries computers for guns plan

Here’s a novel way to reduce deaths related to firearms: Mexico City police started a pilot program in the crime-riddled neighborhood of Tepito to exchange guns with computers and Xbox video game sets. As one Mexico City official noted:

"Imagine how Mexico City would be if there were no guns. Tepito is a barrio known for boxing champions, and now it has turned into a barrio where there were 32 murders last year.''

If successful in Tepito, the guns for computers program may spread to other neighborhoods racked by violence. The campaign is part of an anti-crime push by "pragmatic" left-wing Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebard.

Links- Guardian UK, CNET News, Mexidata.info

Image- CBS News

Follow-up: Argie gov’t turns up pressure on Falklands

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner voided a gas and oil exploration contract with Great Britain yesterday as the government increased its rhetoric on sovreignty over the Falklands Islands. The Argentine government justified breaking the agreement by calling the contract a “unilateral action to explore for resources that belong to Argentines.”

In response, British officials deemed Argentina’s decision to strengthen its claims to the islands as “lamentable” and “a step backwards…that impedes future cooperation” between both countries.

As we mentioned yesterday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair justified Britain’s military campaign against the invasion of the Falklands in 1982.

Links- Bloomberg, The Telegraph, El Dia, La Nacion, The Latin Americanist

Image- theoxleys.com

Mexico divided over abortion debate

Public support and outrage has grown over the past few weeks over a proposed measure which would allow abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy. Proponents of the abortion bill claim that the too many pregnant women, especially from poorer backgrounds, are endangering their lives conducting illegal procedures. According to one federal legislator behind the abortion bill:

“We are in favor of women's life. We don't want women to stop their pregnancies ... but we have a stubborn reality.”

On the other hand there are detractors of the measure, especially conservative political groups and the Roman Catholic Church. They were behind a “pilgrimage for life” demonstration on Sunday (image) in Mexico City even though Mexico’s constitution bans religious organizations from political activity. (That didn’t stop a Latin American Roman Catholic group from publishing ads in Mexican newspapers defending legalized abortion).

Most Mexicans support birth control though the country is nearly split in half over decriminalizing abortion.

Links- Sacramento Bee, CNN, CTV, SignOnSanDiego.com, Angus Reid Global Consultants, El Universal

Image- CBS News

Chile: Cabinet reshuffles in wake of Transantiago problems

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet dismissed four of her ministers in response to decreasing popularity partly due to problems with Santiago’s public transit system. “The inhabitants of Santiago, especially the poorest, deserve an apology from all of us,” said Bachelet (image) in a national speech after she dismissed the ministers of transportation justice, presidency, and (the ever-popular) defense.

A survey by Chilean newspaper La Tercera and published on Saturday has Bachelet’s approval rating at 45%; the lowest point since she took office in January 2006. Mixed economic data has not helped her popularity either.

Links- Reuters, Bloomberg, La Tercera, The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK

Image-latinamericanstudies.org

Latin American biologist picked to head Smithsonian

He was born in Costa Rica, raised in Colombia, and was just named as interim head of the world’s largest museum complex. 41-year-old biologist Cristian Samper (image) was chosen on Monday to replace Lawrence Small who resigned after seven scandal-plagued years as Secretary of The Smithsonian Institute. “I see this as a great challenge and opportunity” said Samper who has enjoyed an extensive academic and scientific background.

Good luck Cristian!

Links- Washington Post, Guardian UK, ScienceBlogs – Thoughts from Kansas

Image- University of Michigan - Natural Resources and Environment

Daily headlines: March 28, 2007

* A U.S. Border Patrol agent who killed a Mexican migrant two months ago returned to active duty.

* The New Yorker takes a detailed look at the fractured life of Chilean author Roberto Bolaño.

* Guatemala’s government nominated a new interior minister in the wake of police corruption linked to the murders of three Salvadoran politicians.

* New York’s Columbia University handed down punishments to students who disrupted an October 2006 speech by Minutemen founder Jim Gilchrist.

Links- Guardian UK, The New Yorker, MLive.com, The Latin Americanist, Gothamist

Image- Annunciation House

Event: “Documenta Chile” @ NYU tonight!

The latest installment of the “Documenta Chile” series on documentaries will be tonight at New York University. According to the series’ program, tonight’s double feature is the following:

• “MÄ PACHA UTJIANA” – In the interior villages of Quebrada de Tarapaca, the people believe that the voices of their ancestors speak through the rituals, customs, myths and legends of their culture. They believe that these traditions must be respected because they hold the key to maintaining the balance and the harmony between the worlds: the natural world (aka pacha), the spirit world (alex pacha), and our world (manqha pacha). This documentary presents three legends; The Damned – the story of a man who continues living after death; Los Gentiles – the story of the small people who inhabited the earth during a time when the sun did not exist; Tatasavaya – the story of the great hill that both gives life and takes it away. Through these stories and through the rituals of the Feast of Usmagama, the viewer visits the magic universe that surrounds the villages of Tarapaca in a time-defying journey through this rich heritage, still living and running strong like a river.
• “TRAGO DULCE/TRAGO AMARGO”- In a small port city in the Atacama Desert, an alcoholic ex-boxer fights his last fight, this time against himself. The man’s life on the docks and in the village leaves no doubt of the tremendous struggle unraveling deep inside him, caught between the senseless nature of his present life and the extraordinary force it takes not to let go completely.

