Wednesday, August 1, 2012
London Calling: Limardo's Golden Touch
For the first time in forty-four years a Venezuelan athlete has captured gold at the Olympics.
Ruben Limardo Gascon, who will celebrate his twenty-seventh birthday on Friday, captured the top prize in men’s individual épée fencing on Wednesday.
Limardo won Venezuela’s first-ever medal in fencing and first medal at the London Games after beating Norway's Bartosz Piasecki 15-10 in the final match. The twelfth-seeded combatant from Ciudad Bolivar took an early lead in the title bout and held on against his less seasoned rival.
Despite several early upsets in the competition, Limardo won a series of close matches in order to reach the gold medal combat. His trickiest test came in the semifinal when he beat Seth Kelsey of the U.S. in overtime by a score of 6-5.
“I dedicate (this medal) to all the Venezuelan people and also the children who are the country’s future,” Limardo reportedly said after the medal ceremony. He also dedicated his gold medal to his late mother who he claimed was “accompanying me from heaven.”
In other recent medal-winning results from Latino and Latin American athletes:
Daily Headlines: August 1, 2012
* Venezuela: Will Venezuela’s official entry yesterday as a full member of the Mercosur bloc help or hurt the country’s economy?
* Latin America: Spanish imports of oil from Latin America have doubled this year partly due to a European Union ban on Iranian oil that started exactly one month ago.
* Costa Rica: Fired Deputy Minister for Youth Karina Bolanos apologized but defended herself after a racy personal video made in 2007 was stolen and released on YouTube.
* Nicaragua: The criminal gang linked to the murder last year of Argentine folk singer Facundo Cabral has been accused of laundering over $1 billion.
Video Source – YouTube via Cosa Rosada (In this video from the Argentine government the leaders of Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina posed for a photo at the Mercosur conference yesterday).
Online Sources- Bloomberg, Reuters, InSight Crime, CNN
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Today’s Video: Remembering Lupe Ontiveros
On July 24th Latina film and TV actress Lupe Ontiveros died at the age of 69 after a brief battle with liver cancer.
Born Guadalupe Moreno in Texas in 1942, Ontiveros originally worked as a social worker until the 1970s when she supposedly responded to friend's "dare" and answered a newspaper ad looking for movie extras. Her first big break came in 1979 when she and other Latino actors including Edward James Olmos were cast as members of the Broadway play "Zoot Suit." Eventually her career on both stage and screen would last nearly five decades.
As noted by The A.V. Club, Ontiveros "found it difficult to break out of the all-too-familiar ghetto of roles available to Latina performers, such as domestic help, hookers, and the occasional grandmother". Nevertheless she reportedly claimed in a 2002 interview that she had a "hell of a good time" portraying maids.
Among Ontiveros roles was her portrayal on the big screen of Yolanda Saldivar, the convicted murderer of Tejana music star Selena Qunitanilla. According to the New York Times, her performance in 1997's "Selena" was so credible that "for years the singer’s fans would hiss at her when she walked into a public place".
Born Guadalupe Moreno in Texas in 1942, Ontiveros originally worked as a social worker until the 1970s when she supposedly responded to friend's "dare" and answered a newspaper ad looking for movie extras. Her first big break came in 1979 when she and other Latino actors including Edward James Olmos were cast as members of the Broadway play "Zoot Suit." Eventually her career on both stage and screen would last nearly five decades.
As noted by The A.V. Club, Ontiveros "found it difficult to break out of the all-too-familiar ghetto of roles available to Latina performers, such as domestic help, hookers, and the occasional grandmother". Nevertheless she reportedly claimed in a 2002 interview that she had a "hell of a good time" portraying maids.
Among Ontiveros roles was her portrayal on the big screen of Yolanda Saldivar, the convicted murderer of Tejana music star Selena Qunitanilla. According to the New York Times, her performance in 1997's "Selena" was so credible that "for years the singer’s fans would hiss at her when she walked into a public place".
Daily Headlines: July 31, 2012
* Latin America: According to Mexican newspaper Excelsior, Guatemala and Mexico have the lowest military spending based as the percentage of GDP in Latin America.
* El Salvador: President Mauricio Funes is enjoying a 72% approval rating despite foreign diplomatic worries of a developing “constitutional crisis.”
* U.S.: A new report found that few Latinos are likely to take out loans to pay for college, which reportedly have some experts worried that “rising college costs will eventually create a significant barrier against Hispanics seeking higher education”.
* Ecuador: At a press conference in Quito the mother of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claimed that her son has been “under a lot of stress”.
Video Source – YouTube via Al Jazeera English
Online Sources- InSight Crime, Prensa Latina, Reuters, VOXXI, News24.com
Monday, July 30, 2012
London Calling: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Wembley
After an excellent first day in the 2012 London Games medal count for Latin America, days two and three have provided plenty of action for the region’s athletes. The biggest moment occurred on Sunday with one of the biggest upsets in Olympics soccer history.
An early Jerry Bengston goal for Honduras was enough to beat Spain by a score of 1-0 and eliminate them from the games.
The Spaniards, who were one of the favorites to win gold, were stymied by a physical Honduran defense at St. James' Park in Newcastle. Coach Luis Suarez’ decision to not tinker with the lineup that tied the first group match with Morocco paid off after Bengston’s powerful header beat David De Gea in the seventh minute.
Los Catrachos withheld a second-half Spanish onslaught that included a trio of shots that hit the posts and crossbar.
“Undoubtedly this triumph is a historic achievement for our players,” declared Honduran president Porfirio Lobo who also said that the team’s “toughness and unity” should serve as “an example for the Honduran people”.
After the game Spain’s Iker Muniain vociferously complained about the poor officiating of Venezuelan referee Juan Soto and accused his rivals of “being blown upon and falling down” in order to draw fouls. Yet Spain had several iffy calls in their favor including Muniain not being sent off after he angrily bumped Soto late in the match.
Daily Headlines: July 30, 2012
* Bolivia: The government started a series of consultations with numerous indigenous communities opposed to the construction of a highway in the Amazon region.
* Chile: A souvenir line was launched to pay the expenses of thirty-three miners who were trapped underground for nearly seventy days in 2010.
* Nicaragua: A pair of Dutch companies won a government contract to study the feasibility of building a transoceanic canal in Nicaragua.
* Costa Rica: Flooding caused by heavy rains have led to the disappearances of several people while over 1500 people were evacuated and placed in shelters.
Video Source – YouTube via Al Jazeera English
Online Sources- Reuters, The Telegraph, The Latin Americanist, CBS News, CNN
Saturday, July 28, 2012
London Calling: Ouro
The first gold medal won by a Latin American athlete at this year’s Olympics came from a tenacious Brazilian martial artist.
Sarah Menezes won the under-48kg women’s judo gold on Saturday after beating defending champion Alina Dumitru of Romania in the final.
Menezes, who upset world number one Tomoko Fukumi to reach the gold medal bout, fought a tough and defensive bout against Dumitru. The patience from the twenty-two-year-old paid off when she threw the Romanian twice in the final minute.
“I feel like I’m floating!” said Menezes to the Brazilian press after capturing the gold. Her victory was the pinnacle of a judo career that she admitted started “as a joke” thirteen years ago.
Menezes wasn’t the only Brazilian to obtain a medal on Saturday. Felipe Kitadei, who superstitiously touched the judo ring before each one of his bouts, won bronze in the under-60kg men’s category. Swimmer Thiago Pereira finished behind Ryan Lochte of the U.S. and won silver in the men’s 400-meter individual medley.
In other Olympics results from Saturday:
Weekend Headlines: July 28-29, 2012
* Mexico: Protests against allegedly biased coverage by Televisa of Mexico’s recent elections have extended nationwide.
* Cuba: The widow of Oswaldo Payá rejected the Cuban government’s report alleging that the recently deceased Cuban dissident was killed in a car crash.
* Ecuador: A judge increased the fine against Chevron for environmental damage in the Amazon to over $19 billion.
* Panama: The country’s rapidly growing economy will continue its high pace in 2013 according to new government data.
Video Source – YouTube via LinkTV
Online Sources- Huffington Post, Fox News Latino, GlobalPost, Reuters
Friday, July 27, 2012
Today’s Video: Sounds of Havana
We'll be back over the weekend with several news and notes from the Americas.
For now we leave you with the following video, which is a promo for "Havana! Havana!" The documentary on a group of Cuban musicians that returned to the island will air on most PBS stations tonight. (Check local listings):
Video Source - YouTube via PBS
For now we leave you with the following video, which is a promo for "Havana! Havana!" The documentary on a group of Cuban musicians that returned to the island will air on most PBS stations tonight. (Check local listings):
Video Source - YouTube via PBS
Daily Headlines: July 27, 2012
* Puerto Rico: Univision apologized yesterday after accidentally running an ad congratulating Puerto Rico’s "independence". (The corrected ad is seen above).
* Venezuela: The U.N. blasted the Venezuelan government’s move to withdraw from two regional human rights courts.
* Cuba: A State Department spokesman said that the U.S. would not negotiate with the Cuban government unless several conditions are met.
* Argentina: The image of former first lady Evita Peron will appear on 100 peso notes to mark the 60th anniversary of her premature death.
Video Source – YouTube via brightspeak
Online Sources- Huffington Post, Fox News Latino, The Australian, Bernama
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Today’s Video: Going the Distance
This weekend we’ll take a look at several athletes from Latin America and the Caribbean that could make in impact at this year’s London Games.
