Colombian Rebels Free Hostage After 12 Years

Today a soldier held hostage in the jungles of Colombia was finally freed. Colombian rebels handed over their hostage, Sergeant Pablo Emilio Moncayo, to a Red Cross team. As this was the second hostage freeing this week, many are hopeful for a deal with the FARC, a powerful rebel force in Colombia. Moncayo, now 32 years old, says, "You have no idea how staggering it is to return to civilization."

Cuba Outdoes Itself

Cuba, already reputed to produce the best cigars in the world, will be releasing a new cigar in June. It is called Cohiba Bahike and is part of the prestigious Cohiba line. Critics claim that this new cigar will have "a serious bid to become the best cigar in the world."

For more information: CNN

Chávez Critic Is Arrested, Then Freed, in Venezuela

This Thursday agents from the Venezuelan military intelligence agency arrested Guillermo Zuloaga, the owner of the TV network Globovision, one of the most influential networks critical of the Chavez government. He was later released but told not to leave the country while an investigation took place. This arrest follows another arrest this week, this time of one of Chavez's political opponents whole stated that he agreed with the Spanish judge who a few weeks ago accused a Venezuelan official of aiding the Basque separatist group ETA and training Colombian leftist guerrillas. The Chavez government has come under a lot of fire lately on issues of freedom of speech, since many feel that Chavez is increasingly trying to restrict any speech critical of him or his administration.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/world/americas/26venez.html?ref=americas

Pesticide in Argentina

To go along with our unit theme of land, I found an article about the dangerous use of agrochemicals in Argentina. The article is an interview with Rodolfo Páramo, a retired pediatrician from the central Argentine province of Santa Fe. When he worked in a smal village in 1994, he noticed a high rate of birth defects. When he investigated, he discovered that the cause was the spraying of glyphosate, a toxic herbicide produced by the U.S. company Monsanto. The herbicide is sprayed on fields of soy, which cover 42 million acres in Argentina.
Mechanical crop sprayers called spiders or mosquitoes would spray soy fields and then return to the village spreading harmful chemicals. Some villages got wise and started to prohibit the storage or entry of the "spiders" into a town's perimiter. Paramo says that, of course, this is not the only case of harmful chemicals and refers to another example from India. Our book mentions other examples. Paramo says its hard to deal with because people know about the dangers but they're getting ignored. Soy is an important crop for Argentina, but the protection of life is more important.

Read more at:http://www.lapress.org/articles.asp?art=6089

Ecuador Hot Spot for Financial Crimes

Ecuador has become a popular spot for money laundering and other related illegal activities. Money laundering is facilitated by Ecuador's use of the American dollar as well as its weak laws. This money is frequently used to sponsor terrorist activities, making it an even bigger problem. It is comparable to the activities of North Korea, Iran, and Turkmenistan. An increase in Russian bouncers and South Asian and South African cliental in the Ecuadorian nightlife also contribute to concern over laundering. The government currently denies these occurrences, but has been instead addressing drug trafficking problems, increasing army and police forces and severely cracking down.

www.economist.com/world/americas/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15769869&fsrc=rss

Venezuelan TV owner and Chavez critic arrested

We learned in class from the presentation on Venezuela that although the U.S. has problems with Chavez's undemocratic rule of law, the president has made great strides in many areas of social development and the people of Venezuela were shown to be some of the happiest people in the world. However, with a socialist leader who essentially rules as a dictator, there can often be human rights violations in the areas of freedom of speech and the press. Adding to the article below about the anti-Chavez website under fire from the government, earlier today the owner of the only TV channel in Venezuela that remains critical of Chavez was arrested by the government. This spurred outcries of violations against the rights and freedoms of all citizens. Are the great strides Chavez has made in social reform and equality worth the loss of freedom? This issue can compare with the U.S. in the recent health care reform. Some people worry that any loss of freedom or state control whose purpose is to promote equality may also hinder the freedom of the citizens. Is it more important to have a society with an equal distribution of wealth or to have a society in which citizens feel completely free? Is it possible to have both at the same time?

Venezuela's Energy Crisis

Hugo Chavez has extended the Easter holiday in Venezuela by three days (for most Venezuelans, that now means a 7-day break) in an effort to conserve energy. All government and public offices will be closed starting on April 1st. Venezuela's main hydroelectric dam is currently suffering low water levels because of drought, although opposition to Chavez claim that this energy crisis is a result of poor investment and inefficiency. In an effort to combat energy problems, last month Hugo Chavez signed a decree that will increase electricity prices by 75% for all high energy-users (500+ kw/month) that don't reduce their consumption by 10% or more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8586429.stm

City Hall Burning in Argentina

In Baradero, a city about 60 miles north of Buenos Aires, two teenagers on a motorcycle were chased by the police because they were not wearing helmets. Apparently, the riders attempted to flee and died when the motorcycle crashed into a police truck.
This incident led to outrage over the teenagers' deaths. The city's residents directed their anger towards the police and torched the city hall as well as the vehicle registry office.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/21/world/AP-LT-Argentina-Uprising.html?ref=americas

A Satirical Site Skewers Chávez and Politics

In an atmosphere that has increasingly been marked by fear and the suppression of the media by the government, El Chiguire Bipolar (The Bipolar Capybara), a satirical website in Venezuela, has become a runaway success. The site features satirical and critical material about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Chavez government, and other Latin American leaders such as Evo Morales of Bolivia and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. It also derides the close relationship between Venezuela and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As a result, the website has come under fire from the Venezuela government as well as Venezuela's other state-controlled media organizations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/world/americas/21venezuela.html?ref=americas

Haitian Children Returned

After six weeks of separation, 32 of the 33 Haitian children taken by American missionaries have been returned to their families. Emotions were mixed and questions were raised about why the children were given up in the first place, but at least now they can move on with their lives and put this episode behind them.

Source: CNN

Brazil Passing Bill to Divide Oil Wealth

A bill has been passed through the lower house of Brazil's Congress to evenly divide oil riches throughout the country. Certain areas in Brazil are very oil rich, especially Rio de Janeiro, and have raked in hundreds of billions of dollars over the years. These oil-producing regions have been very outspoken in their opposition to this bill. It would mean great losses to their regions. In Rio de Janeiro, tens of thousands of people marched in protest to the bill earlier this week.
Many countries in South America face this same issue: select regions are resource-rich, while others have very few natural resources. So far, these resource-rich regions have benefited greatly off these extra profits, without much accountability. However, this bill shows that change may occur, and perhaps equality can occur for the whole nation, and spread to the rest of Latin America.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/world/americas/18brazil.html?ref=americas

Endangered Turtles' Homes in Trouble

Costa Rica has the Playa Grande, a beach which is the last nesting ground for the endangered leatherback turtles in the East Pacific. However, the government, under President Oscar Arias, is trying to scale down the park. Over the past 15 years, lots were sold behind the nesting grounds but inside the national park. It seems that some people were scammed while others didn't care that they were building in the park. Some people have even started building there houses.
Another problem for these turtles is that long-line fishing boats catch female turtles of the coasts of Peru and Chile, which are both nations with important fishing industries. People are saying that they can't stop the fisherman, so they need to stop the Costa Rican government from selling the land. The turtle population seems to be decreasing with every new year. The problem is that Costa Rica will need to pay the people who own houses in the national park expropriation fees. The government stands to lose as much as US$500 million if they can't allow the people to build their houses. Costa Rica has been known for its stringent environmental policies, but it is in a bind.
I thought that this topic was appropriate for our class section on land. It is nice to see that the govenment has to pay people for their land, instead of just taking it. But let's hope the turtles make it out alright.

link at: http://mytulane.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_31847_1%26url%3d

La Amistad: A Relic of the Brutal Atlantic Slave Trade Joins Cuba and the United States

A non-profit organization has built and launched a replica of the slave ship, La Amistad, which is to set sail from New England to the harbor in Havanna in commeration of the famous events that surrounded the ship and its symbolism of the shared slave history of both the US and Cuba. La Amistad was a slave trading vessel whose human cargo mutineed against the crew in 1839 and then sailed the ship all the way to Long Island in New York. Once in the United States their slave status came into question and John Quincey Adams argued the slaves' case before the US Supreme Court, eventually earning their freedom.

The CEO of the non-profit stated that, "We're completely aware of all the issues currently surrounding US and Cuba but we approach this from the point of view that we have this unique history that both societies are connected by. It gives us an opportunity to transcend contempoary issues."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35933380/ns/world_news-americas/

Cuba cutting back on US food imports

Cuba cut its imports of U.S. agricultural products by 26% in 2009. While some have speculated that this is only Cuba trying to get back at the U.S. embargo, it is actually probably a result of Cuba's lack of economic means. Lower-quality food imports are cheaper from Vietnam, China and Spain because of the rules of trade. The U.S. agriculture industry has been pressuring the U.S. government for a lift on the embargo for a long time as it will allow for freer and more productive trade. Cuba continues to suffer from the embargo; in the first nine months of last year trade fell 36%. I thought this article was relevant after our discussion about U.S.-Cuban relations.

Poem by Edwidge Danticat

Here is a poem by Edwidge Danticat, author of Breath, Eyes, Memory. Since we have been hearing about Haiti so much in the news, I am adding this post so we can all see another aspect of Haitian culture. This poem is very melancholy, but is an interesting depiction of the relationship between Haitians and tourists.

Tourist

Tourist, don’t take my picture
Don’t take my picture, tourist
I’m too ugly
Too dirty
Too skinny
Don’t take my picture, white man
Mr. Eastman won’t be happy
I’m too ugly
Your camera will break
I’m too dirty
Too black
Whites like you won’t be content
I’m too ugly
I’m gonna crack your Kodak
Don’t take my picture, tourist
Leave me be, white man
Don’t take a picture of my burro
My burro’s load’s too heavy
And he’s too small
And he has no food here
Don’t take a picture of my animal
Tourist, don’t take a picture of the house
My house is of straw
Don’t take a picture of my hut
My hut’s made of earth
The house already smashed up
Go shoot a picture of the Palace
Or the Bicentennial grounds
Don’t take a picture of my garden
I have no plow
No truck
No tractor
Don’t take a picture of my tree
Tourist, I’m barefoot
My clothes are torn as well
Poor people don’t look at whites
But look at my hair, tourist
Your Kodak’s not used to my color
Your barber’s not used to my hair
Tourist, don’t take my picture
You don’t understand my position
You don’t understand anything
About my business, tourist
“Gimme fie cents”
And then, be on your way, tourist.

Vulnerable Women in Haiti Have No Protection

In Haiti, even before the earthquake, rape was a problem that women faced. Although many women have become presidents of Latin American countries or have achieved high political status, women are sadly abused mentally, physically, and sexually. This can start at a young age in Haiti when women are sent to be restaveks in homes of upper class families where they are often sexually abused by their "fathers."

Since the earthquake, many women and children have been left without homes or families and are left to fend for themselves in tent cities. In these vulnerable cities, they run the risk of being beaten and raped because they lack the protection that their fathers, brothers, and sons once provided. When women are found alone, they can be attacked by strange men, escaped prisoners, and even police. Afterwards, they can face sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy. These women need protection even from the men who are supposed to be protecting them, so who can they turn to? Hopefully, as UN forces arrive in Port-au-Prince, the situation will get better for the young women who are being affected by these violent crimes.

Be thankful for the safety we have: http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-world-latinamerica/20100316/CB.Haiti.Earthquake/

U.S. Warns of Danger in Haiti

Currently the U.S. State Department has warned against traveling to Haiti because of recent killings and kidnappings since the earthquake.
An update reported that "some kidnap victims have been killed, shot, sexually assaulted, or physically abused."
It is said that Haitian police and U.N. peacemakers are important to maintaining security.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/16/world/AP-CB-Haiti-Earthquake-US-Warning.html?ref=americas

Brazil May Break US Patent Laws

Brazil has announced that it intends to allow local companies to produce certain items that remain under US patent law. These items include movies, music, pharmaceutical products and chemicals. The World Trade Organization currently supports this decision, as the US has continued to provide subsidies for the American cotton industry illegally. The US and Brazil have declared that they will work on negotiating a deal.

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/business-62/1268677957304660.xml&storylist=technology

Drug-Related Violence in Acapulco

Thirteen people - five policemen and eight others - were shot and killed in Acapulco; some of the bodies were found decapitated. This recent outbreak of violence in the Mexican resort town is blamed on the rivaling drug cartels in the country.

Of course, being Spring Break season, this is very frightening for many visitors and will mostly likely have a negative effect on tourism in the city.

This is not the first incident of drug-related violence in Acapulco; in June, 18 people were killed.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8566557.stm

Venezuela's Chavez: Internet Should Be Regulated

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez demanded that Venezuela place restrictions on what can and can't be said on the internet. He targeted one website in particular, a popular news site for positions critical of the Chavez government. Chavez has "dealt with" critical media before, and currently has multiple investigations looking into the last remaining anti-Chavez channel on open airwaves.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/13/world/AP-LT-Venezuela-Internet.html?ref=americas

Brazil's Magic Harvest

Despite the world-wide recession that is currently taking place, Brazil is breaking records with its anticipated harvest this season. As the leading economic country in Latin America, Brazil's perfect storm of, "good production and stable rainfall," is extremely important to the region's continued development.

Source: CNN

Crackdowns on Baseball Players from the Dominican Republic

Baseball is the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic. And over the years the country has contributed many players to American MLB, including many big name stars. However, recently there has been much concern over the few regulations in the Dominican Republic. There are many bad practices, for example, performance enhancing drugs, age and identity fraud, and rogue sports agents.
The Dominican Republic produced 10 percent of major league players last year. Some people think there needs to be more regulations. Commissioner Bud Selig hired former MLB vice president Sandy Alderson to confront some of these issues. Recently, it was disclosed that the Dominican Summer League had the highest rate of positive drug tests in all baseball. Also teams have given expensive contracts to players who lie about their ages. Alderson is restructuring the MLB office in Santo Domingo, the capital. He says that some people are embarrassed about the state of the irregularities from the Dominican Republic, but they are not sure about how to deter ill practices.
The baseball league is trying to figure out how to verify players' ages and identities without drawing criticism. The MLB has no legal standing in the country, so members cannot enforce any regulations. They can only hope for cooperation. Hopefully Anderson can effect some changes and take any suspicion away from the Dominican Republic. He is trying to keep baseball in a good light; it is America's pastime (and the Dominican Republic's).

Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/sports/baseball/11dominican.html?ref=americas

The Inauguration of Chile's New President, Sebastian Pinera, Is Interrupted By a 6.9 Magnitude Aftershock

The largest aftershock to occur in the wake of the terrible 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake hit the nation on Thursday as Sebastian Pinera was sworn into the Chilean presidency. The Chilean Navy issued a tsunami alert in response to a series of aftershocks that advises coastal dwellers to evacuate to higher ground. There were no reports of damages or injuries in the aftermath (note: this aftershock was similar in size to the earthquake that devastated Haiti).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35815392/ns/world_news-chile_earthquake/

Mexican man named world's richest person

A Mexican man was named as the world’s richest person by Forbes magazine, surpassing even Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. This businessman, Carlos Slim, is the first person from a developing country to be named as the wealthiest person on earth. This is an important step in demonstrating the great advances in economic growth in developing countries of Latin America, but it also shows the huge poverty gap that still exists in the region. While some Mexicans are proud of Slim’s achievement, many citizens are actually upset with the naming because of the immense amount of poverty that remains in the region. In a way, the naming of Carlos Slim as the world’s richest person only demonstrates the social inequality and practice of exploitation of the poor majority by the elite minority in Latin America, a practice whose roots lie in colonialism.

Eye-Witness Account of the Chilean Earthquake

Here is the update on my cousin Connor. His initial reaction was only to my aunt feel better. Here's what happened:

Despite the severity of Chile's most recent disaster, I had no idea of the seriousness of what had just happened that morning. Friday night I was out with friends at a party and around 3 am we left to go to a discoteca. We were outside haggling the prices to get in when the floor started to rumble-- we all initially thought it was just the bass from the music, but figured out pretty quickly what was going on when we looked and saw the windows and umbrellas of the restaurant across the patio shaking violently too. We turned back around to a wave of about 200 people rushing out of the one exit of the club with the sound of tiles and glass crashing to the ground behind them.

A friend of mine and I sprinted down the broken escalator, moving from side to side with everything else, got to the bottom and found somewhere that seemed safe to sit down. The earthquake lasted for a full 3 minutes, and I cannot think of a longer 3 minutes in my life. It started with a small rumble and very quickly escalated to full-scale chaos, and for about 30 seconds it definitely felt like the world was coming to an end.

I haven't been witness to many natural disasters-- the worst I'd lived through were a couple hurricanes and some ice storms-- so I can't say much for tornadoes or tsunamis, but I'm pretty sure an earthquake is just about the worst kind of disaster a person can experience. It is a terrible feeling of hopelessness, like on an airplane when the turbulence hits hard and for just a split second you are sure the plane is going down. An earthquake, especially an 8.8 earthquake, is like the worst kind of turbulence hitting everything that is supposed to be solid, safe and concrete, and it feels like it will never end.

Amazingly, since the walls of the mall we were near didn't fall down, the ground didn't split in half and the roofs didn't cave in, we were all left with the impression that it hadn't been as bad as it felt. I was actually surprised in the morning when the metro wasn't running. Santiago, at least where we were, seemed to have held up as if the earth beneath it had never moved an inch, so as far as we were concerned the rest of Chile must have been okay too.

It took until Saturday evening when we went to a family member's house whose electricity was running for me to realize the true extent of the damage. Santiago, whose older and poorer parts were destroyed, looks as good as new compared to pretty much everywhere south of here. Curicó and Talca, towns where I have a bunch of friends, were left with city centers and plazas filled with the rubble that used to be banks, government offices, stores and adobe houses. Concepción, a hugely important port and the second biggest city in Chile was essentially flattened by almost the epicenter of the quake, followed by about a 40 foot tsunami wave. Concepción's smaller neighboring towns were hit by the same tsunami and in Talcahuano it carried a huge fishing boat 400 meters into town, razing everything in its path. The aftershocks have come strong as well, (there was actually one just now as I write this) and in the two days following the initial quake there were over 90 of them, most of which over 5.0 and the strongest of which was about 7.0-- as strong as the disastrous main Haiti earthquake last month. It was only thanks to strict building codes that the majority of Chile was not leveled.

In the rest of his update, he explains that many people are still in need. Two good ways to help out are to send boxes of toiletries to the Red Cross or to send money.

Also, another earthquake hit today. This one was 7.2.

The end of the Paridinha

The move known as the paridinha or little stop could come to end at the World Cup this year. A Brazilian soccer move in which the shooter of a penalty shot stops his motion to throw off the goalies timing has been ruled unsportsmanlike and efforts are being made to make sure it is illegal before the World Cup

Controversy as Cuba Pays for Sex Changes

Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuban president Raul Castro, is a top gay-rights activist who runs the National Sexual Education Center. This organization has worked hard to influence the government and achieved the lift of the ban on sex-change operations in 2008. Mariela continues to fight for the formal recognition of transsexuals in Cuba. She says others "don't know what a person who is trannsexual suffers. It's a prison you can't get out of."
Now the Cuban government pays for a few sex-change operations every year. Some of the controversy over this fact has stemmed from religious beliefs, although Cuba is officially atheist. Another source of controversy is the presence of homophobia in the Cuban culture. Some Cubans remain shocked or outraged that the government would allow these operations, much less pay for them. However, the main controversy comes from the fact that Cuba has limited resources and many citizens feel sex-changes should not be a goverment expense.
While there are diagreements about the government's involvement, it is apparent that Cuba is moving on from come of its old ways. Former President Fidel Castro said, "I'd like to think that discrimination against homosexuals is a problem that's being overcome. Old prejudices and narrowmindedness will increasingly be things of the past."

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/10/world/AP-CB-Cuba-Sex-Changes.html?ref=americas

Mexican Food As A UNESCO World Heritage Site?

UNESCO World Heritage Center - which protects and preserves places of cultural, historical, and natural importance - has designated more sites in Mexico (29 of them!) than in any other country in the Americas, including the Historic Center of Mexico City, Chichen-Itza, and the Whale Sanctuary of Vizcaino on the Baja California Peninsula.

Now, the Mexican government is asking UNESCO to recognize its cuisine on its list of "intangible cultural patrimony". Traditional Mexican food, dating back 3,000 years to the Maya civilization, is being argued by some to be just as important to the country's culture as physical landmarks. The U.N. will decide in April or May if UNESCO will accept this proposal.

http://inform.com/culture-and-lifestyle/mexico-asks-unesco-protect-countrys-cuisine-840962a

Puerto Rican Birth Certificates

The governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, passed a law at the end of last year that voided all Puerto Rican birth certificates processed before December 2009 due to high rates of identity fraud. Because the island is a commonwealth - basically an organized but unincorporated territory - of the United States, Puerto Rican birth certificates are very valuable for Latin Americans looking to illegally immigrate to the U.S. under a Hispanic name.

For the 4.1 million Puerto Ricans now living in the United States, however, this law has caused problems because their birth certificates are no longer valid, and there was little education given by the U.S. and Puerto Rican governments about this change. Many of these Puerto Ricans are now left wondering how and where they can get new birth certificates.

To read the whole article: http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/news-politics/millions-puerto-rican-birth-certificates-voided

US Aid in Haiti

Many countries feel like the US interferes with affairs in other countries, but Haitian people fear that the end of US military aid in Haiti will leave them in unrest. Although US troops will be leaving, aid from the UN will be arriving shortly to continue to rebuild the lives and homes of the Haitian people. My friend's mom, who was in Haiti on a mission trip when the earthquake occurred, is going back to Port-au-Prince next month. :)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake;_ylt=ApNY5rJSzlj6D25Fe8NkNum3IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJwcWRscmg0BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzA4L2NiX2hhaXRpX2VhcnRocXVha2UEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDYW1lcmljYW50cm9v

Chávez Dismisses Spanish Claim of Rebel Links

Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez denies reclaims that his government has aided the Colombian rebel group FARC and the Basque separatists, ETA, in Spain. A Spanish judge accused the Venezuelan government of setting up a meeting between FARC and ETA in which FARC requested ETA's assistance in the assassination of Colombian officials visiting Spain. The judge has issues arrest warrants for 13 people, including one Spanish born Venezuelan official. Chavez denies the accusations, saying that Venezuela does not support terrorist organizations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/world/americas/04venez.html?ref=americas

Drought in Potosi Reveals Sunken Town

There has been a serious drought in Potosi, Venezuela. Meteorologists have linked the lack of rain and the drought that followed to El Nino, or a warming of the waters in the Pacific Ocean. The normal weather patterns in the region were interrupted causing the lack of water. The drought has exposed the once submerged town of Potosi. In 1985, a hydro-electric dam was built, and the town was intentionally flooded. The 85 foot church in the town used to have its steeple used as the high water mark for the reservoir. Now, the water level fell 98 feet, revealing all of the church, houses, and even a cemetery. There is a problem: if the water level falls another 10 feet, the dam will no longer be able to produce electricity.
I saw a video about this story. People can now walk through parts of the town. One resident who had lived there 25 years ago said the sight saddened him because it only brought back old, sad memories.
You can check out the story (and see a picture of the falling water line on the church) at http://news.gather.com/viewImage.action?fileId=3096224746252909&articleId=281474978070814

Much Looting After Earthquake in Chile

In the days after the earthquake in Chile, looting occurred throughout the cities and towns affected. People broke into shops and kiosks and stole whatever they could, carrying off with expensive electronics and even ATMs. While most looters were poor, some were also middle class. Chile has great inequality, with the 15th highest Gini index in the world, at 54.9 in 2003. While Chile has made great strides in other areas- their growing economy, relatively low and continually dropping poverty rate, and big foreign investment, this does not seem to be good enough. These strides have not been sufficient, as people scrounged for whatever they could during the period of chaos after the earthquake hit.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030304595.html?sid=ST2010030304491

Mexicans celebrate same-sex marriage

In January I wrote a post about Mexico City's new law legalizing gay marriage. Today hundreds of couples registered for licenses, and the first weddings will take place within the next week or so. This is a huge step for Latin America as it is the region's first same-sex marriage law. Political leaders and activists supporting the law hope it will set an example for the rest of the region.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100304/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_gay_marriage

No Third Term for Colombian President Uribe

The President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, has become quite popular during his eight years in power. He has done very much in the campaign against guerrilla forces and is one of the United States' strongest allies in Latin America.
Despite his success, Uribe has been denied to run for a third consecutive term. The Constitutional Court remains loyal to the constitution's limit of two presidential terms. Uribe comments, "I accept and respect the decision of the Constitutional Court."
Many Colombians believe Uribe's policies have gotten the country onto the right track and potential presidential candidates are likely to continue his policies and plans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/world/americas/27colombia.html?ref=americas

It's a Miracle

Dad and daughter fall 13 floors with nothing more than cuts and scrapes:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_chile_survivor_s_story