“Documenta Chile” will also air films on April 10^th and April 24^th. (My apologies for not mentioning about the film series sooner).

What – “Documenta Chile” film series

When – TONIGHT at 7:15pm

Where – King Juan Carlos Center, 53 Washington Square South (Manhattan), First Floor Auditorium

Price – Free!!!

Information- Telephone # 212 998 3650 or via their website @ www.nyu.edu/kjc

Note – Question-and-answer session with the director of “Ma Pacha Utijana” after the screening!

Links- New York University King Juan Carlos Center, IMDB

Image- New York University King Juan Carlos Center (scene from “Ma Pacha Utijana”)

Tony Blair: going to war in Falklands was “the right thing to do”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted last week that Britain's involvement in Argentina’s 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands took “a lot of political courage” but was "the right thing to do.” Blair’s comments come in contrast to British public opinion against current military operations in Iraq.

Blair remarked that:

"I have got no doubt it was the right thing to do ... for reasons not simply to do with British sovereignty but also because I think there was a principle at stake, which is that ... a land shouldn't be annexed in that way and people shouldn't be put under a different rule in that way."

Over the past year Argentina’s government has become more vocal in its claims to the Falklands which are located 300 miles off the argentine coast. In addition, support for Argentina’s claim has grown amongst Latin American countries and regional economic blocs.

Links- Guardian UK, Wikipedia, The Latin Americanist, Monsters & Critics

Image- emilianoromagnolinelmondo.it (The Argentine invasion of the Falkland in 1982)

Archbishop Romero’s murder observed worldwide

This past Saturday was the 27^th anniversary of a dark day in Latin American history- the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero (image). Romero- who was a tireless human rights advocate seeking a peaceful resolution to El Salvador’s civil conflict- was gunned down while giving mass at a San Salvador hospital.

In El Salvador and around the world, people congregated for special prayers in Romero’s honor. Pope Benedict XVI in his Sunday mass praised Romero as a martyr who “testified that the love of Christ is stronger than violence and hate.”

Tim's El Salvador Blog has a great post on how Salvadorans observed the27th anniversary of Romero's murder.

Links- Wikipedia, Catholic Herald, Tim's El Salvador Blog, International Herald Tribune, Independent Catholic News

Image- Tim’s El Salvador Blog

Lawmakers request special immigration status for Venezuelans

Several congressmen from Florida proposed creating a special immigrating status for Venezuelans living in the U.S. "The (immigration plan) we are asking for is issued for political reasons, where there is a disaster in a country,” said Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart about the plan that would permit recipients to apply for work permits and live in the U.S. legally.

Meanwhile, private land seizures started yesterday in Venezuela as part of the government’s land reform program. Sixteen large farms totaling over 815,000 acres of land will become “collective property” according to President Hugo Chavez during his television program on Sunday (image).

Links- NBC6.net, El Universal, Monsters &Critics, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, BBC News

Image- ABC News

Pinochet posthumously under investigation

Even in death Augusto Pinochet cannot escape the long arm of the law. Chilean authorities are investigating if Pinochet planned the 1982 poisoning death of ex-president Eduardo Frei Montalva (image). “There's enough evidence to affirm that the death of President Frei Montalva was a homicide,” said a lawyer for Frei’s family.

Ironically, Frei would oppose Pinochet though he initially supported the 1973 coup that ousted President Salvador Allende.

Image- 200 Años de la Presidencia

Links- The Latin Americanist, Bloomberg, Wikipedia

Daily headlines: March 27, 2007

* Telesur = Latin American version of Al Jazeera? Oh really?

* Mexican stocks took a bit of a tumble during trading on Monday due to worry over slumping home sales in the U.S.

* China and Venezuela signed off on several agreements including constructing refineries in China to handle increased shipments of Venezuelan oil.

* Polls taken earlier this month show that Rigoberta Menchu is last amongst the four main candidates for Guatemala’s presidency; the leader is the 2003 presidential runner-up who’s running with a former Texas surgeon.

Links- Forbes, China Daily, Angus Reid Global Consultants, Houston Chronicle, MarketWatch

Image- Narco News

Bravo Gabo! Garcia Marquez praised during Spanish language conference

Renowned author Gabriel Garcia Marquez (a.k.a. Gabo) was lavished with praise from peers and admirers alike during the opening acts of the Fourth Congress of the Spanish Language held in the Colombian city of Medellin. “I can't overcome my surprise for everything that has happened" said Gabo during a ceremony celebrating his extraordinary literary career. Spain’s King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia as well as former U.S. president Bill Clinton were present at the tribute to Gabo who recently celebrated his eightieth birthday.

