Daily Headlines: February 15, 2010

* U.S.: Don’t ignore the “Latino vote”; according to a report from America’s Voice Latinos will play a key role in at least forty Congressional midterm election races.

* Mexico: If President Felipe Calderon expected the welcome wagon during his visit last week to Ciudad Juarez then he was quite mistaken.

* Chile: Two officials at Chile’s mint are looking for new jobs after 1.5 million coins were misspelled “Chiie.”

* Brazil: Tourism authorities in Rio de Janeiro anticipate at least 700,000 visitors during the Carnaval season.

Image – U.S. News and World Report
Online Sources- Washington Post, AFP, BBC News, AP

Guardian UK: Rio’s Carnaval fixed

An article in today’s Guardian UK claims that the results of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval were fixed by “underworld” criminals. The report alleges that Carnaval jurors were coerced into accepting bribes by the honorary president of the Beija-Flor samba school or else they would have their relatives threatened with death.

According to the article by Tom Phillips:

“Claims that Rio's carnival procession was fixed emerged in April after the police cracked down on a gambling racket allegedly involving the payment of bribes to Brazilian judges. During a raid on an apartment in northern Rio, agents found 4m reals (roughly $2 million) hidden behind a fake wall.

Shortly after the crackdown, known as Operation Hurricane, a parliamentary inquiry was set up. Yesterday, as the allegations grew, the 40 carnival jurors were summoned to testify before the commission.”

I wonder if this happens in Bahia? (Hopefully not!)

Sources (English)- Guardian UK

Sources (Portuguese)- O Globo Online, Estado.com.br

Image- BBC News (Parade float goes through the “Sambadrome” in last year’s Carnaval)