Global Voices » Alan Bailey

Yet Another Political Status Referendum in Puerto Rico

Alan Bailey — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 03:13:59 +0000

Puerto Rico is prepared to choose its legislators, mayors, and the governor today in the November 6 elections. But these elections will have something different from previous years. Along with the elections, there will be a referendum about the political status of the island.

The issue of political status in Puerto Rico is a centuries-old problem. Ever since the 1898 United States invasion of the island, towards the end of the Spanish-American war, Puerto Rico has been subject to the will of the US Congress. In 1952 Puerto Rico achieved a certain level of autonomy over internal and economic affairs, becoming a US Insular Area, which is also known in official documents as a Commonwealth. Even though this status —which is the current status of Puerto Rico— was an improvement over the type of government that it replaced (the governor was appointed by the president and the members of his cabinet confirmed by the US Senate), it has not provided for the full development of Puerto Rico.

The island has representation in Congress, a Resident Commissioner who does not have the right to vote. Puerto Ricans also do not have the right to vote for the president, even though presidential candidates from the Republican and Democratic Parties in the US hold primaries on the island and collect funds from Puerto Rican residents to carry out their campaigns. Furthermore, the island is subject to the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, or Jones Act, which states that Puerto Rico can only use US merchant ships to do commerce, thus raising the cost of living because these are the most expensive marine merchants in the world.

For the people of Puerto Rico, political status referendums are not new. Throughout its political history, three have been held [es]: in 1967, 1993, and 1998. None have been able to solidify a change in existing relations with the US. The many reasons for this are complex, and it seems that this referendum will not be an exception. Dr. Héctor Pesquera, copresident of the Hostosian National Independence Movement (MINH) [es, named after independence advocate Eugenio María de Hostos], said this [es] about the referendum:

Para el independentismo, la consulta que se llevará a cabo sobre preferencias de status el próximo 6 de noviembre es un palo embarrao por las dos puntas. Por donde quiera que lo cojas, te embarras.

For the independence movement, the referendum that will be carried out on November 6 on preferences of political status is a stick that is muddy on both ends. No matter which side you want to take, you'll end up dirty.

Logo of the Partido Nuevo Progresista. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons.

The referendum was proposed by the governor Luis Fortuño of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) [es], who seeks to annex Puerto Rico as the 51st state, and ironically, is also supported by the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP) [es]. The referendum has received many criticisms from the start. One criticism is the way in which the vote has been designed, which consists of two questions. The first asks if the voter agrees with maintaining the current relationship with the US. The second question lets the voter choose, independently of whether he or she answered YES or NO to the first question, among the three status alternatives that are presented: statehood (annexation), independence, or as a sovereign US insular area (also referred to as free association) [as opposed to currently being a non-sovereign US insular area].

Logo of the Partido Popular Democrático. Image taken from pr.kalipedia.com.

Needless to say, the way in which the vote is designed presents serious problems when the time comes to interpret the results, since the possibility exists that the YES vote will win together with one of the three alternatives to the current status. It is necessary to add that the definitions of these alternatives were unilaterally written by the PNP, which has caused the principal opposition party, the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) [es], to make the call to select YES for the first question and to leave the second question blank. This is being suggested both as a way to protest the referendum proposed by Governor Fortuño and because they do not feel represented by the definition of the sovereign US insular area that will appear on the ballot. Some within the PNP have expressed reservations about the referendum, since they remember the failure of the referendums in 1993 and 1998 that were supported by the PNP. In addition to this, the referendum is nothing more than a simple query that does not legally bind Congress to act, regardless of the results. In the blog Raciocinio, ljvillanueva asks [es]:

A parte [sic] de ser bastante confuso, hay que preguntar cual será el efecto de este plebiscito si, por ejemplo, gana la estadidad. ¿El Congreso de los EEUU le hará caso a este resultado?

Apart from being quite confusing, it must be asked what the effect of this referendum will be if, for example, statehood wins. Will the US Congress listen to this result?

Logo of the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño. Image taken from pr.kalipedia.com.

The general feeling is that ultimately, no matter which option prevails in the referendum, Congress will not consider the results important, because it was not a referendum that came with their endorsement. Fermín L. Arraiza Navas de Red Betances feels [es] that:

Dadas las circunstancias muy particulares del caso de Puerto Rico, así como la falta de voluntad del Congreso estadounidense de propiciar un proceso verdaderamente descolonizador, la única alternativa viable con garantías mínimas es propiciar que la controversia sea referida ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia, no como un asunto de derechos civiles, según ha sido planteado por el Dr. Pedro Rosselló [ex gobernador de Puerto Rico] ante la Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la Organización de Estados Americanos (O.E.A.), sino como el derecho colectivo de nuestro pueblo a existir y ser reconocido internacionalmente por la comunidad de naciones como entidad jurídica capaz de participar en las decisiones internacionales que afectan nuestro futuro político, económico, social y cultural.

Given the very particular circumstances in the case of Puerto Rico, and the unwillingness of the US Congress to promote a true decolonizing process, the only viable alternative with minimum guarantees is to facilitate the referral of the dispute to the International Court of Justice. Not as an issue of civil rights, as has been proposed by Dr. Pedro Rosselló [ex-governor of Puerto Rico] before the Commision on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS), but as the collective right of our people to exist and be internationally recognized by the community of nations as a legal entity capable of participating in the international decisions that affect our political, economic, social, and cultural future.

Carlos Pabón, writing for the digital magazine 80 grados, thinks [es] that these political status referendums really are not worth it and that they impede the discussion of truly urgent issues for Puerto Rico:

El status es una suerte de black hole que se traga todo en el espacio político de la isla. Esto a pesar de que consistentemente las encuestas de opinión indican que la mayoría de los electores no consideran el status un asunto crucial o prioritario. En estas encuestas de preferencias, el status siempre queda relegado ante asuntos como la criminalidad, el narcotráfico, la salud, la educación y otros. Es el paradigma del status uno de los factores fundamentales que obstaculiza proyectos democráticos alternos; y la discusión de temas de vital importancia y extrema urgencia.

The debate on status is a kind of black hole that swallows everything in the political space of the island. This, in spite of the fact that the opinion surveys consistently indicate that the majority of the voters do not consider political status a critical or priority issue. On these preference surveys, political status always remains relegated behind issues like crime, drug trafficking, health, education, and others. The status paradigm is one of the fundamental factors that impedes alternative democratic projects; and the discussion of issues of vital importance and extreme urgency.

Later he added:

El siglo XX se acabó, pero en la isla el debate político sigue centrado en las alternativas político-jurídicas –independencia, autonomía, anexión– del siglo XIX, como si éstas tuvieran plena vigencia en el mundo globalizado contemporáneo. [...] De ahí la terrible miseria y el achatamiento del horizonte e imaginario político en Puerto Rico. Habría que preguntarse: ¿qué alternativas proponen las fórmulas tradicionales del status, en tanto imaginarios políticos anclados en el siglo XIX, al mundo del siglo XXI?

The twentieth century is over, but the political debate on the island continues centered around the political-legal choices -independence, autonomy, annexation- of the nineteenth century, as if these were in full force in the contemporary globalized world. [...] Hence the terrible poverty and the flattening of the horizon and political imagery in Puerto Rico. It has to be asked: what options do the traditional formulas of political status, with political imagery so anchored in the nineteenth century, offer to the world of the twenty-first century?

Colombia: The “Lleras Law” and Content Creation

Alan Bailey — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 15:45:47 +0000

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, except when otherwise noted.]

As opposed to a few months ago, when it could be seen often in the Spanish-speaking twitterverse, #LeyLleras [es] is currently not a popular hashtag. However, the problem caused by the adoption of this Colombian copyright law persists under the revamped Lleras Law 2.0 [en; named after Colombian politician Germán Vargas Lleras].

To get an idea of what the Lleras Law was and how the subject has evolved up to now, Pilar Sáenz of the Karisma Foundation gives us a brief summary of the matter:

Even within the realm of various Colombian institutions there is discrepancy about the Lleras Law. So much so that Senator Jorge Robledo filed suit against the law before the Constitutional Court in May. However, the Attorney General has contested that the law respects constitutional principles.

But how is day-to-day internet use of Colombians under threat with this law? David Jaúregui of the blog En Zilencio wrote a long post analyzing various aspects of the law. Among these we find:

uno de los mayores inconvenientes que tiene la ley es que se toma el atrevimiento de decirle a los colombianos usuarios de internet cómo deben utilizar la red diciéndoles (más o menos, en resumidas cuentas) qué pueden hacer y que no [...el artículo 13 dice] incluso si el video, la canción, la obra, o lo que sea que sea ya está en la red, no está permitido (al menos, hoy por hoy) legalmente compartirlo;

one of the major drawbacks of this law is that it has the audacity to tell to Colombian internet users how they should use the internet, saying to them (more or less, in summarized terms) what they can and cannot do [...article 13 states] even if the video, the song, the piece of work, or whatever it is is already on the internet, you are legally not permitted (at least, at the present time) to share it;

Then he covers another aspect perhaps only rarely discussed. According to David, this law, more than taking care of copyrights in Colombia, protects and promotes copyrights of American companies and people in Colombia:

El artículo 21 redujo la obligación de los canales de transmitir producciones nacionales del 50 al 30 % los fines de semana (días de la semana en que por obvias razones la audiencia es mucho mayor). Es decir, si mi interpretación no es muy “mal intencionada”, que parte del tratado de libre comercio es regalar nuestro espacio de televisión nacional para que ellos tengan más cabida y por supuesto más regalías

Article 21 reduces the obligation upon television channels to broadcast government productions from 50% to 30% on the weekends (days of the week during which, for obvious reasons, the audience is much greater). That is to say, if my interpretation is not “malicious”, that part of the free trade agreement is to give away our national television space so that they have more room for content and of course more royalties

In the blog El que Piensa Gana [Whoever Thinks, Wins], they also call attention to another activity that could be affected by the Lleras Law, that of community radio, or community broadcasting stations:

Uno de los grandes problemas de las emisoras comunitarias son los exagerados cobros que se les imponen por el uso del espectro electromagnético y por los derechos de autor de la música que utilizan, que deben cancelar a Sayco y Acinpro, situación que podría ser más compleja con la llegada de la recién impuesta Ley Lleras. A esto se suman las prohibiciones tales como el no cobro de pauta en las elecciones regionales, porque según la Ley Anticorrupción, los medios comunitarios deben prestar su servicio de manera gratuita.

Some of the big problems that community broadcasting stations have are the exaggerated charges that are imposed for electromagnetic spectrum use and for the copyrights of music that they use. These charges must be paid to Sayco and Acinpro [Colombian performance rights organizations], a situation that could be more complex with the arrival of the recently enforced Lleras Law. Added to this are prohibitions such as not charging for programming in the regional elections, because according to the Anticorruption Law, the community media should provide its service freely.

Another aspect that will be seriously compromised in its development is content creation of any type. To delve into this topic, Global Voices in Spanish, in conjunction with producer Armadillo Media TV, coordinated the making of a video that reflects upon how the creativity of Colombian internet users might be affected by Law 1520, or the Lleras Law 2.0.

This matter will take a while. Recently, various civil organizations in Colombia have started [en] “citizen interventions” as part of the process of filing another lawsuit of unconstitutionality [en] against Law 1520, this time from Senator Camilo Romero. These “interventions” are what Juan Pablo Arteaga proposed in an analysis (1 and 2) of his various implementation models in the blog Derecho Comparativo [Comparative Law]. Juan Pablo finalizes his writing with a call:

hago un llamado al gobierno nacional y a los legisladores a que tengan en cuenta las distintas posibilidades existentes de implementación de la regulación de derechos de autor. Asimismo, los insto a ustedes, a la sociedad civil, a construir una discusión informada y dinámica sobre los modos de regulación de internet con miras a apoyar una regulación que presente un equilibrio entre los derechos de autor y los derechos de nosotros (los usuarios de internet).

I call upon the national government and upon the legislators to take into account the various existing ways of implementing copyright regulation. Also, I urge all of you, the civil society, to build an informed and dynamic discussion about the methods of internet regulation, while looking to support regulation that presents an equilibrium between copyrights and our rights (as internet users).

Special thanks to Alejandro Angel of Armadillo Media TV, for his support and patience. Also to Giselle Massard, Lucía Avendaño, Juan Andrés Mogollón y Andrés Arias for their participation in the video “Generamos contenidos libres?”.

Thumbnail image from Tomaz Garzia (CC-BY-NC-2.5)

Videos transcribed and subtitled by Amara and Global Voices contributors MomoFloyd11, Hernán Botero, and Catalina Restrepo.

The Venezuelan Elections, From Panama

Alan Bailey — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:46:12 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Venezuela Elections 2012.

In the last few years, Panama has seen an increase in the amount of Venezuelan immigrants. For this reason, many Panamanians and Venezuelan residents in the country have intently followed the presidential elections leading up to October 7. According to the website Info Sur Hoy [es]:

3,500 venezolanos residen legalmente, informó el Servicio Nacional de Migración de Panamá. Aunque también hay 86.815 venezolanos que llegaron al país en los últimos seis años y que no han legalizado su estatus migratorio, informó el periódico Panamá América.

3,500 Venezuelans [are] legally residing in the Central American nation, according to Panama’s National Migration Service. But there also are 86,815 Venezuelans who arrived in the country in the past six years and haven’t left, according to the newspaper Panamá América.

The Venezuelans that complied with regulations started coming to vote very early in the morning, as reported by El Venezolano [es], the weekly newspaper of the Venezuelan community in Panama:

A las 6:15 am se inició el proceso de votación donde tres salones han sido habilitados dentro de la Embajada. Hasta los momentos, todo ha sido fluido y organizado. Los venezolanos mostraron su cara de esperanza y felicidad por tener la oportunidad de ejercer su derecho en este país, desde muy tempranas horas de la madrugada cuando se acercaron a la Embajada, equipados con café, bebidas, agua, alimentos y su cédula de identidad.

Voting started at 6:15 AM within the embassy, where three rooms were equipped for the occasion. Everything has been smooth and organized so far. The Venezuelans came with hopeful faces, happy to have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in this country. They started coming to the embassy in the early morning hours, complete with coffee, drinks, water, food, and their ID cards.

Venezuelans voting in Panama on October 7, 2012. Photo shared by the user @ElVenezolanoP on Twitter.

Once the winner of the electoral contest was known, reactions quickly came through social networks, where Panamanians and Venezuelans were commenting on the results. For example, Diego de Obaldia (@DeObaldia [es]), a Venezuelan residing in Panama, joked a little:

(@DeObaldia) Vamos a ver quién puede más: la maldad de CHAVEZ o la hospitalidad de PANAMÁ…

(@DeObaldia) We're going to see who is more able: the evil of CHAVEZ or the hospitality of PANAMA…

Twitter messages with this tone started to circulate amidst messages of encouragement and hope for Venezuelans, even though there were also those who warned of a large new wave of immigration. La Estrella de Panamá [es] reports:

Tras la victoria de Chávez se prevé que ocurrirá una nueva ola de migración. Lo que si llega a pasar, sería bueno para la economía panameña de acuerdo con el economista socio de la firma Indesa Felipe Chapman.

After Chávez's victory it is predicted that a new wave of immigration will occur. If it ends up happening, it would be good for the Panamanian economy, according to Felipe Chapman, economist and partner of the firm Indesa.

Panama has always been considered a multicultural country, explaining why Giordano C (@GiordanoCQ) [es] is grateful for the reception that Panama gives Venezuelans, and why he predicts a large new wave of immigrants:

(@GiordanoCQ) Presiento un tsunami de venezolanos a PTY , gracias Panamá por abrirnos las puertas y recibirnos como en casa …

(@GiordanoCQ) I can sense a tsunami of Venezuelans heading towards PTY [Panama City airport code], thanks Panama for opening your doors and making us feel at home…

For some Panamanians, the elections in Venezuela made them reflect upon the possibility of subsequent presidential terms in Panama (Reelecting presidents is unconstitutional in Panama). The user ‘ec’ comments on Foros Slot [es]:

En fin, yo creo que esto es un testamento de que en países con democracias tan inmaduras como las nuestras no debemos permitir re-elección por que las masas son fácilmente manipulables.

In the end, I believe that this shows that countries with democracies as immature as ours should not permit subsequent presidential terms, because the masses are easily manipulated.

Later in the night, on Sunday, October 7, the Panamanian Yoli Moreno (@_YoliM_) [es] reminded her followers of the importance of paying attention to these elections:

@_YoliM_: Leo algunos tuits y siento pena. Cuando empiecen a pensar globalmente se darán cuenta que lo que pase en cualquier país nos afecta.

@_YoliM_:I read some tweets and feel sorry. When you start to think globally you will realize that what happens in other countries affects us.

This post is part of our special coverage Venezuela Elections 2012.