Also during the Fourth Congress of the Spanish Language, language experts revealed a new Spanish proficiency exam designed “to unify criteria and evaluation methods for learning and knowledge of the Spanish language”. The test is planned to be universally accepted though the director of the Cervantes Institute observed that architects of the exam were “very careful about respecting the particular (linguistic) characteristics of each country.” Though there are basic commonalities in Spanish throughout the Americas, there are some notable differences as you can read in our "Regional Spanish" page.

Links- Prensa Latina, Journal Peru, El Tiempo, The Latin Americanist, FortWayne.com, The Latin Americanist: Regional Spanish

Image- El Tiempo

Protests in Miami over travel rules to Cuba

Dozens of protestors- especially Cuban exiles- demonstrated over the weekend in Miami against U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba. "It's an erroneous policy that makes no sense," said one protestor on the strict rules against traveling to Cuba which has angered academics, clergymen, and even federal legislators who have introduced bipartisan bills to ease travel restrictions.

Links- Kansas City Star, The Latin Americanist, Catholic Online, San Francisco Gate

Image- CNN

Gooooooool!

Several soccer international friendlies were played over the weekend. Here’s a quick recap:

• Landon Donovan showed that his performance last month against Mexico was not a fluke by scoring a hat trick in the U.S.’ 3-1 victory over Ecuador.
• Speaking of Mexico, Jared Borguetti’s second-half substitution proved to be the difference as he scored two goals in three minutes and “el Tri” beat Paraguay 2-1.
• Chile was outplayed and outmatched in a 4-0 drubbing by Brazil which was notable for Ronaldinho’s first international goals in nearly two years.
• Carlos Bueno was the lone goal scorer as his two tallies helped Uruguay beat South Korea 2-0.
• Julio Cesar Uribe’s debut as Peruvian head coach came to a bad start with a 2-0 loss to Japan. Conversely, a 2-0 victory over El Salvador highlighted Reinaldo Rueda’s debut as Honduran head coach.
• In other scores, Haiti upset Panama 3-0, Venezuela beat Cuba 3-1, Costa Rica blew out New Zealand 4-0, and Colombia won over Switzerland 3-1.

Links- Reuters UK, Sports Illustrated, International Herald Tribune, Guardian UK, SLAM! Sports, Houston Chronicle, FOX Sports, USA TODAY

Image- CBS News (Landon Donovan leaping in the air and celebrating his third goal against Ecuador)

Weekly debate: Democracy and the economy in Latin America

Over the past few years countries throughout Latin America are enjoying extraordinary economic growth as shown by the following examples:

• Chile’s final quarter growth in 2006 was 4.3%.
• Uruguay’s GDP grew last year by 7%.
• Interest rates in Colombia were raised to 8.25% in response to strong economic growth.

While the news may be encouraging for investment and the overall economy of a country, economic development has not met rising growth. In Venezuela, for instance, a miniscule percentage of GDP goes to the poor, while 40% of the region lives below the poverty line.

It is this lack of economic development that has hurt democratic regimes throughout the region. Regardless of a government’s ideology or how much an economy has increased abject poverty continues, and this has gradually led to a lack of public confidence in democracy.

Now we’re not advocating a turn towards fascism or extreme socialism, but something has to be done in order for Latin Americans to regain faith in democracy and its institutions. So what do you think? What changes need to be done? Will democracy continue in the Americas or revert towards extremism?

Links- Bloomberg, MercoPress, Forbes, El Universal, Yahoo! News, Houston Chronicle

Image- Adelante! (Scene from the documentary “Favela Rising”)

Follow-up: visa snafu resolved for Rodrigo y Gabriela

Several days ago we told you how visa problems were endangering the U.S. tour plans of Mexican brother and sister act Rodrigo y Gabriela. Thankfully, there is good news for us gringos who enjoy their eclectic mix of acoustic rock:

“Rodrigo Sanchez…has successfully procured his Entertainment Working Visa from the American Embassy in Mexico City on Friday March 23, 2007. Mr. Sanchez is officially clear to continue Rodrigo Y Gabriela's highly-anticipated U.S. tour beginning on April 14 in Los Angeles, CA”.

The pair rescheduled several of their gigs in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City and announced new performances in Europe and on July 1^st at Central Park. (Yay! Better get the sunscreen ready!)

(Hat tip: Brooklyn Vegan)

Image- Brooklyn Vegan (Rodrigo y Gabriela at a September 2006 concert at New York’s S.O.B.’s)

Links- Rodrigo y Gabriela, Brooklyn Vegan