Today’s Video: Gracias Cachao

We will be off on Friday but we'll hopefully return over the weekend to examine news and notes from around the Americas.

On Thursday the U.S. Library of Congress (LOC) added twenty-five audio recordings to its National Recording Registry including music from Chubby Checker, Van Cliburn and Janis Joplin.  The LOC also recognized influential Cuban musician and composer Israel "Cachao" López by including his 1957 album “Descargas: Cuban Jam Session in Miniature” to the registry.

Already a pioneer of mambo, López gathered a dozen fellow musicians fresh off their respective nightclub gigs to participate in early morning jam sessions at a recording studio.  Their short, improvised jams different aspects of Afro-Cuban music with songs from the island and the rhythms of jazz.

According to the LOC, the resulting album “has had a lasting impact on Latin music, especially on the Salsa style that emerged in the 1960s, and Cachao organized many similar sessions for further albums both in Cuba and in the United States, where he settled after the Cuban revolution”.

Below is “Trombon Criollo”, which is one of the tracks from “Descargas”:

López died in March 2008 due to complications resulting from kidney failure.  He was 89-years-old. 

Video Source – YouTube via user puchie82766
 
Online Sources - Library of Congress

Guatemala: Witnesses Recall Horror and Heartache at Rios Montt Trial

Indigenous survivors of Guatemala’s civil war spoke at the genocide trial against former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt and spoke about abuses committed by the military three decades ago.

57-year-old Miguel C. Sánchez told the court on Thursday that troops in 1982 marched into the town of Trapichitos, murdered villagers including children, and burned down their houses.

“They tied him by his hands and fight and then dragged him away,” said Jacinto Brito who recalled the killing of his father.  “They also took away another four people.  The soldiers came in all directions.  Surely the government ordered them to do this,” added Brito who spoke this morning.

“They came and they massacred my mother, my brother and my brother-in-law. They burned homes," said 45-year-old Tomas Chavez who took the witness stand on Wednesday.

At least 150 members of the indigenous Ixil will testify over the next ten days against Rios Montt and ex-military intelligence chief José Rodríguez who are accused of crimes against humanity and genocide.  These eyewitnesses were determined to speak at the Guatemala City court even though some of them couldn’t speak Spanish and required translators.  In Brito’s case, a translator was provided due to his illiteracy and special headphones were used since he’s partially deaf.

Human rights prosecutors at the trial that started on Tuesday will attempt to prove that Rios Montt and Rodríguez masterminded the murders of 1771 Ixil people during the ex-strongman’s seventeen-month period as de facto president.  The pair is believed to have planned a “scorched earth” offensive aimed at eliminating suspected Marxist insurgents and their alleged collaborators. 

The defense team, who had filed numerous appeals in order to stall proceedings, alleged that Rios Montt was not in charge of battlefield operations. 

The trial has divided Guatemalans with supporters of the former dictator such as former general-turned-President Otto Perez Molina arguing that no genocide occurred in the country.  Yet for some victims of Guatemala’s civil war, the trial is a necessary end to years of impunity enjoyed by Rios Montt:

Daily Headlines: March 21, 2013

* Venezuela: The odds of a possible improvement in diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have apparently gone from slim to practically none.

* Argentina: Pope Francis was publicly opposed to same-sex marriage while he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires but was he privately in favor of gay civil unions?

* South America: Bolivia will replace Peru as one of the three South American host countries of the next edition of the Dakar Rally.

* Haiti: The U.N. Security Council called on Haiti’s political leaders to break as soon as possible a sixteen-month impasse and organize local elections.

Video Source – YouTube via euronews

Online Sources- UN News Centre, euronews, New York Times, MercoPress

Dominicans Win World Baseball Classic

The Dominican Republic are the new champions of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) after they beat Puerto Rico 3-0 in the title game.

The offense provided by the likes of Jose Reyes, Edwin Encarnación and Erick Aybar were enough for Los Quisqueyanos to become the first team to finish the WBC undefeated.

Starter Samuel Deduno and closer Fernando Rodney were two of the Dominican pitchers who gave up three hits as they shutout a tenacious Boricua squad.

"You always remember the first time for everything," said Dominican outfielder Robinson Cano who was named WBC Most Valuable Player. "This is always going to be in our hearts for the rest of our lives," added Cano who hit .469 and two home runs in eight games.

Puerto Rico could not overcome their traditional Caribbean foes in the three times they faced each other at this year's WBC. Nevertheless, the team can hold their heads up high as worthy runners-up who upset previous titleholders Japan in the semifinals.

"We are a bit disappointed, but my guys are leaving with their heads up," Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez said after Tuesday night's game. "This has been a good championship. They should be very proud, each of the members of this team.

Aside from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the WBC was also a success for Brazil. The South American country best known for being a global soccer powerhouse surprisingly won their qualifying round series last November.

