The Chicano Movement

The Chicano Movement of several local outbursts of Mexican American activists throughout the United States. Although it is now all seen as a single movement, it was never unified because there were many groups within the movement that had their own goals and ideals that often did not coincide with those of other groups. Some of these were the United Farm Workers Union led by César Chavez, the Land Grant in New Mexico led by Ruiz Tijerana and La Raza Unida Party in Texas led by José Angel Gutierrez.

Part of the movement was the beginning of the militant identity: “Brown and Proud”, in a way imitating the “Black Pride” of African American movements, and also calling themselves Chicanos, a derogatory word previously used to describe those born north of Rio Grande.

Some of the general political goals of the Chicano movement were to eliminate the discrimination and economic disadvantages, to recognize a kinship with Mexico as well as a validity of Mexican American culture, to improve the lives of farm workers, to end segregation of Chicanos and police repression, and the struggle for political representation and self-determination.

Those who were part of the Chicano movement insisted on the inclusion of Chicano students, teachers and studies in the schools and universities. They also fomented a lot of research for Chicano History.

U.S. Says Cuba shut off amenities to Mission

Cuba has been denying that it shut off the water and power to the American Mission in Havana. Link.

Brazil Beats Croatia

Brazil won the world Cup in 2002 and is trying to defend its title this year in Germany. They opened up play against Croatia on Tuesday. The Brazilians were victorious 1-0 in their opener. The game exposed some of the Brazilian teams weaknesses and possibly opened the door for an upset. Link .

High School students return to school in Chile

Students in Chile returned after 3 weeks of strike. The goal of the strike was to receive more money for education to improve schools in disrepair. $200 million was conceded by President Michelle Bachelet. Link

Venezuala Using civilians in military reserves

Venezuela is training civilians to participate in the army. Hugo Chavez is implementing the creation of civilian reserve units all over the country. Possible reasons behind this are the fear of ivasion.
Link .

Interesting fact about Caracas, Venezuela

I thought this was neat since we just learned about Venezuela today... I have been talking to the exchange student my family had in high school tonight and told him we learned about Venezuela and about the barros around Caracas, and he told me something very ironic. According to him, the barros areas are the second most dangerous municipality in the world, in the same city where his area is the richest municipality in Latin America. The west part of the city, the barros, is very poor with a lot of corruption, informal jobs, while the east is very rich with a good life and good cars.

Latinos & Latinas in WWII

World War II was a major turning point for U.S. Latinos, changing the worldviews of an entire generation. Many Latino soldiers returned home to find the same discrimination they had left behind; they began questioning a system that held Latinos to a lower status. Many veterans used the G.I. Bill to earn a college education. Latinas who worked in military installations and in other jobs previously denied them also questioned the status quo. Some Mexican citizens were brought in to fill jobs left vacant by departing soldiers. Few lives were left untouched--even those men who were unable to join the fighting forces would never be the same. In the following years, these men and women made astounding civil rights advancements for their people--in school desegregation, in voting rights, in basic civil rights. Powerful organizations grew out of this era, including the G.I. Forum and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Sadly, the stories of these men and women have been virtually untold, either in the mass media or in scholarly writing. The main problem has been the small numbers of U.S. Latino journalists, scholars and other writers who would document the stories of this generation. This project seeks to capture the stories of these men and women. This project is being organized by the University of Texas at Austin Department of Journalism. Check their stories here.

Diego Rivera

We're going to talk about art soon, so here's a gallery of Diego Rivera's work. It's pretty cool. Check it out.

Madeira dam proposal

Brazilian officials are proposing the construction of a new dam on the largest tributary of the Amazon river. The eight-hundred and fifty people who would be flooded out of their homes are protesting and have formed the Movement of Dam-Affected people. One member of the group says that he was ousted from his last home due to the erection of a new dam and was never compensated. One Bolivian hydrologist has stated that building a dam on these heavily silt-laden waters is ridiculous. And though the government has tantalized environmentalists with promises of special fish spillways, the inroads and dam construction would surely attract new settlers and gas dillers, which would only exacerbate the problem of deforestation. But small group uprisings such as the MDA are promising; I believe it is likely that only through popular uprising will Latin American environmental reform take place.

Here's the link from 'THE ECONOMIST.'

Extractive Reserve of the Lower Rio Branco-Rio Jauaperi

Here's a cool link to the Amazonian Association (Associacao Amazonia) webpage, which is seeking to establish a protected area on the Xixuau-Xiparina rivers in Acre, Brazil. The group has been mapping biodiversity and seeking to preserve the indigenous way of life through promoting ecotourism.