The English capital city will host the Olympics for an unprecedented third time and the games will be officially inaugurated on Friday. Before that, however, several odd occurrences have taken place such as the suspension of a Greek triple jumper who published a racially insensitive Tweet. Yesterday the Colombia-North Korea women’s soccer match was delayed and nearly forfeited after the Hampden Park video screens displayed the flag of South Korea with the profiles of North Korean players.
One of the most unusual Olympics moments took place the first time London hosted the games in 1908. Dorando Pietri was initially declared the winner of the marathon after he crossed the finish line seconds before Johnny Hayes of the U.S. Yet the exhausted Pietri was disqualified since several officials aided him to the tape.
An unusual finish nearly marred the Olympics marathon when it was run in 1948, again in London. Etienne Gailly of Belgium dominated the race and was the first to enter Wembley Stadium with roughly half a kilometer until the finish. But the difficult course and inclement weather apparently caught up to Gailly and he collapsed with four hundred meters to go. The runner was dazed and disoriented but officials, (possibly remembering the chaotic incident with Pietri four decades before), did not help the Belgian.
Twenty-nine-year-old Delfo Cabrera of Argentina ran past the spent Gailly, which set up an exciting finish. As described by Liza Isaak on ESPNdeportes.com:
The English capital city will host the Olympics for an unprecedented third time and the games will be officially inaugurated on Friday. Before that, however, several odd occurrences have taken place such as the suspension of a Greek triple jumper who published a racially insensitive Tweet. Yesterday the Colombia-North Korea women’s soccer match was delayed and nearly forfeited after the Hampden Park video screens displayed the flag of South Korea with the profiles of North Korean players.
One of the most unusual Olympics moments took place the first time London hosted the games in 1908. Dorando Pietri was initially declared the winner of the marathon after he crossed the finish line seconds before Johnny Hayes of the U.S. Yet the exhausted Pietri was disqualified since several officials aided him to the tape.
An unusual finish nearly marred the Olympics marathon when it was run in 1948, again in London. Etienne Gailly of Belgium dominated the race and was the first to enter Wembley Stadium with roughly half a kilometer until the finish. But the difficult course and inclement weather apparently caught up to Gailly and he collapsed with four hundred meters to go. The runner was dazed and disoriented but officials, (possibly remembering the chaotic incident with Pietri four decades before), did not help the Belgian.
Twenty-nine-year-old Delfo Cabrera of Argentina ran past the spent Gailly, which set up an exciting finish. As described by Liza Isaak on ESPNdeportes.com:
Daily Headlines: July 26, 2012
* Dominican Republic: The debate over abortion has heated up after a ban on the practice has prevented a pregnant eighteen-year-old girl dying of acute leukemia from receiving chemotherapy.
* Mexico: Mexican regulators levied a $27.5 million fine against the local subsidiary of HSBC after the bank failed to prevent money laundering.
* Colombia: Venezuelan authorities extradited to Colombia Diego Perez Henao, the suspected leader of a neo-paramilitary group known as “Los Rastrojos.”
* U.S.: Mourners in Texas prayed in memory of fifteen immigrants, including nationals from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, who died in a car crash on Sunday.
Video Source – CNN
Online Sources- CNN, Businessweek, GlobalPost, Houston Chronicle
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Daily Headlines: July 25, 2012
* Venezuela: President Hugo Chávez announced last night that Venezuela would withdraw from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights after losing a case at the tribunal last week.
* U.S.: Latino leaders in California have called for a federal investigation into the police shooting and death of an Anaheim resident that has triggered several days of rioting.
* Latin America: A report found that the richest people in thirty-three Latin American and Caribbean nations hid over $2 trillion in assets in offshore tax havens between 1970 and 2010.
* Cuba: A U.S. citizen accused of traveling to Cuba as an “unauthorized tourist” in 1998 agreed to pay a $6500 fine.
Video Source – YouTube via teleSUR English
Online Sources- El Universal, NPR, Business Recorder, MSNBC
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Today’s Video: Peruvian Pride
We continue our look this week at athletes from Latin America and the Caribbean who excelled in the Summer Games with an almost-Cinderella story.
Throughout the 1980s the volleyball world was ruled by the likes of the U.S., Soviet Union and East Germany. Yet in that decade a formidable force emerged in the Peruvian women’s squad, which had won several regional titles in the 1970s under Japanese coach Akira Kato. South Korean Man Bok Park took the reigns from Kato after he passed away in 1982 and that same year the team made its first impact on the global stage with a second-place showing at the World Championship. Peru reached fourth and barely missed the medals in the 1984 Olympics but four years later the team would reach its pinnacle.
Nicknamed “Las Hijas del Sol” (“The Sun's Daughters”), the team qualified for the 1988 Summer Games and was undefeated in its three preliminary matches. The semifinal match was a tricky affair against Japan but Peru won three sets to two and made it for the first time ever to the gold medal match.
Peru was the underdog against a formidable Soviet squad that won gold at the 1980 Olympics. Yet the team led by Natalia Málaga, Cecilia Tait and Gabriela Pérez del Solar jumped out to capture the first two sets and was three points away from winning the third when the match suddenly changed:
Throughout the 1980s the volleyball world was ruled by the likes of the U.S., Soviet Union and East Germany. Yet in that decade a formidable force emerged in the Peruvian women’s squad, which had won several regional titles in the 1970s under Japanese coach Akira Kato. South Korean Man Bok Park took the reigns from Kato after he passed away in 1982 and that same year the team made its first impact on the global stage with a second-place showing at the World Championship. Peru reached fourth and barely missed the medals in the 1984 Olympics but four years later the team would reach its pinnacle.
Nicknamed “Las Hijas del Sol” (“The Sun's Daughters”), the team qualified for the 1988 Summer Games and was undefeated in its three preliminary matches. The semifinal match was a tricky affair against Japan but Peru won three sets to two and made it for the first time ever to the gold medal match.
Peru was the underdog against a formidable Soviet squad that won gold at the 1980 Olympics. Yet the team led by Natalia Málaga, Cecilia Tait and Gabriela Pérez del Solar jumped out to capture the first two sets and was three points away from winning the third when the match suddenly changed:
Daily Headlines: July 24, 2012
* Argentina: Former dictator Jorge Videla, who was convicted weeks ago for the kidnapping and illegal adoptions of over thirty kids, said that the Catholic hierarchy “advised” him on how to deal with the disappearing of “Dirty War” dissidents.
* El Salvador: A truce between the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha street gangs has led to a plummeting murder rate as well as renewed optimism in the Salvadoran economy.
* Colombia: Four suspected FARC rebels were convicted by an indigenous tribunal and will be punished via public flogging.
* Ecuador: President Rafael Correa claimed that he would make a decision regarding Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s asylum request “according to humanist principles.”
Video Source – YouTube via Al Jazeera English (In 2010 ex-dictator Jorge Videla was sentenced by an Argentine court to life in prison for human rights abuses during his rule between 1976 and 1983.)
Online Sources- Irish Times, The Latin Americanist, Businessweek, Fox News Latino, Bernama
Monday, July 23, 2012
Today’s Video: From Sprinter to Senator
Last Monday we looked at the life of famed Cuban boxer Teófilo Stevenson who was only one of three pugilists to win three gold medals at the Olympics. Over the next few days we’ll look at other athletes from Latin America and the Caribbean who excelled in previous editions of the Summer Games.
It is not unusual for some athletes to enter the world of politics after retiring from the sports scene. Before his tragic death in 2009 Nicaraguan pugilist Alexis Arguello served as mayor of Managua while former Brazilian soccer superstar turned congressman Romario has been very vocal in criticizing the organization of the 2016 Rio Games.
Months before the Beijing Games in 2008, sprinter Ana Guevara retired from the track alleging that she was tired of the corruption and “dirty politics” in Mexican athletics. Since then the outspoken Guevara has not shied away from throwing her hat into the political ring.
In 2009 she attempted to run for local office in Mexico City as a candidate of a leftist alliance but lost by a slim margin. Despite the electoral reversal and having to pay a fine for tax evasion this May, Guevara aimed this year for a seat on the Mexican Congress. She received the backing of several politicos including presidential candidate Andres Manuel López Obrador. Earlier this month, Guevara won and she will be a senator as part of the opposition expected to serve as a counterweight to alleged president-elect Enrique Peña Nieto.
It is not unusual for some athletes to enter the world of politics after retiring from the sports scene. Before his tragic death in 2009 Nicaraguan pugilist Alexis Arguello served as mayor of Managua while former Brazilian soccer superstar turned congressman Romario has been very vocal in criticizing the organization of the 2016 Rio Games.
Months before the Beijing Games in 2008, sprinter Ana Guevara retired from the track alleging that she was tired of the corruption and “dirty politics” in Mexican athletics. Since then the outspoken Guevara has not shied away from throwing her hat into the political ring.
In 2009 she attempted to run for local office in Mexico City as a candidate of a leftist alliance but lost by a slim margin. Despite the electoral reversal and having to pay a fine for tax evasion this May, Guevara aimed this year for a seat on the Mexican Congress. She received the backing of several politicos including presidential candidate Andres Manuel López Obrador. Earlier this month, Guevara won and she will be a senator as part of the opposition expected to serve as a counterweight to alleged president-elect Enrique Peña Nieto.
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