Several Latin American sides suffered from early exits in the tournament though none was more disappointing than the Cuban side that fell twice against the Netherlands in pool play.

Online Sources - ESPN, Chicago Tribune, MLB.com, The New York Times

Daily Headlines: March 20, 2013

* Brazil: At least 24 people are dead after heavy rainfall led to several landslides in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro.

* Cuba: Dissident blogger Yoaní Sanchez called for the end of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba that she said was used by the Castro administration as a scapegoat for the island’s economic woes.

* Colombia: Representatives for the FARC guerillas urged the Colombian government to “demilitarize” rural areas and pay reparations to the poor.

* Haiti: A recent report from Doctors Without Borders found that a “lack of funds and supplies” have caused "unnecessary deaths" from cholera.

Video Source – YouTube via ITN

Online Sources- GlobalPost, Foreign Policy Passport, Reuters, Doctors Without Borders

Britain to Pope: Stay Out of Falklands Debate

Several British government officials urged the newly elected Argentine-born Pope Francis to refrain from making any political statements regarding the disputed Falklands Islands.

"The Holy See is clear that it considers the question of the Falkland Islands as a bilateral one between sovereign nations, and that it does not have a role to play. We do not expect that position to change," the Foreign Office said in a statement issued on Monday.

The communiqué came hours after the pontiff met and had lunch with Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on Monday. After they talked, Fernández said at a press conference that she “asked him to intercede in opening a dialogue between the U.K. and Argentina”.

Baroness Warsi, the Brtish Faith and Communities Minister, claimed that Francis will be neutral concerning the diplomatic tug-of-war between her country and Argentina over the archipelago.

“The Holy See have always taken the view that this is a bilateral matter.  I don’t anticipate that that will change, said the minister who attended this morning’s inauguration Mass.

British Prime Minister David Cameron criticized the pontiff’s remarks less than two days after Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the new Pope.

“The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear,” said Cameron.  He also mentioned that the results of a recent non-binding referendum held on the disputed islands “is a message to everyone in the world that the people of these islands have chosen very clearly the future they want and that choice should be respected by everyone.”

Warsi denied rumors that Cameron “snubbed” the Pope by skipping out on the inauguration Mass and noted how when “Benedict was inaugurated eight years ago, neither the prime minister or deputy prime minister attended.”  Fernández, meanwhile, attended the Mass and was among the dozens of foreign dignitaries who subsequently greeted Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Daily Headlines: March 19, 2013

* Mexico: A new academic study concluded that at least 253,000 guns are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S. every year as part of a multimillion dollar industry.

* Caribbean: Two long-time baseball rivals, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, will face off tonight in the World Baseball Classic championship game.

* Venezuela: Interim President Nicolás Maduro has a fourteen-point lead ahead of opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles according to poll conducted after the death of President Hugo Chavez.

* Argentina: Authorities in Argentina filed criminal charges including tax evasion and money laundering against banking giant HSBC.

Online Sources - BBC News, ESPN, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor

Pope Calls on Catholics to "Welcome All Humanity"

Pope Francis urged Catholics to "welcome all humanity with affection and tenderness" as part of his message during the pontiff's inauguration mass on Tuesday.

In his homily Francis called on followers to "take care of others", especially children, the elderly and those who live in poverty. His message of unselfishness was demonstrated before the mass when he stepped out of the "Popemobile" to greet a physically disabled man.

"We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness," declared the Argentine-born pontiff in front of an estimated 150,000 people at St. Peter's Square.

The newly elected Pope addressed the dozens of foreign dignitaries and asked "all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be “protectors” of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment."

Jose Maria Bergoglio, who was elected as supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church six days ago, declared that the his "real power is service and at the end of his address he asked Catholics to pray for him.

Flags from Ecuador, Peru, Mexico and other countries were waved by several of those attending the mass of the the first Latin American and Jesuit Pope.

The inauguration mass was followed on a large outdoor screen by an estimated 40,000 people at the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Online Sources - La Nacion, Clarin.com, Vatican Radio

Video Source - YouTube via euronews

Daily Headlines: March 18, 2013 (UPDATED)

* Argentina: Despite their disagreements over issues like gay marriage and birth control, newly elected Pope Francis met and had lunch with Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner today.

Update: Fernández told the press after her meeting that she urged the new Pontiff to intervene and "facilitate dialogue" between Argentina and Britain regarding their dispute over the Falkland Islands.  (This might be a topic of shared views between both figures though Pope Francis has yet to issue an official response).     

* Puerto Rico: Alex Rios’ two-run home run helped guide Puerto Rico to a 3-1 upset victory in the World Baseball Classic semifinals over two-time defending champion Japan. 

* Chile: Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet resigned from her post as the head of the U.N.’s women’s rights agency and will be named as a presidential candidate for the 2014 elections.