Mexicans Mourn the Death of Senator Alonso Lujambio

Alan Bailey — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 16:54:51 +0000

In the early morning of September 25, 2012, Senator Alonso Lujambio Irazábal passed away in Mexico. The political scientist and distinguished academic held many offices, including: Consultant for the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE); Advisor to the United Nations (UN) regarding the electoral system for the Iraq Constituent Assembly; Commissioner-President of the Federal Institute on Information Access and Data Protection [es] (IFAI); and Director of the Secretariat of Public Education [es] (SEP).

In the field of academics, Lujambio served as professor at his alma mater, the Mexican Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), at the Ibero-American University, and at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

The death of Lujambio due to cancer has caused some Mexicans to express their grief and mourning on Twitter.

The outgoing President Felipe Calderón (@FelipeCalderon) [es] mentioned:

@FelipeCalderon: Descansa en paz querido Alonso, te extrañaremos mucho. Seguiremos tu ejemplo de sensatez,alegría, honestidad,patriotismo y amor por la vida.

@FelipeCalderon: Rest in peace dear Alonso, we will miss you so much. We will follow your example of wisdom, joy, honesty, patriotism, and love of life.

A few hours later, the chief executive then shared with his followers a photo of the late senator, along with the following message:

Senator Alonso Lujambio and President Felipe Calderón. Image shared on Twitter by @FelipeCalderon

@FelipeCalderon: México pierde a un verdadero Hombre de Estado, un gran académico, un político honesto, un buen padre, un hombre leal… pic.twitter.com/VZQEljXu

@FelipeCalderon: Mexico loses a true statesman, a great academic, an honest politician, a good father, a loyal man… pic.twitter.com/VZQEljXu

The President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) [es] also lamented the death and expressed it as follows:

@EPN: Lamento el triste fallecimiento del Senador Alonso Lujambio, hombre dedicado al servicio de México. Mis condolencias a sus seres queridos.

@EPN: I'm saddened by the mournful passing of Senator Alonso Lujambio, a man dedicated to the service of Mexico. My condolences to his loved ones.

Reporting very early, the user Ayeye (@ayeshabo) [es] shared the news with his followers:

@ayeshabo: Pues dicen que falleció Alonso Lujambio. RIP

@ayeshabo: Well, it's said that Alonso Lujambio passed away. RIP

Osvaldo Suarez (@paul_suco) [es] referred to Lujambio's work in the following way:

@paul_suco: Descanse en paz Alonso Lujambio, quien dedicó parte de su vida a fortalecer las instituciones pilares de la democracia mexicana.

@paul_suco: Rest in peace Alonso Lujambio, who dedicated much of his life to strengthen the pillars of the Mexican democracy.

Jenaro Villamil (@jenarovillamil) [es] took advantage of the occasion to remember that Alonso Lujambio was a candidate for the presidential bid with the Partido Acción Nacional, which Josefina Vázquez Mota eventually won:

@jenarovillamil: Fallece Alonso Lujambio. Sus últimas batallas: el cáncer, el poder desmedido de Elba Esther, y una frustrada candidatura presidencial

@jenarovillamil: Alonso Lujambio has passed away. His final battles: cancer, the excessive power of Elba Esther, and a thwarted presidential campaign

The journalist Joaquín López-Dóriga (@lopezdoriga) [es] noted that less than a week ago, Lujambio was honored by President Calderón:

@lopezdoriga: Apenas el miércoles pasado el IFAI le rindió un homenaje a Alonso Lujambio encabezado por el presidente Calderón.

@lopezdoriga: Just last wednesday the IFAI, led by President Calderón, paid tribute to Alonso Lujambio.

The tribute in question, as reported by the blogger Sopitas [es], happened within the framework of the IX National Transparency Week, an event followed by Mexicans with the hashtag #SNT2012 and reviewed by the aforementioned blogger in a thorough blog entry [es].

Another journalist, León Krauze (@Leon_Krauze) [es], mentioned other traits of the late Senator:

@Leon_Krauze: Historiador, biógrafo y hasta estudioso de la arquitectura, Lujambio era algo poco común: un hombre auténticamente culto en la política.

@Leon_Krauze: Historian, biographer, and even a student of architecture, Lujambio was somewhat unusual: a genuinely educated man within politics.

Patricia Jinich (@PatriciaJinich) [es] expressed her despair at finding out about the death of the Senator:

@PatriciaJinich Sad, sad, oh, such sad news. RIP, Alonso Lujambio, best ever professor & thesis advisor in the world. You will be missed…

The funeral services took place on September 25 (in the Mexican tradition these do not occur several days after death, but rather immediately) and at the time of writing this post it had been unofficially reported that the remains of Alonso Lujambio would be cremated on September 26, 2012.

Small photo of Senator Alonso Lujambio during the IX National Transparency Week. Photo by J. Tadeo, used with permission.

Mujeres Mundi, “What is the Role of Women in Your Society?”

Alan Bailey — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 18:25:12 +0000

This is the second and final part of a two-part interview.

Bajo la forma de biografías, Mujeres Mundi es un homenaje a la Mujer: en su rol de madre, luchadora por los derechos humanos, artista, viajera, aventurera, diferente.

Under the guise of biographies, Mujeres Mundi is a tribute to the woman: as a mother, as human rights defender, as an artist, as a traveller, as an adventurer… just being different.

In the first part of this interview, Xaviera Medina de Albrand told us about her blog, Mujeres Mundi [Women's World], where she publishes interviews with women around the world. In this second part, Xaviera talks about the importance of sharing her interviews with people that speak other languages. She also talks about a special project entitled “What is the role of women in your society?”

Mujeres Mundi can be read in English, French, and Spanish. Do you do the translations yourself?

Xaviera Medina de Albrand, photo used with permission

Sí. El proyecto es mi responsabilidad de A a Z, las traducciones soy yo, como dije alguna vez, encontrarán errores en inglés y francés, por seguro, y me disculpo por ello. Soy como el personaje Salvatore de la película En el Nombre de la Rosa, ¡hablando muchos idiomas pero ninguno a la vez!

Yes. The project is mine from top to bottom, the translations are mine, though as I said once, I'm sure errors can be found in English and French, and I apologize for that. I'm like the character Salvatore in the movie The Name Of The Rose, speaking many languages but never just one at a time!

Why did you decide to translate the material that you publish?

Hubiera sido mucho más sencillo trabajar los textos solamente en español a pesar de entrevistar en otros idiomas, lo difícil no es tanto hablar sino dar la forma al texto, sobre todo en idiomas que no son mis idiomas maternales. Pero también quería que las entrevistadas que no hablan español (en su mayoría) sepan lo que escribo sobre ellas, y segundo porque mientras más gente pueda leer sus historias, más gente podrá conocerlas, quizás contactarlas y dar a conocer sus ejemplos. Es un sistema de cadena, mientras llegue a un mayor público, mejor.

It would have been much easier just writing the articles in Spanish, despite interviewing in other languages. The hard part is not so much speaking but rather putting it all in an article, above all in languages that I don't speak natively. But I wanted the women that don't speak Spanish (which is the majority) to know what I write about them. Secondly, I wanted more people to be able to read their stories, so more people could get to know them, perhaps contact them, and raise awareness about their example. It's a chain, as long as it reaches a wider audience, the better.

There is a section of your blog titled “What is the role of women in your society?” Tell us a bit more about this project.

Se trata de los estereotipos que se tiene de las mujeres en ciertas sociedades. A veces nos hacemos una idea de una sociedad especifica pero esta idea o estereotipo es contraria a la realidad. De manera individual, realizo un estudio sobre los diferentes estereotipos de mujeres en diversas sociedades y las comparo con el rol que tienen en realidad.

It deals with stereotypes that exist about women in certain societies. Sometimes we create our own idea of a society but this idea or stereotype is contrary to reality. With an individualistic approach, I am carrying out a study about the different stereotypes of women in various societies while comparing them with the role they actually have.

What are the goals of the project?

Este proyecto tiene tres objetivos:

a. Aumentar la conciencia sobre algunos estereotipos creados ya sea por los medios de comunicación o por otras sociedades con respecto a las representaciones de mujeres en diversas culturas.

b. Describir cómo la creciente influencia política, económica y social de las mujeres puede tener un efecto positivo en la sociedad.

c. Describir los problemas comunes que enfrentan las mujeres dentro de su propia sociedad, así como motivar a los jóvenes a participar en algunas de las soluciones a estos problemas.

El lado de investigación lo vengo avanzando sola. Pensé que podría hacer un llamado al público para que participe con textos o con imágenes narrando cual es el rol de la mujer en su sociedad y si creen que hay estereotipos creados. Por el momento el lado gráfico no avanza mucho, tenía pensado realizar un video de presentación con las imágenes para acompañar la investigación. Los resultados los compartiré con organizaciones femeninas o simplemente, con quien lo desee.

