Daily Headlines: December 30, 2014

* Brazil: The Aurelius Capital hedge fund that was reportedly ‘a leading member of a group of investors that refused to accept a debt restructuring with Argentina” is now campaigning for Petrobras to fall under default.

* Argentina: If you believe that Argentina’s president became the godmother of a Jewish baby to stop him from becoming a werewolf then there’s a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in buying.

* Venezuela: According to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, the South American country ranks only behind Honduras for the highest number of homicides in 2014.

* Chile: President Michelle Bachelet submitted to Congress a labor reform package aimed at promoting unionization and expanding the use of collective bargaining in contract negotiations.

Video Source – YouTube user FRANCE 24 English

Online Sources – New York Daily News; The Guardian; NBC News; Zee News; Reuters

Daily Headlines: January 23, 2014

* Colombia: Star striker Radamel Falcao will likely miss this summer’s World Cup after he tore an anterior cruciate ligament during a soccer match in France on Wednesday.

* South America: The value of the Argentine peso declined to its weakest level in twelve years today while the Venezuelan government unveiled a new dual-rate foreign exchange system.

* Puerto Rico: A spokeswoman for the White House claimed that the Obama administration is not considering a financial bailout to an economically weak Puerto Rico.

* Latin America: A U.N. report published this week found that gender inequality persists throughout Latin America despite more women being employed throughout the region.

Video Source – YouTube user Pasión Futbolista

Online Sources- ESPN FC; Reuters; Bloomberg; Xinhua; La Prensa

Nuestro Cine: Cesar Chavez on the Silver Screen (Take Two)

Last October we linked to the trailer of a feature film on Latino labor rights and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez that will be released in March. Entitled “Cesar Chavez: An American Hero,” the movie is directed by Mexican actor Diego Luna and stars Michael Peña, America Ferrera, John Malkovich and Rosario Dawson.

Several days ago a second theatrical trailer of the Chavez biopic was released and can be viewed below the page break:

Daily Headlines: June 12, 2013

* Venezuela: Electoral authorities confirmed the victory of President Nicolás Maduro in April’s presidential elections though runner-up Henrique Capriles pledged to keep contesting the results.

* Mexico: Officials in the western state of Jalisco said that they rescued some 275 workers who were being held in slave-like conditions at tomato processing facility.

* Vatican: In remarks to the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious, Argentine-born Pope Francis claimed that a “gay lobby” exists within the Vatican.

* Cuba: Cuba is expected to join the annual Caribbean Series of baseball next year for the first time since 1960.

Video Source – YouTube via user telesurenglish

Online Sources- MLB.com; Herald Sun; NPR; Bernama; The Latin Americanist

Daily Headlines: November 14, 2012

* Colombia: Peace talks between the government and the FARC eebela that was supposed to begin today were delayed until next Monday.

* Peru: Chile’s high court approved another corruption trial against Alberto Fujimori, the imprisoned former president of Peru.

* Latin America: Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela will occupy seats on the the U.N. Human Rights Council.

* Mexico: The senate backed a controversial labor reform bill that was strongly opposed to by trade unions.

Video Source: YouTube via user telesurenglish

Online Sources: Reuters, Washington Post, Voice of America, Los Angeles Times

Daily Headlines: October 29, 2012

* Panama: The legislature repealed a law that would’ve allowed the sale of public land in in the Colon Free Zone and that was vehemently opposed by protesting locals.

* U.S.: The Guatemalan consul in McAllen, Texas called for a “serious and big investigation” into the deaths of two of her countrymen by police sharpshooters riding in a helicopter.

* Mexico: Legislators will allegedly refuse to fast track a controversial bill aimed at reforming the Mexican labor system.

* Dominican Republic: Will a series of new tax breaks and the almost-finished Pinewood Indomina Studios lead to a filmmaking boom in the Dominican Republic?

Video Source – YouTube via euronews

Online Sources- Houston Chronicle, BBC News, Fox News Latino, Variety

Daily Headlines: June 12, 2012

* Dominican Republic: Employers in the Dominican Republic and migrants from neighboring Haiti are reportedly disappointed with new Dominican requirements for work permits.

* Nicaragua: Will Nicaragua commit to constructing a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans or will it be yet another failed promise?

* Latin America: The U.S. Labor Department signed agreements with several countries including Peru, Ecuador and Honduras aimed at protecting immigrants from those nations who work in the U.S.

* Cuba: The U.S. Supreme Court refused to publicly comment as to why the high court rejected appeals by seven Guantanamo prison detainees.

Video Source – YouTube via UNESOC (“Haitian migrants toil under the hot sun on sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. But the majority of them are stateless; even those who are born here, have neither a Haitian nor Dominican passport.”)

Online Sources- Kansas City Star, The Latin Americanist, Inside Costa Rica, Fox News Latino, Reuters

Today’s Video: May Day in Cartagena

From Ascunción to Tegucigalpa, May Day rallies were held on Tuesday throughout the Americas.

The below video shows the march held in the Colombian port of city Cartagena where an estimated ten thousand people called for “greater social assistance, the right to work” and attention to other economic problems affecting residents:

Last month U.S. President Barack Obama and his Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos, said that a bilateral trade pact would go into effect on May 15th.

The agreement has received support from business interests in Colombia and the U.S. but has faced strong opposition by labor unions in both countries.

Video Source – YouTube via eluniversalmedia

Online Sources – Portafolio.com BusinessWeek, ABC Color, LaTribuna.hn

Weekend Headlines: January 7-8, 2012

* Chile: Is the government correct or scapegoating Mapuche indigenous activists who are accused of intentionally setting off wildfires in central Chile?

* Argentina: According to a team of doctors President Cristina Kirchner did not have thyroid cancer as was originally diagnosed yet the “surgical treatment performed (last Wednesday) is sufficient.”

* Mexico: Authorities captured the supposed mastermind behind last year’s Casino Royale arson in Monterrey that killed fifty-people.

* U.S.: The Labor Department revealed yesterday that the unemployment rate for Latinos dropped by 0.4% last month to 11.0%.

Video Source – YouTube via teleSUR English

Online Sources- Bloomberg, NPR, Voice of America, Hispanically Speaking News

Daily Headlines: August 19, 2011

* Peru: A statement from the U.S. State Department said that the agency doesn’t feel that “the temporary suspension of (Peruvian coca) eradication this week represents a permanent shift in the government's counternarcotics policy.”

* Brazil: Spanish fashion chain Zara was accused by Brazilian authorities of the mistreatment and exploitation of workers in a Sao Paulo facility.

* U.S.: An ex-Salvadoran army colonel accused of being involved in the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests was found living in impunity in Massachusetts.

* Venezuela: After months of legal wrangling the family members of the late President Carlos Andres Perez reportedly reached a deal that would permit him to be buried in Venezuela.

Image – Mariana Bazo/Reuters via The Guardian (“A coca farmer in Tingo María, Peru.” According to The Guardian, Peru’s prime minister claimed, “the government was committed to reducing the illegal crop and would convene a special panel next month to chart a strategy that would stress alternative development, ‘social inclusion and fighting poverty’.”)
Online Sources- AFP, The Guardian, UPI, Reuters

Daily Headlines: August 1, 2011

* Argentina: In a reverse for President Cristina Fernandez, Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri easily won reelection on Sunday.

* Mexico: The number of Mexicans living in poverty grew in 2010 according to a recently released report while the country’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June reached its highest point in nearly two years.

* Cuba: Rest in peace Eliseo Alberto; the Cuban-born writer died yesterday while living in exile in Mexico.

* Guatemala: By a 12-1 vote the Supreme Court rejected recently divorced former first lady Sandra Torres’ bid for the presidency.

Image – Telam via Diario Los Andes (“The Macri-Vidal ticket swept the ballots.”)
Online Sources- CBS News, Los Angeles Times, Reuters, CNN, MSNBC

Daily Headlines: May 3, 2011

* Latin America: Rising global food prices could lead to increased inflation throughout Latin America and the Caribbean according to an Inter-American Development Bank study.

* Haiti: Swiss officials began legal proceedings to return the frozen assets of former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier by using a law nicknamed after him.

* Colombia: Researchers concluded that there has been a 35% spike in child labor in Colombia over the past five years.

* Puerto Rico: Rest in peace Emilio “Millito” Navarro; the Puerto Rican ballplayer who was nearly the first Boricua to play in the major leagues died over the weekend at the age of 105 years.

Image – CSMonitor.com (“Corn tortillas are for sale in Mexico City in this 2007 file photo.”)
Online Sources- Reuters, The Latin Americanist, Voice of America, LAHT, UPI

Chile: So now what?

The future is uncertain for the 33 Chilean miners rescued after being trapped underground for seventy days. For now the survivors are hospitalized though they are in very good health according to Dr. Jorge Montes, assistant director of the Copiapo Hospital. “Some are suffering from minor complications, but nothing to worry about," Montes mentioned and added that most of the men could be released from hospital as early as today.

Despite Montes’ positive prognosis, there remains the possibility that the survivors may have physiological trauma or other physical ailments. According to CNN health officials warned that there prolonged isolation could make them “more susceptible to the common cold or other viruses.”

After being the final worker rescued last night, shift leader Luis Urzua expressed his hope to President Sebastian Pinera that the rescue “should never happen again”. Pinera said today that he couldn’t guarantee future mining accidents yet vowed to improve safety regulations in various industries nationwide. “Never again in our country will we allow working in conditions so inhumane and so unsafe as happened in the San Jose mine” said Pinera who may soon introduce a series of reforms.

The rescue operation became a global media phenomenon with massive coverage via the Internet and from 24-hour TV news networks worldwide. The coverage hasn’t been universally praised; Tom Scocca of Slate.com took exception to the New York Times characterization of the rescue as Pinera’s “extraordinary political calculation”:

In addition to being Chile's top-ranked politician, though, the president of Chile does have another role: he serves as the country's president. So beyond the very important tasks of maintaining his popularity and raising his international profile, is it possible that Piñera was trying to—how to say this?—lead his country?

Image- CNN (“Mario Gomez is escorted through Copiapo Hospital in Copiapo, Chile, on Wednesday.”)
Online Sources- CNN, Voice of America, The Latin Americanist, BBC News, Vancouver Sun, slate.com

Daily Headlines: July 28, 2010

* Nicaragua: Pressure from several universities and student organizations apparently led to the decision by Nike to pay over $1.5 million to a relief fund for laid off Honduran laborers.

* Cuba: Coming to a bookshelf near you – the memoirs of former Cuban ruler Fidel Castro.

* Ecuador: The government will reportedly introduce a series of reforms designed to increase state control over the country’s oil industry.

* Argentina: The country’s soccer federation dropped Diego Maradona as head coach of the men’s national team.

Image – Time
Online Sources- Reuters Canada, CNN, AFP, The Nation

University drops Nike over Honduran labor conditions

Controversy over athletic apparel companies allegedly exploiting workers in counties like Honduras has led some universities to cut their contracts with the firms like Russell Athletic. In the latest development the University of Wisconsin has taken strong steps against clothing giant Nike:

The University of Wisconsin canceled its licensing agreement with Nike Inc. on Friday, becoming the first university to take that step over concerns about the company's treatment of
workers in Honduras.

Chancellor Biddy Martin said Nike hasn't done enough to help workers collect severance payments they are owed at two factories that abruptly closed last year.

"Nike has not developed, and does not intend to develop, meaningful ways of addressing the plight of displaced workers and their families in Honduras," Martin said. "It has not presented clear long-range plans to prevent or respond to similar problems in the future. For this combination of reasons, we have decided to end our relationship for now."

New York University may be the next school to sever ties with Nike over a year after ending its agreement with Russell Athletic over Honduran labor conditions.

Image- Team Sweat
Online Sources- AP, The Latin Americanist, Washington Square News

Weekly Debate: Unemployment and Latinos

Yesterday we looked at an International Labor Organization report that concluded that Latin American youth was the regional group “hit hardest” by the global economic crisis. The same phrase may be apt for people of color north of the border. A report released today by New York State Comptroller found that the unemployment rate for Latinos between December 2007 and December 2009 climbed to 13%. Compare that to the statewide unemployment rate during that period of 9% and it’s no wonder that DiNapoli observed that it “has not been an equal opportunity recession.”

Much like in New York Latino unemployment rates nationwide have been unequally high compared to the national average. A recent National Institute for Latino Policy study linked to by former contributor Maegan la mala found that the “seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Latino households in January was an estimated 12.6 percent, compared to 8.7 percent for non-Latino Whites.” It is a situation “that should call attention to policymakers and for the general public” as National Institute of Latino Policy president Angelo Falcon recently mentioned in an NPR interview.

The need to tackle the disproportionately high unemployment rates for blacks and Latinos is something that has not been actively tackled by those in power. Perhaps NYU assistant professor C. Nicole Mason said it best earlier today:

In general, the (Obama) Administration has been reluctant to respond to the way the economic crisis has unevenly impacted racial and ethnic communities. Before the recession hit, the unemployment rate for Black and Latinos hovered around 8 percent and has nearly doubled since then. With fewer assets and savings compared to their whites, recovery and regaining some sense of economic normalcy is far off for many Blacks and Latinos.

Any re-tooling of the current stimulus bill and future legislation to spur job creation will have to take seriously the disproportionate impact the recession is having on racial and ethnic minorities. To do anything less would be irresponsible or essentially like using a sponge to assuage a flood.

So what do you think? Why do you believe people of color have been among those hit hardest by the recession? Can anything be done to lower Latino unemployment rates? Has the government done enough to confront the problem?

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment to this post (play nice!) and/or voting in our weekly poll. Let your voice be heard!

Image- Modesto Bee
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, New York State Comptroller’s Office, Vivirlatino, Huffington Post, NPR

Weekend Headlines: January 30-31, 2010

* Argentina: The dispute between central bank chief Martin Redrado and President Cristina Kirchner came to a climax yesterday after Redrado quit his post.

* U.K.: A family originally from Bolivia was awarded over $159,000 from the British government after being falsely placed in a detention center for 42 days.

* U.S.: A study published yesterday found that Latino immigrants in California’s in San Diego County have the highest level of self-employment.

* Latin America: The 2010 Copa Libertadores began this week with first round home victories for Deportivo Tachira (Venezuela), Colon (Argentina), and Juan Aurich (Peru).

Image – AFP (Argentine central bank chief Martin Redrado resigned amidst his battle with President Cristina Kirchner over how to pay the government’s debt)
Online Sources- Bloomberg, Channel 4 News, signonsandiego.com, Goal.com

Daily Headlines: January 11, 2010

Note: Over the weekend I returned from a family vacation to Colombia and I’m eager to resume regular blogging. Many thanks to my fellow contributors for their help during my three-week absence but also in the past few months. This blog would’ve been much worse off without their efforts. Also thanks to all of you who I hope will keep reading this blog as we strive to report and inform every day. We hope to keep moving forward in 2010!

* Cuba: Promising Cuban pitching prospect Aroldis Chapman has reportedly signed a multimillion-dollar contract with the Cincinnati Reds.

* Honduras: Is there really a Venezuelan-led plot to assassinate interim leader Roberto Micheletti or has he been hallucinating?

* Puerto Rico: Over 2000 public employees received an unwanted Three Kings Day gift from Gov. Luis Fortuño – they were laid off from their posts.

* Paraguay: President Fernando Lugo is recovering in hospital after undergoing prostate surgery on Friday.

Image – CBC
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, UPI, Xinhua, ABC News, CNN

Daily Headlines: November 11, 2009

* Costa Rica: Former vice president Laura Chinchilla is the odds-on favorite to become Costa Rica’s next president and one of the few female head of states in Latin America.

* U.S.: Lost among the hullabaloo over the execution of the “D.C. Sniper” was that of ex-gang leader and convicted murderer Yosvanis “El Cubano” Valle.

* Paraguay: Who was behind the suspected poisoning with pesticide of over 200 indigenous Paraguayans?

* Puerto Rico: Tensions could once again come to a boil in Puerto Rico after an additional 2000 public workers were laid off on top of the 12,000 dismissed earlier this year.

Image – nacion.com
Online Sources- CNN, USA TODAY, Houston Chronicle, Angus Reid Consultants, Forbes.com

Latino unemployment and economic woes increase

Today is Labor Day in the U.S.; an occasion that typically marks the end of summer and is usually a day of rest and relaxation for some. Yet the holiday is also a day to honor those who work hard and diligently in order to provide for themselves, their families, and their communities.

The recession, lack of immigration reform and increasing unemployment have hit Latinos in the U.S. particularly hard. As Lon Angeles-based daily La Opinion noted in an editorial, the weakened economy has hurt far too many people nationwide:

For Latinos the rate of unemployment (13%) is much higher than the national average (9.7%). At the same time, Hispanic workers confront additional problems.

A recent National Council of La Raza report shows just how bleak it is: two of every five Latino workers do not earn sufficient wages to keep their families out of poverty; barely half of employed Hispanics have health insurance through their employers; Latinos are more likely to be victims of employers who fail to pay the compensation due; and Latinos take on the most dangerous jobs with little occupational safety in workplaces that are poorly regulated.

In my family we face the dichotomy of the current labor situation. One of my brothers was fortunate to get a job before the crisis hit and despite massive layoffs he was able to stay in his position. On the other hand, my other brother has had great trouble finding full-time employment; a problem that has been especially common for young adults.

Ultimately all one can do is hope for the best and to try to weather the economic storm as best as possible. Easier said than done, yes, but one has to move forward somehow.

Image- New York Times (“Sergio Fuentes sought help from a state worker while looking through listings in San Jose, Calif.”)
Online Sources- BBC News, La Opinion, AP