August 10 is considered Ecuador's national holiday because on that date in 1809, the people of Quito led by national hero Eugenio Espejo declared their independence from Spain. Ecuadorans home and abroad celebrate Independence Day with flag-raisings, fireworks, music festivals, cultural exhibits and much more. However, the blogosphere still has the upcoming Referendum on their minds, especially how mass media and particularly TV is contaminating minds of kids and people, and how these spaces are being over used by government to promote the Constitutional referendum.

Andres Martinez [es] from Ateniense in Madrid, speaks about the wrong understanding of free speech of the Ecuadoran television, and that they go beyond concept of ethics, morality and the normal limits of liberty. He calls it “Telegarbage”:

A esto se debe sumar la tergiversación de contenidos por parte de los propios medios de comunicación, situación visible pues amparados en el derecho fundamental a emitir información, estos, manipulan, agreden, intoxican, deforman, deseducan y pervierten. La libertad de información ha terminado por ser una libertad propia de los medios y no de la sociedad y el ciudadano como debería ser

To this, the distortion of content by the mass media must be considered, and it is visible because it is protected by the fundamental right to broadcast information, they manipulate, attack, intoxicate, distort, pervert and miseducate. Freedom of speech has ended due to it only being a freedom for the media, and not for society and the citizen, as it should be.

La Alharaca [es] claims that there is a better use for the money spent by part of the government. Working for one of the largest advertisements companies in Ecuador, she says that the spending of 40 million dollars for advertisements is way too much and has no precedent in Ecuadoran history. Speaking on the TGRP (Target Gross Rating Points), she states:

Lo cierto es que el vendaval de publicidad oficial al que estamos expuestos los ecuatorianos es impresionante. Son casi 15 millones de dólares gastados hasta el momento, que en realidad corresponden a una campaña de un valor de 40 millones de dólares, en el lapso de 19 meses de gobierno. Se han desembolsado 15, en base a descuentos otorgados por los medios, pero el valor real de la campaña es 40 millones de dólares (según fuente El Universo).

The truth is that the gust of governmental advertising to which Ecuadorans are exposed is impressive. It is almost $15 million dollars spent so far, which corresponds to a campaign worth 40 million dollars in the lapse of 19 months of government. 15 million dollars have been distributed, based on discounts granted by the media, but the real value of the campaign is $ 40 million (according to source El Universo).

Ever since 1830 when Ecuador became an independent republic, this South American country has created 20 constitutions. It is understandable that Ecuadorans, after almost two centuries and numerous attempts, they may be used to these changes. The current Constitution was written by Congress in 1998, but following President Rafael Correa's election, he called together a Constituent Assembly. Many people thought that a new Constitution would be a remedy to the country's problems, but unfortunately for many, the Assembly seems to be the classic copy of traditional Congress with similar political maneuvering.

The Constituent Assembly concluded last week and presented the draft proposal for the next Ecuadoran Constitution (download pdf), it contains 444 articles and 26 Transitory Dispositions, which fills about two hundred pages. The deadline for the presentation of the new draft proposal was July 26 and in a special event, President Correa, the Assembly President, and other high ranking officials presented the text of new Constitution to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), which will call for referendum on September 28th of this year. People will have to answer, either with a ‘yes' or ‘no' vote and will determine whether the Constitution will be approved.

In middle of this decision there is the debate among Ecuadoran citizens at home and abroad. With such a short time to campaign for the yes or no vote, some bloggers are caught in the middle and find it difficult to decide their vote. Nuestros Reflejos [es] say it is difficult for anyone to say that they are either 100% against or in favor of all of the articles approved by the Assembly.

Juan Fernado Pacheco of Saturn Attacks [es], would consider reading the 200 pages of Constitution if he thought the Assembly didn't act under pressure. He writes about five reasons why he will vote “No” in the referendum. Two of his points are:

El trabajo apresurado de aprobar en una semana todo el grueso de los artículos de la constitución cuando tuvieron una serie de meses para hacerlo, y lo que es peor bajo serias denuncias de que esos artículos llegaban por email una o dos horas antes de ser aprobados. Propuestas descabelladas como la de revisar la vigencia de los símbolos patrios o la de incluir el derecho al placer sexual de la mujeres simplemente me hacen pasar vergüenza ajena y no hablemos de otras vergonzosas acciones como el cocerse los labios por parte de un asambleísta o las señoras que un día fueron vestidas de negro mostrando el luto y ni mencionar la elección del nuevo presidente de la asamblea bajo una serie de atropellos al resto de Asambleístas

The work was rushed to approve the bulk of the articles of the Constitution in just a week, when they had a number of months to do so, and what is worse it was under serious allegations that those articles arrived by email an hour or two before being approved. Crazy proposals such as reviewing the validity of the national symbols or including the right to sexual pleasure for women, which just makes me move beyond shame and not to mention other shameful actions such an Assemblyman sewing his lips shut or when ladies wore black to show that they were in mourning, as well as the election of new Assembly president under a series of abuses to the rest of Assemblymen and women.