* Peru: Exit polls showed that Susana Villaran, the progressive mayor of the Peruvian capital city of Lima, narrowly won a recall election held on Sunday.

Video Source – YouTube via casarosada

Online Sources including Update- CNN, USA TODAY, GlobalPost, Reuters, ABC News, The Latin Americanist

British Media Focus on Bergoglio’s Falklands Remarks

During his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio did not see eye-to-eye with Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, on several issues like gay marriage and birth control.  Yet one of the topics where both Fernández and Pope Francis share the same opinion has apparently unnerved some in the British press.

Several media outlets across the Atlantic have republished remarks made by Bergoglio at a 2012 mass commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands War.

"We come to pray for those who have fallen, sons of the homeland who set out to defend his mother, the homeland, to claim the country that is theirs and they were usurped," he said.

During the service, 649 red roses were placed on the altar in tribute to commemorate the hundreds of troops killed during the war that affirmed Britain’s control over the Falklands.

“The country cannot exclude from its memory any of those who were called; it has to take care of so many hearts with scars and say thank you, to those who remained on the islands or submerged in water, all of them,” Bergoglio added.

While Bergoglio’s comments may have raised some eyebrows some British analysts like Victor Bulmer-Thomas, an associate fellow at London-based think tank Chatham House, doubt that the new Pontiff will issue any strong opinions over Las Malvinas:

Daily Headlines: March 15, 2013

* Mexico: Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission called for an investigation of twenty-one current and former law enforcement officials over possible abuses in the Florence Cassez case.

* Latin America: Helen Clark, the head of the U. N. Development Program, praised the “very useful” debate in Latin America regarding changes to the “war on drugs.”

* Puerto Rico: U.S. Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer hinted that they would consider the possibility that a “natural-born” Puerto Rican could legally run for president.

* Peru: Susana Villaran, the mayor of the Peruvian capital city of mayor, risks being ousted in a recall vote set to take place on Sunday.

Video Source – YouTube via user JewishNewsOne

Online Sources- Huffington Post, Reuters, NBC News, LAHT

New Pope Preaches “Courage” to Catholic Cardinals

On Thursday, newly elected Pope Francis issued a message to his fellow cardinals over their role to the Roman Catholic Church.

“When the Church does not walk it falls apart like a sand castle,” said Jorge Mario Bergoglio at a mass held roughly twenty-four hours after he was elected as the next Pope.

“I would like all of us...to have the courage to walk in the presence of God,” added the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in his homily to 114 other cardinals gathered at the Sistine Chapel.

Prior to today’s mass, the Pope issued a letter to Rome’s Rabbi Yona Metzger expressing his desire to help improve “relations between Catholics and Jews.”

“I hope to contribute in the improvement of ties between Jews and Catholics…in a spirit of renewed collaboration,” read part of the missive issued by the Pope.

The international director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee praised Bergoglio’s ties to the Jewish community in Argentina including his remarks over the deadly bombing of a Buenos Aires AMIA Jewish center in 1994.

"(Bergoglio) was forthright not only in his condemnation of the act but in his solidarity with the Jewish community," said Rabbi David Rosen to the Religion News Service.

Among the many messages of congratulations sent to the new Pope were statements from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, (OIC) and Al-Aznar.

OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu wished that “the relationship between Islam and Christianity will regain its cordiality and sincere friendship” under Bergoglio while Al-Azhar called for the resumption of “dialogue with the Vatican which was suspended in early 2011”.

Argentines including several thousands of Buenos Aires residents celebrated the election of Cardinal Bergoglio as the next Pope. Among those overjoyed at the news was Bergoglio’s sister, María Elena, who alleged that her brother “didn’t want to become Pope.”

The new Pope will have plenty of problems to tackle including financial problems, corruption and a litany of sexual abuse scandals.  (On the first day of the Papal conclave the Los Angeles Archdiocese reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with abuse victims).  But he will also have to face the challenge from evangelical churches in a traditionally Catholic Latin America:

Daily Headlines: March 14, 2013

* Guatemala: A Guatemalan court upholds a Supreme Court ruling allowing ex- dictator Efrain Rios Montt to stand trial on charges of genocide.

* South America: Brazil and Bolivia agreed to play a charity soccer match in April with proceeds heading to the family of a fourteen-year-old fan killed at a Copa Libertadores game last month.

* Ecuador: Indigenous rights groups and environmentalists are worried over reprisals against an “uncontacted group” in Ecuador after the recent murders of two natives.

* Venezuela: Interim leader Nicolás Maduro accused “far right” figures in the U.S. for plotting against opposition leader and presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.

Video Source – YouTube via user Emisoras Unidas (Guatemalans last month commemorated the thousands of victims of the Central American country’s thirty-six-year long civil war).