Cuba and the US

What will become of the relation between cuba and the united states?

And how will they continue to torture, becuase of politics, the people of cuba and the people that fled to the US that have not been able to return?

The Cuban government cut off electricity to the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana a week ago, and U.S. requests for power to be restored have gone unanswered. These small actions just make me wonder of the future of this relation between these two countries.

The full story is here.

SAN ANDRES Y PROVIDENCIA

San Andres y Providencia is a small Island which counts towards a part of Colombian territory.

It is located 480 miles North-West of the Colombian mainland in the Caribbean Sea, in close ecological and archaeological contact with the northern part of Colombia, Central America and other islands in the Caribbean. It is made up of the islands of San Andrés, Providence and St. Catherine; Bolívar and Albuquerque islets; Cotton, Haynes, Johnny, Roncador, Serrana, Serranilla, Quitasueño, Rocky, and Crab cays and Alicia and Bajo Nuevo sand banks.

It is a beautiful island that clearly expresses the fusion of various cultures: indigineous, African, Spanish, british and french. They speak a fusion of french, english and Spanish, creating a "Creolle English."

It has an "acuarium," that is actually the ocean itself, where the tourist only uses gogles to discover what is underneath the sea. It is known for its peacful atmosphere and its multicolored ocean.

Kindly Uncle Sam

THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE FOLLOWING VIEWPOINT:

Some people espouse the opinion that it is alright for the US to advise Latin America on environmental matters. They relate the situation to that of a parent who is advising his children not to make the same mistakes they themselves have. But let’s play the hypothetical situation game. Pay attention to my words here. Let’s say you are walking down the street one day when a rich man with a scalpel runs up to you, knocks you over, and steals your right lung. You survive. Somehow. Then, when you recover, you take up smoking because you are really depressed and probably still in shock that some wacko with a scalpel attacked you on the street. Anyway, many years later, you’re walking down the same street, casually smoking, when the SAME MAN WHO ATTACKED YOU happens to pass by. To your amazement, he shakes your hand, greets you, and then politely asks you not to smoke because your second-hand smoke might give him lung cancer. Isn’t your first impression to tell this guy to bugger off- or maybe do worse? You’re the Latin American nation, your lung was a large part of your natural ecosystem and environmental well-being, and the rich man was US big neoliberal business. Now, reader, can you understand how incredible it is that Latin American countries even listen to what the US has to say regarding environmental conservation?

Look- I’m an environmentalist. I realize that the protection of our Earth is crucial to the survival and happiness of not only humans, but more importantly the astounding biodiversity of our planet. I want the forests to be spared from cutting and the endangered animals to be able to thrive as they always have. I don’t want cyanide in the water supply or pesticide vapor in the air. But I can understand how ignorant it is of the US to give paternal advice to a region it has screwed over repeatedly. Kindly paternal advice is not a proper metaphor here. Instead, it’s more like a father trying to give pacifist advice to the children he has beaten all their lives. Plus, Americans should spend a little more time being active in the conservation of their own homeland before trying to advise other nations in theirs. If and when Latin American countries choose to conserve their invaluable ecosystems, it will be because they will have risen above US hypocrisy and soared valiantly into a better world future.

FARC at war with ELN

Apparently FARC has declared war against the ELN. Both are leftist guerilla groups who have been at war with the government and right wing paramilitaries in Colombia. Here is the article that explains the conflict:

FARC vs. ELN

COHA on WHINSEC: "Torture is Un-American"

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs comments on the legacy of the U.S.'s training of Latin American military officers at the WHINSEC (Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly the SOA or School of the Americas). Combining the current anti-terrorist fears in the U.S. public, an administration policy that tends to ignore or dismiss torture as legitimate interrogation techniques, and border security concerns, one wonders if WHINSEC might not just stay open, but might also ramp up its old ways again.

Ortega's troubles

It seems that an Independent Commission on human rights in Nicaragua filed suits against Sandanista supporter and presidential candidate Daniel Ortega claiming that he was responsible for human rights violations during the Somoza overthrow in 1979. The group has claimed that Ortega, in negotiating with English speaking coastal Indians, murdered, tortured, or kidnapped over 100 people. The group claims that the number affected is probably much higher, however, they only have confirmed reports of these numbers. In the months before an upcoming election, Ortega maintains that this is a political stunt meant to take votes away from him and his party. I think it will be interesting to see how all of this plays out and if further investigations can be done before elections take place.

