Weekend Headlines: March 6-7, 2010

* Puerto Rico: Economic concerns, not the possible change in political status, reportedly took precedence during a recent hearing in front of the Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status.

* Mexico: After the death of a Mexican Red Cross worker caught in gunfire some Red Cross clinics in northern areas have refused to treat the injured.

* U.S.: “Nearly 20 Latino members of Congress” have publicly called for the repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law that bans homosexuals from openly serving in the military.

* Guatemala: Two senior law enforcement officials including Guatemala’s head of national police were arrested over alleged drug trafficking.

Image – Washington Post
Online Sources- Reuters, New American Media, MSNBC, BBC News

”Don’t ask, don’t tell” for Peruvian police

A few days ago we reported on how Uruguay’s government will drop a ban against homosexuals joining the military. Hence, it may be possible that gays can openly serve in the military in Uruguay before U.S. soldiers get that chance.

In nearby Peru, however, authorities engaging in a cleanup of the country’s police forces have decided to target gay officers:

Peru has announced that it will ban homosexuals from the police force for damaging the image of the institution.

The law is one of several new regulations put forward by the Interior Minister, Mercedes Cabanillas…

The law states that any police officer who has sexual relations with someone of the same gender will be indefinitely suspended from the police force.

The same applies to officers who have extra-marital relations - their actions are also deemed to cause scandal and denigrate the institution's image.

Peru's ban on homosexuality in the police and military was in the books as recently as 2004. Yet the new rule tries to emulate the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell policy" by refusing to openly acknowledge gay police officers. (Is it any wonder why critics of the measure consider it as unconstitutional?)

As one Uruguay takes two steps forward in its treatment of gays, Peru takes five steps back. How unfortunate and sad, to say the least.

Image- BBC News
Online Sources- BBC News, AP, abc.net.au, The Latin Americanist

Uruguay to drop gay military ban

So far, the Obama administration has waffled on what to do with the asinine and much-derided “Don't ask, don't tell” policy in the military. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today that the president is working with legislators to find a "durable legislative solution." Yet an estimated 12,500 troops (such as West Point graduate Dan Choi) have been expelled since 1993 from the military due to their sexual orientation.

While the U.S. is moving at a snail’s pace to correct a terrible wrong, one South American country has resolved to take more immediate measures:

Uruguay is moving to lift a ban on homosexuals joining the armed forces…

The law had barred people with what it called "open sexual deviations" from entering the military academies.

It includes homosexuality among the "mental illnesses and disorders" that make a person unsuitable to join the armed forces.

The new decree states that sexual orientation will no longer be considered a reason to prevent people entering the military.

This could conceivably mean that gays can openly serve in the military in Uruguay before their U.S. counterparts get that chance.

Small world, huh?

Image- daylife.com (Troops at the Uruguayan Battalion headquarters received the vice president in 2007).
Online Sources- ABC News, Wikipedia, MSNBC, AHN