Eduardo Varas of Mas Alla de Libros [es] agrees somewhat with Pacheco on the lack of discussion of articles that were approved by assembly members He also shows how difficult it is to believe in friends, when talking about politics. He writes about not believing one of his friends, a member of the Assembly. Here his reasoning:

Mi amiga Fernanda está trabajando en la Asamblea. Estaba feliz el viernes porque estaban finalizando todo. Que no había dormido por eso. Que era un gran trabajo. ¿Han cambiado las leyes de las mesas al pleno? No, eso es mentira de los medios, me dijo. ¿Ha estado el asesor legal de la Presidencia cambiando la normativa? No, que el Ejecutivo ha querido entrometerse, pero no lo han dejado. ¿Le creo? No, lastimosamente no. Eso que ella llama campaña mediática en contra es para mí un temor reflejado en los medios. ¿Deben decir la verdad los periodistas? Primero que me definan la verdad. Si es un objeto inmutable e incontrastable en su totalidad, pues llegamos a un acuerdo.

My friend Fernanda is working in the Assembly. I was happy on Friday because they had finished everything. She had not slept because of that. That was a great job. Have they changed the laws of the plenary tables ? No, this is a lie from media, she told me. Has the legal adviser of the presidency been changing the rules? No, the Executive wanted to do so, but they never allow him. Do I believe her? No, unfortunately not. What she calls an anti-media campaign, for me it is fear reflected in the media. Should journalists tell the truth? First of all, they should define ‘truth'. If it's an immutable and incontrastable object in its entirety, then we can reach an agreement.

Some people are concerned because they have heard that some of the articles were written before the process started, and that the president's legal counsel, Alexis Mera handed the articles out at the last minute. And precisely, that's why Ecuadorans such as Pepe Zurita thinks that the real power of the Constitution is in the Transitory Dispositions and where the Assembly can place temporary or permanent conditions. And he's afraid of a transitory that could say things like this:

Bueno esta Asamblea puede en una transitoria decir qué pasa si gana el NO. Puede decir que en caso de ganar el NO, se convoca a elecciones de diputados según lo establece la Ley vigente (entiéndase la Constitución del 98 y la Ley de Elecciones). Así todos somos felices.

Well, this Assembly can say in a transitory disposition what happens if the NO vote wins. It can say that in case the NO wins, then it can call for general election of Congressmen as established by the current law (or the 1998 Constitution and the Law on Elections). So everyone is happy.

Others mock the dispositions included in the draft Constitution. Fatima Efigenia, for example, sarcastically says that if the Constitution invokes God and Simon Bolivar, why we cannot ask Argentine footballer Diego Maradona to protect Ecuadorans if she was a member of Maradona's church. However, Ivan Campana [es] is calling for common sense and advising people to read, to comprehend what is included in thsi Constitution, whether they want to vote “yes” or they choose “no”, the first thing they have to do is read:

Sé que la mayoría probablemente nunca se leyeron ni siquiera la constitución actual (que obligatoriamente todos deberíamos leearla), pero por lo menos no pierdan la oportunidad ahora de enterarse y formar parte de la vida de su país, sino después van a estar quejándose por los resultados, si gana el sí se quejan, si gana el no también se quejan… Sean activos, no reactivos, no esperen a que sea tarde para decir las cosas, sino al final los cagaos son Uds. mismos, tenemos la oportunidad de hacer algo para definir nuestro futuro.

I know that the majority have probably never even read the actual Constitution (which we must all read), but at least now we shouldn't lose the opportunity to learn and be part of the life of their country, if not you are going to be complaining of the results, if ‘yes' wins, then they will complain, if ‘no' wins they will also complain … Be active, not reactive, don't wait until it is too late to say a word, because in the end, you will be the ones in trouble, we have the opportunity to do something to define our future.

The Guayaquil Book Fair (ExpoLibro 2008) recently came to a close, which according to organizers, drew hundreds of thousands of visitors with more than 210 stands [es]. This proves that the reading is not dead, as had been predicted with the arrival of the internet. Interest in literary works is alive and well in Ecuador and during this past week, four authors who are in different provinces of Ecuador contributed to the culture and literature of the country. Two authors are not well known in the field, but by no means, is their contribution any less important : Rafael Mendez and Luis Felipe Mora. The other two are men with extensive knowledge in the field of Sociology and has been on the political scene: Jose Bolivar Castillo and Oswaldo Hurtado, respectively. Some local bloggers provide reviews on these books.

Xavier Oquendo Troncoso provides a review of Que mi alma se la lleve el diablo (May the Devil Take my Soul) written by Rafael Méndez a popular blogger and poet from Guayaquil (Naranjal town). His book is about inspirational poems. Oquendo says:

Este poeta sabe “que la vida va en serio” y que la poesía puede ser el instrumento más loable para alcanzar, sin ningún lenguaje ríspido, el poema.

This poet knows “that life is serious” and that poetry can be an instrument more laudable for achieving, without any rigorous language, poetry.

Now we have to head southern of Ecuador. VivaLoja [es] presents El Ecuador Austral (The Southern Ecuador) and published under patronage of CCE-Loja and the Binational Plan for Border Development, Ecuador Chapter. What is this book about?

La obra de carácter investigativa es una Monografía de la provincia de Loja con interesantes datos del cantón Zaruma (1930) contiene ilustraciones; pintorescas descripciones de pueblos y paisajes; datos estadísticos y noticias históricas y científicas, desconocidas hasta aquí.

This investigative work is a monograph of the province of Loja using interesting data from Zaruma's canton (1930) and contains illustrations, picturesque descriptions of people and landscapes; statistics and historical and scientific news, which had been unknown to date.

Dr. José Bolivar Castillo is a very visible personality for people from Loja and the entire country. He has been a Congressman representing his province and has served as Mayor of Loja on more than one occasion. Cohexista [es] is a blog hailing from the local Technical Universitiy and the author was present when the book Ecuador Equidad (Ecuador Equity) was launched:

…En sintésis habla sobre los hechos pasados, presentes, y propuesta acerca de la regionalización del Ecuador, se hace un análisis de las razones y justificaciones para ver con más pertinencia y objetividad la regionalización horizontal, creo que es entendible que es un tema que nos compete a tod@s los que hacemos país.

In summary, the book talks about past and present events and proposals on the regionalization of Ecuador, providing an analysis of the reasons and justifications to see regionalization with more relevance and objectivity. I believe it is understandable that it is an issue which is incumbent on all of us to create a country in which we are all a part.

And finally, the new book of Oswaldo Hurtado Larrea, former president and vicepresident of Ecuador, La cultura de los ecuatorianos (The Ecuadoran Culture). María Isabel Punín interviewed him and asked him about the reason for his book:

Yo llevo 40 años estudiando los problemas sociales, económicos, políticos del Ecuador y buscando una explicación al hecho de que cuando están por cumplirse dos siglos de la independencia del Ecuador, o del territorio que luego se llamó Ecuador; y habiendo experimentado con diversos modelos económicos con nada menos que 19 constituciones, gobiernos de diversa naturales, por qué es que el país no ha progresado, quiero decir no ha progresado en los términos que eran posibles, como lo han hecho otros países del mundo que eran tan atrasados como el Ecuador. El caso más parecido es el de Korea y venía echando cabeza desde 1994 en que publiqué un primer ensayo, sobre que la explicación sea de orden cultural, esto es, que las trabas de desarrollo cultural no solo estuvieran en el sistema político, sino también en la forma en que los ecuatorianos nos conducimos: cómo trabajamos, cómo nos relacionamos, cómo cumplimos la ley, cómo pagamos los impuestos, como organizamos la producción.

News broadcast about the WaiWai controversy

Up until recently, WaiWai was virtually unknown to Japanese audiences, few of whom read the content on the English-language Mainichi website. According to reports, this changed when blogger Mozu wrote a post [ja] translating and commenting on a post in English at Neojaponisme entitled: “How the World Learns About Japan“. This discussion was later picked up on 2channel (Japan's largest bulletin board) and then by the news site J-CAST [ja], and from there it became a major news story, sparking protests that eventually made to TV news. A whole site devoted to the topic [ja], as well as a wiki [ja] with additional resources such as a full timeline of events [ja], have also been created.

Mainichi quickly removed the articles in question from the web and issued an apology, also announcing a third-party investigation of the WaiWai column, but this has not satisfied many in Japan. The situation has become so extreme that advertisers have pulled their ads from the Mainichi site [ja], where now only self-promotional ads [ja] to Mainichi itself can be found.

One of many anti-WaiWai videos broadcast on YouTube

One of the most controversial articles in the former WaiWai column was entitled “Sex, rape & slaves inserted in sick holiday menu”, in which one passage reads:

In Ecuador, Japanese can, according to the men’s weekly, hunt for children in a different manner as they are armed with a rifle and permitted to track down a youth let loose in the jungle. About 10 Japanese have so far taken part in the tours, with only three getting a shot off at their target and no fatalities reported.

In all the uproar over WaiWai, one Japanese resident in Ecuador discovered this article and wrote a blog post at a blog entiled Nanmei (南瞑) that was heavily linked to and commented on, in which the blogger describes an email they wrote to Mainichi:

すでに、２ちゃんなどを見てる方はご承知でしょうが、毎日新聞のweb版コラムで、低俗極まりない虚偽情報を足掛け9年にも亘って英文で世界に発信していた、という事が報じられました。すでに毎日新聞社はこれについての謝罪文を掲載、関係者の処分を行ったと発表しています。しかし、忘れている事があります。すでに発信してしまった情報の処置です。すでにコラムは閉鎖、発信された情報のアーカイブも削除されていますが、世界を駆け巡る情報は、毎日新聞の手を離れ、世界の様々な処で、「毎日新聞発」という権威付けをされて、残存しています。

ところで、その発信された虚偽情報の中に「エクアドルで日本人が子供をジャングルに放し、それを銃で狩る」というものがありました。これについて、ネット上に存在するキャッシュを添付、毎日新聞社宛、問い合わせのメールを致しました。毎日新聞の問い合わせフォームを使い、丁寧に確認をお願いした次第ですが、残念ながら三日という余裕を提示したにも関わらず、その三日を過ぎても返信を戴けませんでした。以下に、私が問い合わせをしたメールを全文公開致します。

In the email, the blogger explains their concerns about the WaiWai article:

ご理解願えるかと存じますが、私はエクアドルに在住する日本人でございます。仮にこれが本当に御社により配信されたものであるとしましたならば、場合によっては当地在住の全ての日本人及びその家族に「生命の危険」がございます。何卒、事情ご賢察の上、早急にご返答願えれば幸甚です。

Later in the post, the blogger continues:

さて、エクアドルに在住する日本人であるところの私たちは、この毎日新聞社の発信した記事で将来の可能性も含めて、大変な一般生活上での危険を背負い込む事になりました。エクアドルの現状の治安状態を考慮すれば、相当に由々しき問題と言えます。この件は毎日新聞社が国内、国外に謝罪しただけでは済みません。エクアドルという国名を挙げ、そして、日本人と国籍を特定して、「子供を銃で撃っている」と書いたのです。これをエクアドル人が知ったなら、どういう反応をするでしょうか？その程度の想像力もこの新聞社の従業員には欠如しているのでしょうか？

このエクアドルには、少なからぬ日本人が住んで、それぞれに安寧な生活基盤を築き、平和に生活しています。毎日新聞社は、一体、どんな資格、権利をもって、私たちエクアドル在住の日本人の安全を毀損したのでしょうか？仮にこの記事の内容が事実だったとしても、それをもって、この国に在住する全ての日本人の安全を毀損して良いのでしょうか？ましてや、この記事に書かれた内容は、まったく信憑性のかけらすら無い、ゴシップとすら言えない「妄想」に近いものです。このようなもので、私たちエクアドル在住日本人が、その生命を危険に晒されなければならない正当な理由を、毎日新聞社は私たちに開示出来るのでしょうか？

The vast majority of comments and trackbacks to the blog post are supportive of Nanmei. Blogger r_o_k, for example, expresses this view:

英語ブログをつけたことのある人なら誰でもその影響範囲にびびった経験があると思う。もっとも最盛期は2、3年前くらいかな。今はコミュニティサービスが停滞期に入りブログも日本語が世界一になっているから、私の放置英語ブログもアクセスが激減しているけど、ニュースポータルやミニブログは未ださかんなようだ。つまり、こういう報道起因の英文ネタ情報は、細かく無数にコピペされ、もとが消えても痕跡が残り、時間をこえて残り話題にされつづけるのが今。

One comment at Nanmei however questioned the seriousness of the concerns:

少し気にしすぎなんじゃないの？
元の記事が配信されたのが2003年、それから5年、何も問題なく生活できてるんでしょ？
エクアドルで。
だったら、今後、あなたの言う「毎日新聞社の記事によって生命を失う危険に直面しています。」ような状態にはならないと思うよ。
あなたのことではないですが、2ちゃんねらーのなかにはどうも低レベルなマスコミ叩きをしたいだけの連中が多いようですね。
彼らの行動は、理解に苦しみます。

In a follow-up post, Nanmei responds specifically to this comment, explaining the situation in Ecuador:

このような国で、国名を特定し、国籍を明示して、「狩りとして子供を銃で撃つ」という行為している、という記事を、その真偽に関わらず、「新聞」と言う権威付けが行われた状態で一般に発信した場合、どうなると思いますか？おそらく、大半の人は、自分の経験に照らして、そんな事がこの国で行われているはずが無い、とすぐに気付くでしょう。しかし、ごく一部かも知れませんが、この記事を鵜呑みに信じてしまう人たちがいます。
この、ごく少数かも知れない人たちでも、銃器は所持できます。もちろん実弾が入った状態で。

多分、それが強盗だったなら、助かるかも知れません。強盗の目的はカネです。カネさえ盗れば、それで満足して撃たないかも知れません。でもそれが、意図して「日本人を撃つ」ためだったらどうでしょう。必ず撃たれます。この記事の問題は、「意図して日本人を撃つ」動機を与える事にあるのです。そして、その日本人とは、この記事に書かれた「ツアーで子供を撃った」日本人ではありませんし、記事を書いた豪州人でもなく、毎日新聞の記者でもありません。

2003年にこの記事が掲載されて以来、幸いな事に明らかにこの記事が動機となって殺された日本人はこの国では知られていません。それは幸運な事に、この記事をスペイン語に翻訳したものが無かったというのも理由でしょう。私が検索した限りでは、簡単に検索にかかるサイトでこの記事をスペイン語で書いたものはありませんでした。しかし、それは僥倖です。いつまでも僥倖に頼る訳には行きません。明日、この記事のスペイン語訳が新聞やwebサイトに現れたらどうなるのでしょうか？そして英語だからと安心するわけにも行かないのです。この国ではまともな学校へ通える子供達は6歳から英語を習うのですから。

Members of the GV team have searched for Spanish-language and Ecuador-based blogs mentioning the WaiWai controversy, but nothing seems to be out there. If any readers know of such conversations, please let us know.

The Ecuadoran government seized hundreds of businesses, including three television channels, in a move that attracted national and international attention. Much of the media focuses on the fact that that television stations were targeted, however, the government says that it is a preventative decision in order to collect debts. The Treasury Minister, Fausto Ortíz resigned because he did not agree with the seizure, and was replaced by Wilma Salgado, who claims that this was an administrative measure that seems to safeguard the public interest.

Some are obviously concerned that television channels were among those closed, and may curb free speech. Many others are trying to associate the incident with political issues in Venezuela, such as the closure of the RCTV channel. However, many more seem to agree with the government's decision, not because of the seizure of TC Television, Gamavision, Satnet, but because of to whom these channels belong. The Isaias family are at the center of attention, and as a result of this seizure the country is in the process of recovering some of the 600 million dollars that they lost when Filanbanco went into bankruptcy, and which also belonged to the Isaias brothers, who are now living comfortably in Miami.

Let's see what bloggers are saying about these controversial seizures.

Gabby Salas [es], quotes the article from the Deposit Guarantee Agency (AGD), which outlines the circumstances for the seizure of 195 businesses and companies for illegal accounting practices for, “altering their balance sheets or collecting interest rates on interest to ensure their personal wealth with deposits from the financial institution.” As a result, the AGD may seize those assets property of those shareholders and transfered to a trust.

La Voz de Guamote [es], agrees that the seizure of the properties and companies from the Isaias family is legal.

La Federación Nacional de Periodistas del Ecuador y el Colegio de Periodistas de Pichincha consideraron que la incautación de los bienes y empresas del grupo Isaías, entre los que se cuentan tres canales de televisión, “está enmarcada en los instrumentos legales” y que “nada tiene que ver con la ‘libertad de expresión', que ha sido argüida por algunos sectores”.

The National Federation of Journalists of Ecuador and the College of Journalists of Pichincha believes that the seizure of assets and businesses of the Isaías gropu, which includes three TV channels, “is framed within the legal framework” and that “nothing has to do with ‘freedom of expression', which has been argued by some sectors. “

Technodatum [es] a blog that specializes on technology provides a roundup of what Ecuadoran bloggers are commenting about this important news:

Como comentábamos hace un mes, la concesión de las frecuencias radiales del sistema de emisoras Cadenar -a la que pertenece Radio Sucre- no fué renovada y fué clausurada a las 22h00 de ayer por la intendenta de policía.

As we commented a month ago, the granting of radio frequencies from the broadcast system Cadenar, which belongs to Radio Sucre-was not renewed and was closed at 22h00 yesterday by the chief of police.

La Alharaca [es], quoting a post from El Manaba, publishes the feelings and views of one of the employees of TC Television who argues the Isaias debt is not even close to 600 millions dollars.

…A lo sumo podria ser 1 millon o 2 pero no 600, porque te lo digo, el Banco Filanbanco quedo con liquidez, eso quiere decir que habia plata dentro del banco cuando el gobierno lo incauto, y despues de que el estado paso a propiedad del estado, el administrador del primer año revitalizo el Banco y dio “100 MILLONES de utilidades”, esto lo puedes confirmar con quien tu quieras y que halla trabajado en el Filanbanco, explicame como un Banco que esta perdido y que esta quebrado da 100 millones de dolares de ganancia al primer año de administracion estatal, y luego quiebra por una inepta fusion con el Banco “La Previsora” ese si quebrado.

… At the most, it could be 1 million or 2 but not 600, because I tell you, the Bank Filanbanco keeps its liquidity, which means there was money at the bank when the government seized, and after when the state transferred it to state property, the administrator in the first year revitalized the Bank by giving it “100 million dollars of capital “, that you can confirm with whomever you want who worked in Filanbanco. Explain to me how a bank that is losing money and bankrupt, can record 100 million dollars in profit during its first year of state administration, and then later declare bankruptcy for an inept merger with”La Previsora” bank, which is bankrupt.

CronicaCero [es], asks its readers, are you with the thieves or with the justice system. He also mocks how the Isiaís managed their business from Miami:

Los Isaías manejaban desde Miami, con testaferros, una serie de empresas y en Ecuador es como si nada pasaba… saben por qué PORQUE ERAN Y SON PARTE DE LA OLIGARQUÍA GUAYAQUILEÑA QUE ESTÁ ENQUISTADA EN EL PODER… Y LAS SORPRESAS VAN SALIENDO

The Isaiah managed a number of companies in Ecuador from Miami under different names, as if nothing happened … and do you know why? it was because they are part of the Guayaquil oligarchy that is entrenched in power…and the surprises keep coming

Ecuador - Cronica Cero [es] writes about the icon that Betancourt became:

LIBRE. Así, con mayúsculas. (…) Betancourt alcanzó una imagen mundial, universal. (…) Abrimos periódico con ella y nos regocijamos con su liberación, nos hermanamos con los colombianos, con aquellos que buscan la paz antes que la confrontación. Betancourt es un ícono de la lucha contra el secuestro. Hoy, Colombia amanece diferente. Creo que el mundo, el que se relacionó y conmovió con su historia, también

FREE. Just like that with capital letters. (…) Betancourt became a universal global image. (…) We opened the newspaper and found her liberation, we are in solidarity with our Colombian brothers, those who have searched for peace before confrontation. Betancourt is a symbol of the struggle against kidnapping. Today, Colombian wakes up differently. I think the world, who related and was moved by their story, does too.

Bolivia - Carlos Gustavo Machicado Salas of Guccio's [es] comments on the words spoken by Betancourt upon her release:

para mi lo más importante es el mensaje de amor y perdón que nos dio Ingrid, que rezo por los muertos y por los guerrilleros y además les ofreció su perdón. Después de las penurias y los maltratos que tuvo que vivir uno pensaría que solo tendría odio y rencor en su alma, pero no al contrario irradia una paz espiritual y un apego a Dios increíble. Realmente algo muy lindo y que a todos nos debería hacer reflexionar en relación a cual debe ser nuestra actitud frente a la vida.

For me, the most important was Ingrid's message of love and forgiveness, that she prayed for the dead and for the guerrillas and in addition, she offered her forgiveness. After the hardships and the mistreatment that she had to endure, one would think that she would only have hate and resentment in her soul, but on the contrary, she radiated a spiritual peace and an incredible attachment to God. It was something truly beautiful and should make us reflect upon our thoughts on life.

Argentina - Marian B of Miscellaneous, Nonsensical and Unnecessary Ramblings [es] also highlights the speech given by Betancourt:

Estoy escuchando su discurso en el aeropuerto y le tengo envidia a los colombianos por contar nuevamente con una política excelente, excepcional e
increíble como ella. A Colombia le va a ir increíblemente bien si se presenta para las elecciones y la eligen.

I am listening to her speech at the aiport and I am envious that the Colombians can once again count on an excellent, exceptional and incredible politican like her. It will be beneficial for Colombia if she runs for president and is elected.

Guatemala - Prensa Negra [es] is pleased that President Hugo Chávez of neighboring Venezuela had very little to do with the rescue:

Se logro el rescate de Betancourt, sin duda alguna, el secuestro mas controversial de los ultimos años de las FARC, y lo mejor de todo sin la ayuda de Chavez por que si hubiera tenido algo que ver con esto quien le oyera la trompa ahora al pizado!.

Betancourt's rescue was, without a doubt, the most controversial kidnapping by the FARC en recent years. And best of all it was done without the help of Chavez, because if he did have something to do with it, we would have heard all about it!

Peru - Menoscanas [es] writes about what this might mean for the FARC guerrilla group.

Sonrisas de los ex rehenes evidencian uno de los golpes más duros a las FARC debido a que todos los ojos del mundo se encuentran sobre Colombia en este momento. El caso de Ingrid Betancourt es el más reconocido y las sonrisas y abrazos entre los ex rehenes y el reencuentro con sus seres queridos nos muestra como luego de largas pesadillas, uno puede despertar.

The smiles from the ex-hostages shows that this is one of the strongest blows to the FARC due to all of the eyes are now on Colombia. Ingrid Betancourt's case is the most recognizable and the smiles and hugs among the ex-hostages and the reuniting with their loved ones shows us that after long nightmares, one can wake up.

Diana Zorrilla of Morena Escribe [es] writes:

Ella se convirtió en el ícono del flagelo que han infligido las FARC al pueblo colombiano y su liberación junto con la de los otros catorce es una importante victoria moral para Colombia

She became the symbol of the whipping that the FARC has inflicted on the Colombian people and her liberation with the other 14 is an important moral victory for Colombia.

Paraguay — Edwin Britez of Derecho Viejo [es] wrote about Betancourt earlier in December, and returns with the good news spread throughout the country:

Me reconforta saber que hoy mucha gente salió a las calles de Asunción, por lo menos a expresar su contento con bocinazos, por la libertad de Ingrid. Muchas de ellas son mujeres. Hoy, todos somos de alguna manera, un poco más libres que antes.

I am comforted knowing that today many people went out into the streets of Asunción, and expressed their joy with car horns, for Ingrid's freedom. Many of them were women. Today, we are all, in some way, a little more free than before.

Thumbnail picture by Pixiduc

President Rafael Correa has managed to remain in power no matter his popularity among Latin American presidents. He sits in the 5th position and internally in Ecuador there still is a considerable number of people who have started to feel defrauded by the motto, La Patria ya es de todos (The country belongs to everyone now).

Correa has been criticized by many for his personal and political conduct, but what is most important is that he doesn't tolerate the mistakes of others and is quick to react. One of his number one concerns has been the push to have the new Constitution, now being debated and discussed in the Constituent Assembly, be approved by July 24. However, the president of the Assembly and member of Correa's own political party Alberto Acosta, recently announced that he was stepping down as President. Ecuadoran bloggers soon began to discuss the resignation and wondered about the true reasons behind the decision, and how much the pressure was placed by Correa. They also wonder who might fill Acosta's shoes and what that means for the Assembly.

Rubén Darío Buitron [es] thinks PAIS (Correa's political party) has set its sights on increased power.

El anuncio dejó más dudas que certezas: cuando Acosta dijo que no quiere ser “responsable de un atropello” o que no está de acuerdo “con sacrificar el debate a cambio de la premura de los tiempos”, abrió lecturas adicionales a su reiterado mensaje de que no hay crisis en PAIS y que “esa es la manera democrática de resolver una polémica”.
[…]
¿Ganó Correa este primer round? En apariencia, sí, pero no necesariamente: la renuncia o el “minigolpe de Estado” que, por confesión del propio Acosta, le dio la cúpula de PAIS al pedirle que se retirara de la presidencia, reveló públicamente lo que muchos ecuatorianos vienen percibiendo hace tiempo: el presidente de la República y el grupo que lo rodea, capitaneado por Vinicio Alvarado, tienen su propio proyecto de poder.

The announcement left more questions than certainties: Acosta has said he doesn't want to be “responsible for such a mess” or that disagrees “with sacrificing debate in exchange for the time constraints,” he also opened new interpretations to his repeated message that there is no crisis in PAIS and that “It is the democratic way to resolve a controversy.”
[…]
Did Correa win this first round? In appearance, yes, but not necessarily: the resignation or “coup d'etat” that Acosta, by his own confession, was asked by PAIS to step down from the presidency and publicly revealed what many Ecuadorans have been sensing: that the President of the Republic and the group around him led by Vinicio Alvarado, have their own plan for power.

As expected, the resignation has been already accepted and among the possible candidates for the new president are names like: César Rodríguez, Aminta Buenaño, María Paula Romo and Fernando Cordero, who is a controversial figure. El Federalista [es] tells Ecuadorans what will happen if Cordero becomes the new Assembly President:

Sin duda ahora la Asamblea Constituyente marchará más rápido aprobando cada desacierto gubernamental sin discusión, sin al menos el diálogo aparente, con todo y faltas de ortografía, mala redacción y el abuso lingüístico del “todos y todas” en cada párrafo. Para ello Fernando Cordero se prestará diligente para que “llegue, sumíllese y apruébese” cada papelote que llegue de Carondelet, y si no es Cordero será otro (”otro u otra”). Si la Asamblea Nacional Constituyente ya era imitación del peor de los congresos, hoy será peor, una vulgar secretaría del gobierno que baje la cabeza y alce la mano. Qué vergüenza, si es que cabe más.

Surely now the Constituent Assembly will proceed faster by passing each government error without any discussions. It would at least pass the articles without dialogue, including everything with misspellings, poor wording, and an abuse of language in each paragraph. To do so, Fernando Cordero will diligently work so that each instructive from Carondelet (the Presidential palace) will “arrive, be signed and approved,” and if it's not Cordero it will be another. If the National Constituent Assembly was already an imitation of the worst aspects of Congress, today it will be even worse, due to a vulgar secretariat of the government who lowers the head and raises the hand. What a shame, to say the least.

Very few have questioned the tenure of the former Assembly President, and even a few still think “el cargo le quedó muy grande” [es] (the role was to big for him). La Hueca [es] doesn't want to accept the reality of political affairs and still has doubts that Alberto Acosta really should drop his seat:

Esta si que no me la venía venir ni en sueños, que Don Alberto renuncie. Este si es un golpe duro, por supuesto si es que se da; a la Asamblea Constituyente; Don Alberto creo es la única persona del Oficialismo capaz de unir y concensuar todas las ideas y proyectos de la nueva constitución.

Aunque digan lo contrario esto fortalecerá el NO ya que diga lo que se diga la renuncia de Don Alberto se debe a diferencias entre nuestro Presidente Rafael Correo y Don Alberto Acosta.

Mr. Alberto's regignation is something that did not see coming, not even in my wildest dreams. And this is a tough blow, of course, if it occurs, to the Constituent Assembly; I believe that Mr. Alberto is the only person capable of uniting and bringing together all of the ideas and proposals for the new Constitution.

Although they will say the opposite this will only strengthen the NO (vote for the Constitution) no matter what is said. Mr. Alberto's resignation is due to differences between our President Rafael Correa and Mr. Alberto Acosta.

As it's being said this is only the first part of a political drama in which main director is President Correa, let's keep an eye of what's happening in Ecuador especially now that someone who was considered to be capable of briging together the diverse policial parties is now out. Some of his colleages had presented support for Acosta and they are representative of the population at large, such as Monica Chiji and Rafael Stevez [es], both are of the opinion his resignation shouldn't be accepted.

Meet Angel Gualan. He is proud to be from the indigenous group, the Saraguro and was educated at a local university the Loja Technical University, He writes not only about his culture, but also what he is passionate about, the technology. He's a intellectual but is not involved in politics, like fellow Saraguro Luis Macas, who was once a Presidential candidate.

In his blog, under his same name Angel Gualan, he explains how he started to become fond of technology and where he begins his first entrance into education:

Cuando yo empece a estudiar era muy pequeño, empecé el Jardín a los 4 años recién cumplidos, todos me decian que era demaciado pequeño de estatura, pero eso nunca me ha impedido seguir adelante, a los 10 salí de la escuela e ingresé de inmediato al colegio, y alos 16 empecé la “U” todo ese tiempo de estudio me ha formado y he adquirido un valor de criterio. Siempre me he vestido como indigena Saraguro, por que soy lo que soy, y no me averguenzo de serlo, aunque algunos chicos y chicas sales a las ciudades y cambian su identidad y quieren aparecer algo que no son…Cuando creé mi blog ya había terminado la U y me parecio impresindible dar a conocer la cultura de los Saraguros, para que asi nos puedan entender mejor.

When I started to study I was very little, started kindergarten when I just turned 4. Everyone told me that I was too short, but it has never prevented me to continue ahead, when I turned 10 I left grade school and immediately entered into high school, when I turned 16 I started the “U” (university) and during all these years of study I have received training and have acquired a critical way of thinking. I have always dressed like a native Saraguro, because I am what I am, and I am not ashamed to be, although some boys and girls go to the cities and change their identity and want to appear as something they aren't…When I created my blog had I already completed the U(niversity) and it seemed to me indispensable to promote the culture of the Saraguros, so that others can understand us better.

Promoting his culture is precisely what he is doing, ever since starting his blog in June 2007. In addition, he had created another blog called Yo Amawta [es], although it did not continue because of his focus on the other blog that promoted his culture.

Angel is a part of ACOSL [es] (Andean Corporation of Social Organizations of Loja and he has traveled to Sweden as part of this organization (part I, part II) where among other things he says:

Para la gente del campo es muy dificil salir de viaje y aún mas al exterior, por eso agradezco por los esfuerzos que han realizado las dos organizaciones, y como todo era completamente nuevo para mi, quiero hacer una serie de posts de las experiencias vividas y trabajos realizado durante la estancia.

For rural people, it is very difficult to leave and travel overseas, so I am grateful for the efforts that the two organizations have made (FENOCIN, UBV), and since everything was completely new to me, I have a series of posts from the experiences and work done during the stay.

In addition, he learned how to create an small business in the university and as a result, he has also created a project that still needs to be promoted, kanastakuna. This project offers organic dairy products on delivery (only Loja) and are cultivated in one of the most representative Saraguro communities, San Lucas.

If you want to learn more about Saraguros , head over his blog to see what it means for example pampa mesa, how to make chicha de jora, which is used in El Linche and definitely what it means to be a Saraguro:

Un saraguro es un hombre fuerte, frenta a las adversidades, que ha tenido que luchar duro, en su tierra, con sus animales para tener una economía sustentable dentro del hogar (..) Soy Indigena y a mucha honrra, por que asi, lucho contra la privatización del agua, la libertad de expresión, los alimentos transgénicos, toda clase de contaminación, y sobre todo lucho para que este pueblo sea reconocido.

We will finish this post telling you something that Angel loves called chashpishka which is the rhythm danced in this video.