Chavez's Travel Plans Alarms U.S. Government

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on his weekly radio address that he plans to visit both North Korea and Iran, two of America's top enemies. Issues arising over nuclear development in these two countries has alarmed the US government. After already building alliances with Iran and Cuba, some US officials are concerned that Chavez is trying to further himself and his country from the US. Using money from the country's vast oil supply, the impact of Chavez's actions could prove to be problematic in foreign diplomacy, including Chavez's proposed military agreements with China and Russia. To read more, check this out.

Ubinas Volcano In Peru

Yesterday, Sunday June 11th, over 400 villagers in a small Peruvian town 470 miles southeast of Lima were forced to evacuate the region due to the predicted eruption of the Ubinas volcano. High winds have taken some of the smoke, ash, and debris and moved it into the highland region of Puno. Although the volcano has yet to erupt, the increase in seismic activity has alarmed scientists enough to clear the surrounding village. To learn more, please click here.

Mexico earned 3 points in the World Cup tournament by defeating Iran. Iran managed to tie the score at 1-1, but Mexico persisted to win 3-1.

Chilean Female President Visits US

The first Female president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, is visiting the US for the first time since elected office. She is a socialist who was defense minister before running for president and spent time as a political prisoner. She is also a pediatrician who lived in the US as a child and again as an adult. She wants to improve relations with the US, especially to increase trading. Here's the article.

Argentinean Tension

President Kirchner of Argentina and the wider government seem to be at odds with the military establishment. Military leadership remains relatively unchanged ideologically since the end of state sponsored terrorism and then military rule in the 1970's. Kirchner has subsequently fought to rid the military of old leadership and will begin trying retired officers for human rights abuses later this month. The full article can be found here.

Peruvian Election

I thought that it was interesting to see that this ex-President has just been put back into power. It seems to reflect the struggle that has plagued this country to get itself out of the economic depression. I just also thought it was interesting to see how he was able to get himself back into a position to become President again when he left in such disgrace and hatred...rather interesting to look at how the government works in such a different way than I traditionally think. Here's the link...

Hurricane Season

New Orleans isn't the only place in danger of hurricanes this summer. The first caribbean storm, tropical storm Alberto, hit Cuba with heavy rains yesterday. As much as 20 inches fell on western areas of the country- severely threatening the tobacco crops and triggereing possible flash floods and mudslides. With the hurricane season lasting until November 30, we are sure to see many more storms hitting the caribbean region.

The Real President of Brazil

Brazilian President Lula in a video conference with the Brazilian National futbol team on Thursday asked the team if Ronaldo was "fat." Ronaldo was not present but he later heard from his teammates about the comment. Lula realizing that he was approaching someone potentially more powerful than himself quickly apologized. It's an interesting story, which would never happen anywhere else.

Chipas

Chipa is a traditional bread from Paraguay. They are versatile to prepare and very economical. Chipas are cooked in mud ovens on banana leaves. They are eaten all over Paraguay and in other South American countries like Argentina.
Ingredients: 100 gms of grated cheese, 4 eggs, 1 cup of full milk, 500 gms of Tapioca flour (special vegetable flour), Salt as desired
Procedure:
Pre-heat oven at 160 degrees
Beat eggs in a bowl, add cheese and blend.
Add sifted flour blend and mix with milk until all dissolved, add salt and its ready to go.
Place mixture in muffin tray and bake for 15 to 20 mins, until golden brown

World Cup!!!!

Costa Rica put forth a valiant effort, but they couldn't quite get past Germany last Friday. The final score was 4 to 2. Germany moves on to play Poland on June 14th.

World Cup Update

Mexico defeated Iran today in the first round of the World Cup, 3-1. Omar Bravo had two of the three for Mexico. Argentina defeated the Ivory Coast 2-1, while England beat Paraguay 1-0. Germany defeated Costa Rica 4-2, and Poland dropped to Ecuador 2-0.

Miguel Vinuesa's "Weekend Update"

Miguel Vinuesa, a Spanish student located in Madrid and a regular reader of the Cuaderno Latinoamericano, sent us a nice email complimenting us on our blog. Miguel also edits a blog called the Weekend Update. It has very good information and updates on many subjects from all over the world. Please check out the Weekend Update blog; and while you're there, post a comment telling Miguel that you're visiting via the Cuaderno Latinoamericano.

Chavez to the rescue?

Check out the last Oppenheimer Report on Ecuador's struggling relationship with the United States. Will Venezuelan Chavez provide Ecuador with enough leverage for it to dissolve free trade talks with the US?

Mis 15

A new Spanish-language TV program "Mis 15" has gained immense popularity on MTV Latin America. It mirrors the MTV show "Super Sweet Sixteen" and both shows follow the life of young wealthy girls celebrating extravagant parties for the girl's either 15th or 16th birthday. The celebration in Latin America is often so elaborate it is compared to a wedding and provides ample drama for a successful reality show. To learn more about this developing trend visit the Miami Herald article here.

Oscar de la Renta

Dominican born fashion designer Oscar de la Renta looks to his roots for inspiration in his Spring 2006 collection.

Check it out his stunning collection at style.com.

Cachapas - YUMMY!

Here's the recipe to one of my favorite dishes ever! They're from Venezuela.

Corn pancakes (Cachapas)
4 cups of tender corn kernels (canned corn may be used)1 teaspoon of salt1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk (depending on how tender the corn is)1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. The mix should become thick and weighty . If not, add more corn or some yellow corn flour . Shape the mix into small pancakes approximately 1/2 inch (1.25cm) thick and about 5 inches (12.5cm) in diameter. Let them cook on medium heat for about one minute on each side, or until small bubbles form on the top. Cachapas should be served hot, and normally is accompanied with cheese (feta cheese is one of the favorite option).

Salto Angel

Literally 'the angel's jump,' this waterfall is the longest in the world. It is located on the Auyan Tepui river in Venezuela, and measures 979 meters (807 meters uninterrupted). The indigenous name for the falls translates to 'the devil's mouth'. Interesting difference in perspective there.

Llaneros y Gauchos

I always thought it was cool that cowboys are folk heroes in Latin America as much as in North America. They are known as llaneros in Colombia and Venezuela and as gauchos in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. (Martin Fierro is the name of an Argentine saga of a gaucho by Jose Hernandez which became an Argentine folkloric legend.) Each group has a distinct culture, but all are cowboys.

The delicious "Arequipe"

Here is a recipe for Arequipe, or Dulce de Leche:

3 quarts milk
2 lbs. sugarpinch of salt
1/4 t. baking soda
2 egg yolks
cinnamon stick

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until thickened. Stir constantly, preferably with a wooden spoon, until you see the saucepan while stirring (4-5 hours). Add the egg yolks and let cook 2 or 3 minutes longer. Remove cinnamon stick. Let cool. This recipe must be watched constantly.

There is also a shortcut for preparing Arequipe. Put a can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of boiling water. The water should fully cover the can which must not be opened. Boil it for about 5 hours adding water constantly to compensate evaporation. Let it cool down for 30 min before opening the can and you'll get a pretty good Arequipe

Shakira

Colombian singer Shakira will perform her new hit “My Hips Don’t Lie” along with Wyclef Jean on July 9th at this year’s world cup on the Berlin’s Olympic stadium in Germany before the final game.

Que triste!

Costa Rica falls to Home Team Germany in the 1st game. The score: 4 - 2, Germany. El partido continua...

FIFA World Cup History

Since the FIFA World Cup is all the hype in Latin America right now, I decided to investigate its history online. I came across the FIFA World Cup history site at the National Soccer Hall of Fame website. It explains who formed the tournament and how the tournament was formed. It also has a list of records held in the tournament. Check it out.

Ecuador upsets Poland

Although they didn't get the four goals their coach predicted, Ecuador pulled off a 2-0 win against Poland today. Many were unsure about Ecuador's chances in the world cup, considering its wins in the qualifying rounds were all in Quito, whose mile high elevation gave them an advantage against other teams. Ecuador has proven that it can do well away from its home turf.

Iguazu Falls

The Iguazu Falls are one of the most popular destinations in Latin America. They are situated in the border between Brazil and Argentina. It is the site of unimaginable natural beauty. Iguazú Falls are the result of a volcanic eruption which left yet another hole in the earth. They are four times wider than the Niagara Falls. These are divided by various islands into separate waterfalls. In addition to the beautiful waterfalls it is surrounded by an amazing jungle landscape. It is definetely worth visiting this place were you will see unique flora and fauna. You may visit them through helicopter or boat. The most famous spot is the Devil's Throat where fourteen falls drop 350 feet with such force that there is always a 100 foot cloud of spray up.

Check this site to see some incredible pictures of this wonderful place.

Alfajores

Here is the recipe of one of the best desserts in Latin America: Alfajores.These are typical from the southern cone. They are special soft cookies filled with Dulce de Leche (somewhat like caramel but thicker).

INGREDIENTS:
12 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cognac
2 1/2 cups cornstarch (corn flour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Dulce de Leche
Grated coconut
PREPARATION:
To make cookie dough: Cream the butter and sugar together, then mix in the remaining ingredients except the dulce de leche and coconut until well blended. Knead on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth and let rest for 15 minutes.
Make the cookies: Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 20 minutes. When cool, spread some dulce de leche on the bottom of half the cookies and press another cookie on top, allowing some of the dulce de leche to squeeze from the sides. Roll the sides in the coconut until the sides are covered. Makes about 12 delicious, definitely non low calorie cookies!
To make dulce de leche: Method 1: Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil. Place the pie plate in a in larger shallow pan filled with hot water. Do not allow the water to cover the smaller pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored. Beat until smooth. Method 2: Place unopened can sweetened condensed milk in a pot with enough water to cover the can. Bring slowly to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let cook for 4-5 hours until the milk is caramelized. Be careful! Keep the can covered and simmering slowly to avoid the risk of the can exploding. Cool the can before opening.

Brazil by Big Les

Brazil declared its independence in 1822! Gangsta

Big Les Bets on Brazil

I got my money on Brazil and the Michael Jordan of soccer in the World Cup!

world's widest road

Brazil is the location of the world's widest road. 160 cars can drive side by side.

Goajiro ceremonial dance

In Colombia, if a Goajiro woman is successful in tripping a man during a ceremonial dance, he's required to have intercourse with her. (7-16-01)

coca leaf

In the Andes, time is sometimes measured by how long it takes to chew a quid of coca leaf.

Ex-Paraguayan President Faces Prison Time

Luis Gonzalez Macchi, the former president of Paraguay, has been sentenced to six years in prison for setting up a scheme to embezzle $16 million of state funds. It relates to the corruption in the governments in Latin America that we discussed in class. Here is the link.

Brazilian Farmers

This article relates well to what we were talking about in class. It's about how landless farmers in Brazil are demanding agrarian reforms.

brazil

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world (behind Russia, Canada, China and the United States). It’s only 300,000 square miles smaller than the United States. Australia, India, Argentina, Kazakhstan and the Sudan round out the Top 10

Ecuador in the World Cup

I forgot to mention in my presentation the other day that Ecuador will be playing this friday in the world cup. Although they are third among the four South American countries competing -Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay - the coach is very optimistic about Ecuador's chances. In this Friday's game against Poland, he claims that his team will score five times. It seems pretty unlikely, but we'll have to see. The game will be aired Friday at 3 pm on ESPN 2 and Univision. Article.

Mexican Election

I thought this article was interesting. It is about the elction in mexico.

Big les, HOLLA

Why isn't there more Latin American athletes playing basketball?

Joining the "Modern World"

Somewhat relating to the film we're watching in class, i found this NYTimes article and accompanying presentation about a native tribe of Nukak-Maku indigens in Colombia who have gone to the closest town in search for help to join the "modern world". They want their children to attend school and join the "civilized" society of the town. Distraught by this voluntary desire to change their lifestyle, townspeople fear this group of about 80 people will become increasingly dependent on the aid provided and on the sole translator that they have.

Study: Katrina rebuilding exploits illegal immigrants

Link to CNN article...

Upcoming Mexican elections still a dead heat

Here's some more info on the upcoming elections. Right now, it's still a dead heat. Obrador had been leading for a while, but Calderon has gained popularity making it a dead heat.

Angered peasants storm Congress

We were talking about Brazil in class the other day. Apparently, the protesters from the Landless Peasants' Liberation Movement, an organization that advocates redistribution of farms, broke into Congress and interrupted a session. Security eventually got things under control, but an interesting story to say the least. link

Las Farc Websites

Here you can find the website for one of the guerilla groups in colombia.
They have there own website, full of articles that support there actions...
It quite interesting. unfortunately its in Spanish.. but with just looking at it you can see
how well done it is.. and how scary it is to think that they have gotten into technology and
have established themselves so strongly....
www.farcep.org

666 and the devil attacks

this is the image drawn by a taxi driver, in Pereira Colombia, of a devil that presumably attacked him when he got into his cab. he was found with both doors open, grabbing the wheel. He had to be given trnquilizers to calm down so he could speak and say what he had seen.
women ran to baptize their children so they could be protected form evil spirits and the devil on this day also.
There was a suicide reported of a young man, who was found with a bag full of images of the devil.
Some people are taking this day very seriously.
The leyend says that on this day, 06.06.06, the world will end.

Latin American Nations Make Strides Against AIDS

This is from a recent posting on the PAHO website (Pan American Health Organization). It looks as though Latin America has made "notable" progress in its fight against the epidemic. Reasons include better regional/international cooperation and the breaking down of cultural taboos/gender roles. See it here.

Dulce De Leche Cookies

Have an extra hour to burn or wanting to try something new? Check out this sweet little treat:

First of all, you'll need the following ingredients:

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup cornstarch 3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large egg yolks 1 tablespoon Pisco or regular brandy 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. About 1/4 cup dulce de leche (found in many Latin American grocery stores or larger grocery stores). Confectioners sugar for dusting.

You will also need a round cookie cutter, approx. 1.5 inches in diameter.

With all of the ingredients, its time to cook!

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large baking sheet.

Whisk together cornstarch, 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in egg yolks, Pisco, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until combined, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is sticky. (Dough should be soft.)

Form dough into a disk and roll out into an 11-inch round (1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out 32 rounds with cutter (reroll scraps if necessary) and transfer to sheet, arranging rounds 1/2 inch apart.

Bake until firm and pale golden around edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes.

Sandwich cookies with about 1/2 teaspoon dulce de leche. Dust with confectioners sugar.

...and now its time to eat! Enjoy!

Politics In Latin America

With many Latin American governments shifter further and further to the left, it is sometimes hard to know exactly what is going on in each country. While on MSNBC, I found this interactive map. This map covers many of the major countries we have discussed in class, such as Brazil and Mexico, as well as many others. There is a small blurb about each government, including the next election date and the current leader. Check it out!

Latino Health in NOLA

So I got this article in the NewWave newsletter this morning and thought it was very interesting and inspiring. The Latino Health Outreach Project Clinic was a program started my a Tulane med student and focuses on providing services to the rising Latino population in post-Katrina New Orleans. Check it out.

Chilean Promised a New Deal; Now Striking Youth Demand It

Click here for the article.

Ex-President Wins in Peru in Stunning Comeback

Click here for the article.

EZLN site

Check out the Zapatista web site. Particularly interesting is the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona. (And you can get it in English!) It gives one a good idea of the position the Zapatistas are taking, and the simple reasons why. Of note is the simple language and humble attitude of the article, which is designed to appeal to the average layperson. One finds it easy to empathize with their position. I think it's great that their 'encuentros' are called intergalactic, "just to be silly." Check it out!

Interview with Raul Reyes

Check out this link to the FARC web site. There is an interesting interview with Comandante Raul Reyes, arguably the most important leader in the FARC. It is in Spanish, but you can probably copy and paste paragraphs into babelfish.com to get the basic idea. It is worth noting that the website contains a "University Page," and there is a strong call to action for young adults. Important to Reyes is the idea that this is not a Colombian resistance, so much as a global struggle.

FARC deplores election of Uribe

Not suprisingly, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have declared that Uribe's reelection to the Colombian presidency is illegitimate due to low voter turnout. The group, which states that it is fighting for socialism, has also criticized the US strategy of domination. Here's the link.

Uribe wins in Colombia

Alvaro Uribe's reelection to the Colombian presidency on May 31st is being highly supported by the United States, as Uribe is not as left-leaning as many current South American leaders. It should be noted that he does have a close partnership with Chavez and Castro. Here's the link.

Agrarian Reform

Peasants have reason to rejoice with the land reform Evo Morales has passed in Bolivia.

New Orleans migrant workers

So everyone knows that a lot of latino migrants have come to New Orleans post Katrina. Here is one article that describes the movement. It appears that the majority of latino laborers have come from other parts of the United States, and are making a comparatively high wage. There are many questions surrounding this new 30,000+ population in NO. Probably the most important is, will they stay? The Stone Center will most likely sponsor a forum on migrant issues by the end of June. I'll let everyone know when.

cfda awards tomorrow night

Does Francisco Costa stand a chance at the cfda awards? He completely revitalized Calvin Klein but he is up against Marc Jacobs and the boys of Proenza Schuler (Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough). I guess we'll find out tomorrow night. If you don't know about the CFDA (council of fashion designers of America) go to their website and find out.

Francisco Costa

Great Article in the New York Times today about Francisco Costa. Check it out here.

Matisyahu

Matisyahu is musical artist with gaining popularity. His band is yet another example of Latin American influences being diffused into other cultures. He is a practicing Hasidc jew who utilizes the influences of Jamaican raggae and adds lyrics inspired by the jewish teachings. His band has a unique sound, mixing reggae, traditional rap, and guitar solos typical of rock music. He sometimes performs with Kenny Muhammad, a Muslim beatboxer. His reggae vocal style is along the lines of traditional Rasta Roots stylings mixed with dub sound. Most of his songs are almost entirely in English with just a few words of Hebrew and Yiddish sprinkled in. You can check out his website.

Biblioworks

Biblioworks is a group which believes in empowering the community through literacy and education. They are currently working on building libraries throughout Bolivia. It's amazing to think how these towns are going to change by just adding a library!!!

Biblioworks

Biblioworks is a group which believes in empowering the community through literacy and education. They are currently working on building libraries throughout Bolivia. It's amazing to think how these towns are going to change by just adding a library!!!

Elections in Peru

The presidential elections today will not only determine the next president but will also determine this region’s international politics. According to an article by the University of British Columbia, the success of Alan Garcia will influence Peru and Chilean’s relations to be based on competition while Peru will be closer to Brazil favoring Lula; on the other side if Ollanta Umalalla wins Venezuela will be favor and thus alliances with Chavez but Peru and Chilean’s relation will be based in Rivalry.

Big Les on Sammy

Should Sammy big given more respect that what he has gotten? Yes he should! Sammy Sosa is 5th all-time on the career homerun list but in this summer, Sammy was not offered over $500,000. You tell me a guy of his talents, though he is not the 26 year old Albert Pujols but at 38, Sosa can still go yard with the best of em!

Peru's Presidential Runoff Election

In Peru there was a runoff election for president between Allan Garcia and Ollanta Humala. Garcia was in office in the 1980's and was responsible for weakening Peru's economy. Humala is a nationalist and wants to redistribute the country's power and wealth to the poor whose needs have been neglected. The polls show that the election is very close and a clear winner hasn't been determined yet. See the story here.

Otavalos

The cultural exchange we have been talking about lately continues to exist increasingly with globalization. One can see an example of this through the Otavalos. Otavalos are one of the most representative Ecuadorian indigenous communities. They posses a unique identity and believe in progress, in the possibility of better standards of living. In their quest to find this they have had to search more possibilities aborad due to the difficult situation in Ecuador. It is really impressive to see them all over the world. They are all over Europe, Asia and the United States. Their tapestries and hand crafts have been of great success and have provided them with the financial means to expand their businesses and continue to seek for more opportunities around the globe. They have allowed the world to see part of the Ecuadorian culture and also helped immensely to the development of the small towns in the highlands. Currently the "remesas" (the money they send to their families in Ecuador) are the second source of income of the country.

Recipe "Arroz con Coco"

ARROZ CON COCO : Rice With Coco
2 cups of rice.
3 1/2 cupes of coco milk.
1 spoon of sugar.
salt

Preperation
first you fry a small amount of onion in a pot with salt and a table spoon or two of oil. when the onion has fried you add a cup of rice( it depends on the amount desired) and two cups of coco milk and 1 spoon of sugar ( for every cup of rice it is two cups of water to prepare regular rice). you let it dry with the lid on.
and your done!

Soccer as a source of Latin American identity

As many of you know soccer is the most popular sport throughout Latin America. It creates true passion and joins enitre countries together no matter what is going on just to cheer for their country. When possible everyone goes to the stadium and if not to local bars or friends houses to watch the game. For a moment everyone forgets about all the problems surrounding them or the country and just share the joy or stress from their team. You should check this out with the World Cup coming up!

now you can order out anything to do with partying

In Bogota Colombia, two new companies have started, both promoting in-door partying.

The idea is to offer a 24 take out service of things that make part of a party: alcohol, food, ice, ciggarettes, amoungst other things.

The idea is to provide saftey and a comodity to costomers. With just one call you can order anything you need.

The company is called: Correo de la noche (night mail) and Hebrios de la noche (night drunks).

The president of the company declares that there is nothing more boring than a party where the alcohol finishes. That is when people start leaving, and get into their cars and drunk drive. The idea is to prevent this.

You can find the whole article here.

What Uncle Sam Really Wants

These articles are by Noam Chomsky, a left-leaning scholar and a staunch critic of United States foreign policy. The first section is about the United State's good neighbor policy toward Latin America and the conflict and death which ensued in different targeted countries. Following are interventions gone wrong in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Panama. I think these events are very important to know about considering the citizens of these countries still resent the US government for these unjust actions. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans are entirely unaware of them. This ignorance is party due to the biased media coverage which occured during these conflicts. It is pretty amazing to see the what the press did or did not cover, and it doesn't surprise me that I didn't know about these incedents until I read about them in these articles.

Pujols Out

Albert Pujols strained his right oblique muscle while chasing a foul popup Saturday and left the Cardinals' game against the Chicago Cubs after two innings. A team spokesman said Pujols would be re-examined Sunday but is expected to go on the DL.

Bolivia Farmers

LA PAZ, Bolivia - Leftist President Evo Morales launched a sweeping land reform plan on Saturday by handing over roughly 9,600 square miles of state-owned land to poor Indians.
Check out the rest of the article here.

Interesting...

A timeline of US interventions in Latin America, until 1996 anyway. And some interesting facts to go along with them.

Smart Answer to a Big Problem

Click here for article.

7 Days Left

Sorry, you guys, for another post on the World Cup, but I'm a fanatic. I found a Colombian newspaper on-line here. They have a current countdown until World Cup begins. Also, Colombia lost to Germany 3-0 in the preliminaries. 7 days left...7 days too long.

Brazil's 2006 Presidential Elections

According to a recent public opinion poll conducted by Rede Globo, Brazil's current president Luiz Inacio Lula will be re-elected in this year's presidential elections. I thought this would be interesting since its out come affects not only Brazil but the future of South America.

For more info go to this web site.

the sweater...

This is somewhat old news but its intriguing nonetheless...Bolivia's president has created a new trend for sweaters as he goes on diplomatic visits throughout the world wearing the same sweater, while his counterparts are wearing suits... It follows the tune of him being an indigenous leader as he plays into the leader of the people mentality. There are pictures here.

Who's after Castro?

This article examines the response that Miami Cubans may have when Fidel Castro dies. The comprehensive response by the University of Miami covers what the local government will do upon Castro's death.... pretty interesting....

US war on drugs

This article is mainly about Colombia president Uribe's reelection. One of the most interesting points I found was in regard to the significantly small amount of Coca field reduction there has been despite the United States pouring in billions of dollars to eradicate cocaine production. Personally, I believe the US is wasting its money and further complicating matters between conflicting groups in the country. Like the Green article's comparison of the drug market to a balloon, when you squeeze off cocaine supply in one area, it pops up somewhere else. When there is a demand for it, there will always be a market. Considering the United States is the largest consumer of cocaine in the world, perhaps its government should take the responsibility to teach the dangers of cocaine instead of the countless ads which warn teens about marijuana.

Santana

Hot and humid New Orleans weather has been screaming for Latino music, so, naturally, I chose to listen to some old Santana. After listening for a while, I realized that I did not know anything about the origins of the band. I decided to pull up the Santana page on my favorite website, allmusic. I discovered that the band's famed guitarist, Carlos Santana, is Mexican born. He became involved with the music scene by playing gigs at Tijuana clubs and bars before he moved to California. For those of you who have never listened to Santana's old stuff, check some of it out at the aforementioned link. You won't be disappointed.

Students in Chile Push for Education Reforms

High school students in Chile are protesting for reforms nation wide. This is the first big test for Michelle Bathelet's 3 month old government. The government agreed to add millions of dollars in education-related spending. The main objective is to reduce inequalities between rich and poor schools.

Immigration and Health Care

Thought this was interesting because it shows some of the problems that are coming up with increased immigration. It seems inhumane to turn these people away from medical care, but at the same time they will be using public goods at the hospital that citizens taxes pay for when they aren't necessarily paying taxes. Check out the article here.

Bolivia Farmers Plan for Self Defense

"Bolivia's largest agribusiness group said Wednesday it would form 'self-defense' groups to defend land its fears the government will confiscate in a proposed reform." This is an interesting article in terms of the government and economy. Here is the link.

Vicente Fox

It looks like Vicente Fox will get re-elected. According to an article today Fox has high ratings. On a scale from 1 to 10, Fox received a 6.8 which is higher than most Latin American presidents. The article can be found here

Chinese in Cuba

After today's discussion of immigration to Latin America, I found an article on yahoo about Chinese immigrants living in Cuba today. Many of these individuals, who have lived in the Caribbean for decades, consider themselves to be equally as Cuban as Chinese. According to Julio Li, "I speak Spanish, and I speak Chinese. I drink Cuban rum, and Chinese tea." The two very distinct and different cultures are blended together; this is merely one example of the true melting pot that Latin America has become. For more information about this article and the presence of Chinese culture in Cuba, please check this out: "Havana's China immigrants keep traditions".

Mexico's Other Border

After watching "El Norte" and with such a strong fixation with border security and reform, Newsweek published an interesting article about Mexico's southern Border. If you are curious about this subject and to see the hardships many Honduran's and Guatemalan's face working and surviving in Mexico, check this article out.

For Venezuela, a Treasure in Oil Sludge

Click here.