Online Sources- Huffington Post, SI.com, National Geographic, GlobalPost

Argentine Cardinal Bergoglio Named as Next Pope (UPDATED)

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina will become the next supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires will take on the name of Pope Francis I after he was elected elected by at least 77 of the cardinals attending the Papal conclave this week at the Vatican.  

The 76-year-old Bergolio will become the first Latin American, non-European and Jesuit to become Pope.

According to CNN:

Bergoglio is considered a straight-shooter who calls things as he sees them, and a follower of the church's most conservative wing. He has clashed with the government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner over his opposition to gay marriage and free distribution of contraceptives.

Bergoglio has not shied from defending Argentina's poor and youth and once said that the South American country's "social debt is immoral, unjust and illegitimate".  

The son of Italian immigrants, Bergoglio speaks Italian and German aside from his native Spanish and was named as cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

Bergoglio allegedly received the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election.

The new pontiff, who takes over for Benedict XVI, was chosen on either the fourth or fifth ballot taken on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square and welcomed the new Pope with a great cheer and celebration.

One of the new Pope's first major trips will be when he travels this July to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day.

Update (4:10 PM): The newly elected Pope Francis I called on "all men and women of good will" to help him guide the Catholic Church.

"As you know the duty of the conclave is to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world," joked the former Cardinal Bergoglio in front of a massive crowd at St. Peter's Square.

Update (4:40 PM): Moments ago Argentine President Cristina Kirchner issued a public comment over the bestowed upon Bergoglio.

Kirchner, who did not meet eye-to-eye with Bergoglio over issues like birth control and gay marriage, issued a congratulatory message via her Twitter account.

"It is our wish that you have, upon assuming the leadership of the Church, a fruitful task carrying out great responsibilities related to justice, equality, peace and friendship of humanity," read part of the message. 

Prior to Kirchner's letter, the new pontiff has received messages of congratulations from the European Union, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, interim Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina and Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.

Update (5:50 PM): Bergoglio may have finished as runner up in the 2005 conclave that chose Joseph Ratzinger as pontiff.  Yet the selection of the Argentine as the next Pope was a surprise for bookmakers such as William Hill, which gave Bergoglio odds of 25-1.

Though Bergoglio has yet to go through his first twenty-four hours as Pope, Irish-based firm Paddy Power placed odds on who his replacement could be.  Italian Archbishop Angelo Scola is the frontrunner at 5-1, followed by Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana at 6-1 and an 8-1 tie between Cardinals Sean O'Malley of the U.S. and Marc Ouellet of Canada.

The top Latin American picks to succeed Francis I according to Paddy Power are Cardinals Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras and Brazil's Odilo Scherer and Joao Braz de Aviz.

(More updates after the page break)

Daily Headlines: March 13, 2013

* Chile: The world’s biggest radio telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, will be officially inaugurated on Wednesday though it has been in use for the past two years.

* Bolivia: Should the next Pope accept Bolivian President Evo Morales’ suggestion and try wine made from the coca leaf?

* Venezuela: According to the International Energy Agency, Venezuelan oil spending will likely decline if interim leader Nicolás Maduro wins next month’s presidential election.

* Argentina: Former military strongman Reynaldo Bignone was sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity committed under his rule during the 1980s. 

Video Source – YouTube via Al Jazeera English

Online Sources- Huffington Post, Sky News Australia, Bloomberg, TVNZ

Abuse Allegations Hang Over Latin American Cardinals

One hundred fifteen cardinals started meeting on Tuesday at the Vatican in order to decide who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.  At least sixteen of these cardinals come from Latin America and several of them have been dogged by allegations of abuse.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) last week named twelve cardinals who should neither vote for a pope or be elected as the next pontiff.  Among those named on the “Dirty Dozen” blacklist are Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras, Mexico’s Norberto Rivera and Leandro Sandri of Argentina.  

According to SNAP, Maradiaga has turned a blind eye to possible abuse done by Honduran priests.  He supposedly said that he would “prefer to go to jail before hurting any priests” even if they’ve been accused of abuse or other wrongdoing.

Maradiaga, who has not shied from providing to diplomatic support to ousted Honduran president Manuel Zapata and the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, reportedly blamed “Jewish interests” in the press for focusing so much on sex scandals in the church.

In addition the SNAP accused Rivera of covering up the abuses committed by several priests including Marcial Maciel, the late founder of the Legionnaires of Christ (LOC) who sexually abused minors and fathered three children with two women.

“(Rivera) not only ignored Mexican victims who were abused by Marcial Maciel and other priests, but he also slandered, defamed and accused them of being part of a plot against the Pope and the Church,” read part of a letter sent by SNAP to the Mexican catholic archdiocese.

Rivera replied to the SNAP’s accusations by denouncing the organization’s “propaganda” and pointing out that he has been cleared of accusations in U.S. courtrooms.  Yet a SNAP member who was abused by a priest protected by Rivera vehemently disagreed: