Check Out My New Crib

Raul Castro passed his first legal decree saying that Cubans can get titles to state-owned houses soon. The decree also did away with wage limits, allowing Cuban workers to make as much as they can as an incentive for productivity. This is a step in the right direction, even though there are some restrictions still in place. The political pundits in Cuba are saying that this is the beginning of a giant housing reform throughout Cuba. I hope that this leads to a more free market economy in Cuba and a decrease in their Communist doctrine. Raul has already made some changes for the better; lets hope he keeps them up for the rest of his political career.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080412/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_reforms

Wages and Housing

In Cuba recently, some laws have been passed that are promised to be the first steps toward reform in the wage and housing sectors of Cuba. First, the previous law in Cuba decreed that there will be salary cap for certain jobs. Many were unhappy with this law because those who did higher quality work were not necessarily earning than their counterparts who were not as productive. The new law allows for salaries to be assigned based on production, which many say will give people greater incentive to do better work in their respective fields. The new housing law that was passed is simply a formal recognition of something that has been going since the late 1980s. The law allows people who rented state-owned apartments and houses when they worked for the state to keep the houses even after leaving their positions. The people who decide to stay in the state-owned housing could even gain title and pass it down to their children and so on and so forth. According to Oscar Espinosa Chepe, a state-trained economist who is critical of the government, the new law "gets rid of that insecurity many people had and alleviates bureaucratic pressure." Both of these pushes toward reform are interesting when considering the type of egalitarian society the Cuban government has tried to implement over the past fifty years. Perhaps Raul Castro is not going to be the same as his brother. Raul has done away with laws that prohibited Cubans from owning cell phones in their own name, staying in tourist hotels, buying dvd players, computers, and kitchen appliances.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080411/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_reforms;_ylt=AngrIaccPYO8sGF7EnbhJIW3IxIF

Colombia and Hilary

It seems that the unraveling of the Clinton-Colombia story could possibly clinch it for Obama.

Hilary's chief strategist, Mark Penn, has been caught working on established a free trade agreement with Colombia. Penn was employed by Colombia to get such a bill passed. The problem is that Hilary has publicly expressed her opposition to such an agreement.

With the race for the Democratic nomination approaching its climax this could prove devastating to her campaign. Aside from having her chief strategist disagree with her policies, the fiasco also reveals that Penn may foresee that Hilary will not win which could be conveyed to potential voters in that he preferred to work for his own policy than Hilary's campaign.

From an economic standpoint, according to Nikolas Kozloff of the CounterPunch.org, "It's odd to think that the Penn-Colombia story could exert an impact on domestic U.S. politics" because, "most Americans...associate the country with drug cartels and little else."

It will be interesting to see how Hilary tackles this obstacle and how the media presents it.

Extradition Issues

As I was flipping through the channels yesturday as I paused on CNN there was a headline that says "Marine Kills Pregnant Marine." Interested I went online to go find out more about this story and discovered that it had links to Latin America and the extradition process with Mexico. It turns out that the number one suspect for the murder, Cesar Laurean, fled from North Carolina to Mexico to try to escape prosecution of the murder. His plan of escape was foiled, however, when he used his real name at a road block set up by the local anti-kidnapping task force in San Juan Vina. They entered his name into a database and it came up that he had fugitive status. They then proceeded in arresting him. There are some obstacles in getting Laurean extradited back to the United States for trial. Since he has dual citizenship for both Mexico and the United States he cannot be immediately deported. Also he is now safe from the death penalty because of Mexico's extradition policies protect anyone sent back to the United States from facing capital punishment. Even more so if Laurean decides to fight extradition it can be more than two years before he returns to the United States to face trial. When questioned about the arrest in Mexico the U.S. ambassador to Mexico said it demonstrates that those fleeing the law will not find safe harbor in Mexico.

If you want to find out more about the murdered Marine and her family's response click on:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/11/missing.marine/index.html

Lord of the Rings Script Confiscated from Guantanamo Prisoner

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080410/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_lord_of_the_rings;_ylt=AnCccGQUhCsYBS2vH7XUUFe3IxIF

A former child soldier who was arrested in 2002 at the age of 15 for war crimes (namely, being responsible for the death of a US soldier) had his Lord of the Rings screenplay removed from his possession. His lawyer, who was also banned from playing chess and dominoes during their official visits, provided him with the screenplay in order to build a rapport with the prisoner in order to better work his case.

Would you like violence with that?

Do to the global rise in prices of basic foods, Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has decided to take the matter into their own hands with sparked riots in response to the food crises. The violence began last week when Haitian citizens burned cars and attacked a U.N. police base in the city of Les Cayes, in which five people were killed. Protests have now spread to areas such as capital, Port-au-Prince. Emergency aid and food donations have been requested so basic food necessities can be sent to the citizens of the nation. Haitians live off of $2 a day which is insurmountable compared to the increase of prices in the past year. The cost of staples such as rice, beans, fruit and condensed milk has gone up 50 percent in the past year, while the cost of pasta has doubled. One major concern of the nation is that the situation is watched very closely so that the protests are not exploited by those with political motivations.

Haiti's Continued Trouble

It seems that the situation in Haiti has not improved much since the popular election of U.S. backed President Rene Preval. Haiti has been in chaos for about a week, with violent protests against the rising prices of food. Mobs of angry protestors have been burning, looting, and breaking. Citizens have been advised to stay indoors while U.N. peacekeepers and police have attempted to take control of the situation. In a public address, delivered today, President Rene Preval beseeched congress to lower the import tax on food and has encouraged the protestors to go home. Haiti is remains in a fragile state, with government officials fearing the worst. Possibly another coup d'etat.

Food Crisis in Central America

The rising costs of food is creating a crisis situation in Central America, which has 7.5 million undernourished people, informed the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

According to FAO representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jose Graziano, the rising costs of cereals, milk and grains could last five years as a result of demands by China and India as well as financial speculation.

He warned that countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador will observe an increase of hunger due to insufficient food production after the effects of hurricanes and droughts.

This situation allows Brazil, Argentina and Chile, main agricultural product exporters in Latin America, to raise production strategically estimated at 122 billion dollars a year.

For Graziano, the unbalanced distribution of benefits, mostly controlled by intermediaries, constitutes another factor that affects an increase of hunger in the region where 30 percent of the rural population is impoverished.

The official added that raising the production of food products presupposes an enormous challenge for Central America that will require investments in research and production, reconversion and active governmental policies.

Travelers be Weary...

The State Department is talking about raising the travel alert for American tourist to Mexico. This is due to the recent increase in organized crime and drug related violence that has killed over 2,500 in the last year. Most of this insecurity centers in the border state of Chihuahua where about 200 people have been killed since Jan. 1. There are also developing cases about military corruption, accusing soldiers of killing civilians and other soldiers.

here is the link!

Soccer Takes a Hit

One of Latin America's most beloved soccer stars is now injured and out for the season. Ronaldinho tore a muscle in his right leg recently and will now be forced to miss the season. In the world of sports, soccer is king. It is the most watched sport in the entire world and the one most actively participated in. Many of the soccer stars that fans are accustomed to normally come from Latin America. Stars such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Pele, etc. are all important in expanding the view of Latin America to the European countries where they usually play. Here is to Ronaldinho returning to full health and dominating the soccer world once again.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=522745&cc=5901

Contraceptive Program Aborted

President Michelle Bachelet had started a program which provided free emergency contraceptive pills to females over age 14 in health clinics throughout the country, so that even poor women would have access to it. This measure was recently approved by the Supreme Court in February, but conservatives appealed it to the Constitutional Court, and won today. So, the newly born program is being halted. According to President Bachelet, this is a step back for equality for all Chilean women, as poor women will no longer be able to obtain this pill.
AP article

Colombian Hostage Situation

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/colombia_betancourt;_ylt=AgamUSKC9gyfJA40z1Fnlly3IxIF

Along the lines of Hugo Chavez's popularity with other world leaders, he may have ingratiated himself with the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is dealing with a hostage situation; a French-Colombian woman who was running for the Colombian presidency was kidnapped by FARC. He has expressed a willingness to personally travel to Colombia to help alleviate the situation, and Hugo Chavez, despite having lost "all contact with FARC" is willing to accompany him on the trip to try and free the hostage.

This helps to demonstrate Chavez's knack for publicity and friendliness with other world leaders. Regardless of his merits as a leader of a country, he is skilled in politics and knows how to market himself well.

21st Century Socialism

In another push toward his "21st Century Socialism," Hugo Chavez has ordered the nationalization of Venezuela's cement industry. Chavez decided to do this because of the serious shortage of cement products in Venezuela that is due to the high prices that are placed on raw materials by international companies. Because of the high prices on cement and other construction materials, Venezuela has experienced a domestic housing shortage because many people cannot afford to build a house. The move to nationalize industries such as cement, electricity, telecommunications, and most importantly the oil and gas industry by Chavez's government has been very controversial especially in the eyes of foreign investors. Chavez's critics argue that such rapid pushes toward government control will scare investors and ultimately harm the Venezuelan economy. Although some question Chavez's motives especially in regard to Venezuela's oil industry, it seems that at least with the cement production issue Chavez is taking measures to alleviate some of the financial pressures that many people in Venezuela are facing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_cement_nationalization;_ylt=ApJLiseTEnROq4Ytarxs64O3IxIF

Cubans' Reactions to Their Increases Rights

In a previous post I talked about how Raul Castro had lifted the band on cells thus allowing all Cuban citizens to own one. Castro has now allowed Cubans to stay in tourist hotels and buy microwaves, DVD players and personal computers. Even though Cubans are allowed to have all of these new luxuries the majority of them do not have the money to buy a night at a hotel or a luxury appliance like a microwave. Despite this financial restraint, Cubans are still happy with the change in the laws. Georgina Garcia, a citizen of Cuba, remarked that she does not have the money to stay in a hotel but still happy that she has the right to go for now she feels the same as the tourists who go to Cuba. When talking about computers Garcia continues to say that it will be nice to be able to buy a compter and not be forced to overpay. Nor does she have to worry about hiding it when people come to her house for fear of going to jail if they found it. Though all of these new products are available to Cuban citizens with the average Cuban making only $20 a month, they will be hard to buy.

For more information go to:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/02/cuba.freedoms/index.html?iref=newssearch

Dengue

In general, health infrastructures in Latin America leave something to be desired. Indeed, health issues are an important aspect of contemporary discussions on Latin America and, moreover, they are related to our recent discussion of land. The failure to expand sanitary systems at the same rate that cities grow leads, as we have seen, to the existence of shanty towns in which people struggle daily for access to clean water, food, and many other vital services most of us take for granted. The recent dengue epidemic in Brazil is a case in point. Dengue—which is very similar to malaria—is caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes who love the tropical climates found in Brazil and the unsanitary conditions that often plague poorer areas of the country. The disease is certainly not the exclusive result of crowded, unhealthy settlements, but these conditions certainly encourage the spread of the disease. The recent epidemic is, to a large extent, a disturbing symptom of land misuse in Brazil, and, seeing as Brazil is considering asking Cuba for doctors, it might result in a considerable loss of human life.

Columbia crisis resolved

As mentioned previously, there were tense relations between Columbia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. The tension was caused by Columbian troops going into Ecuador and killed 22 members of FARC, the Revolutionaries Armed Forces of Columbia and its leader Raul Reyes. This undeclared invasion caused both Ecuador and Venezuela, Columbia’s other neighboring country, to place troops a the border of the nations. After these occurrences, relations between Columbia and its neighbors were poor and talk of war had surfaced. The U.S. claimed that they would not support the war though their allies were involved.

Recently proposals have been declared, such that there would be decrease in tension between the countries and piece. Columbia promised to not ever again assault a brother country. Chavez declared that trade with Columbia would resume and continue to grow. The countries also have stated that they will partner together and fight threads to national stability from irregular or criminal groups. Since the altercation a second member of the FARC had been killed, he was one of the six remaining members.

CANTALOUPES!

The FDA just issued a cantaloupe recall for Honduran-grown cantaloupes. The recall was issued after 50 cases of salmonella connected with cantaloupe consumption were reported in 16 different states. The fruit comes from the grower Agropecuaria Montelibano. Cantaloupes from brands such as Chiquita and Dole are also involved in the recall. Honduras is fighting the recall, with the president Manuel Zelaya publically expressing his confidence in the safety of the Honduran export. According to CNN he said to reporters: "Here I have the box of melons. Permit me to make a demonstration." He then cut a piece a piece of fruit and ate some,saying: “I eat this fruit without any fear. It’s a delicious fruit. Nothing happens to me!” Personally, I'd stay away from the cantaloupe in Bruff for the next couple of weeks...

Celebracion Latina

This coming Sunday, there is a great community event being planned in New Orleans that promises to be lots of fun. It's our annual Celebracion Latina!















Here's some more info:

CELEBRATE LATIN AMERICA AT THE LIBRARY!!
Celebración Latina will feature food, music, and other entertainment, all with a Latin American flavor.

PERFORMANCES
Join us for Latin and Caribbean musical performances from Juan-Carlos Formell, Hector Navarro, Calliope Puppets, Rumba Buena, AsheSon and Casa Samba.

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
Celebración Latina will also have a children’s area hosted by the Pebbles Center and the New Orleans Public Library featuring art, music and dance.

FOOD & COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Local food vendors will be selling their favorite Latin dishes. Our "Community Partner" tent will promote non-profit and community organizations, many working in partnership with Tulane University, to make a difference in New Orleans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information, please call 504-865-5164

Show your solidarity with the local Latino Community and plan to come out. I'll be there all day, and the family will be there for a good chunk of the time, too. Great music, food, drinks, and family fun. Please come out!

Globalism in Cuba

I see that a few other people have posted things about Cuba, but it seems that Raul Castro is making a lot of moves that are grabbing people's attention. He is doing a great job of allowing globalism to reach Cuba, where under his brother's strict Communist state there was very little allowance for such things as technology to the public. I found an article that shows how people are flocking to check out these "new" electronic gadgets and toys that they can't necessarily purchase but can nonetheless guffaw over. There is still a long way to go in Cuba but this is a good start.

Here is the article:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/cubans-fill-stores-as-castro-eases-rules/20080401202809990001

Cuba, Dolling out the Land

Apparently the Cuban government is redistributing some of its 51 percent of unused/fallow land. I thought this developement was particularly interesting seeing as in LAST 102 we have been discussing agrarian reform and the importance of agriculture in Latin America.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/01/cuba.farm.reform.ap/index.html#cnnSTCText