This project has three goals:

a. To increase awareness about some stereotypes created either by the media or by other societies with respect to the representations of women in various cultures.

b. To portray how the growing political, economic, and social influence of women can have a positive effect on society.

c. To portray the common problems that women face in their own society, as well as to motivate young people to participate in some of the solutions to these problems.

I continue working on the research side by myself. I figured I could call upon the public to contribute text or images narrating the role of women in their society, and to share whether they believe there are established stereotypes. At the moment the graphical presentation still needs work, I had thought of making a video with the images to accompany the research. I will share the results with women's organizations or with anyone that wishes to see it.

How can people participate in “What is the role of women in your society?”

Es simple. Solo deben enviar imágenes (fotos, videos o ilustraciones) sobre los estereotipos creados sobre la situación de la mujer en su sociedad, y/o sobre el rol de la misma en la comunidad.

It's easy. They should simply send images (photos, videos, or illustrations) that show the established stereotypes and status of women in their society, and/or about the role of women in the community.

Finally, where do you see Mujeres Mundi in the near future? Have you thought about publishing these interviews in a book or other format?

La primera etapa del proyecto esta en curso, que es la publicación on-line. Dentro de un año y medio se trabajarán los textos y ciertos perfiles en un libro, exactamente. Pero el objetivo final (y a más largo plazo) es de crear un documental con perfiles de ciertas de nuestras entrevistadas, de cuatro a cinco minutos por perfil.

La idea de crear una revista y un organismo Mujeres Mundi ronda mi cabeza, pero es un trabajo mayor y se necesitará de un equipo de trabajo así como de fondos. Quiero que la primera etapa cobre una forma más importante aún para poder subir los siguientes escalones!

The first stage of the project, online publication, is underway. Within a year and a half, the text and certain profiles will be put in a book, yes. But the final goal (in the longer term) is to make a documentary with certain profiles of our interviewed women, spending four to five minutes on each profile.The idea of creating a magazine and a Mujeres Mundi organization is in my head, but it is a bigger job and a work team will be needed, as well as the funds. With the first stage, I can increase the importance of Mujeres Mundi, and then will be able to take the next steps!

You can follow Xaviera and Mujeres Mundi on Twitter and on Facebook.

Venezuela: Political Polarization Trumps Amuay Oil Refinery Tragedy

Alan Bailey — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:46:38 +0000

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, except when otherwise noted.]

Following the Saturday, August 25 explosion [en] of the Amuay oil refinery in the state of Falcón, the political climate in Venezuela became even more tense, which was clearly evident on the web. Citizens that support and oppose Chávez, as well as those pleading not to turn the fatal accident into a battlefield, have pushed the tragedy aside in order to talk politics and place blame.

The tragedy inside the oil refinery has left at least 48 dead [en] and has been classified as the biggest refinery explosion in the world.

Evelio Román (@sentenciador2) asserts that opposition groups in the country are responsible for the explosion:

@sentenciador2: Asciende a 39 víctimas fatales por incendio en la Refinería Amuay causado por saboteadores criminales escuacas

@sentenciador2: Upwards of 39 fatal victims in the Amuay refinery fire caused by cowardly criminal saboteurs

Esteban Trapiello (@TrapieLLo) asserted that this had been planned ahead of time and is reflected in a video game:

@TrapieLLo En este VideoJuego: MERCENARIOS2: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2006/05/27/actualidad/1148680801_850215.html … ¡Explota Amuay! ¡Que casualidad! ¡¡¡(Y vean la fecha de la nota de prensa)!!!

@TrapieLLo In this VideoGame: MERCENARIES2: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2006/05/27/actualidad/1148680801_850215.html … Amuay explodes! What a coincidence! (And look at the date of the press release)!!!

Photo taken by photographer Gil Montaño (@gilmfoto), used with permission

César Rebolledo (@cesarurr) wrote on Twitter that this event will take its toll on October 7, in the next presidential elections:

@cesaurr: @rhm1947 si sta gnte sta llamando a pasar factura el 7 d oct,nsotros ahora mas q nunca tnems q psar facturÁ con la mas contundente victoria [sic]

@cesaurr: @rhm1947 if these people are calling for a price to be paid on Oct 7, we will pay it, now more than ever, with a most overwhelming victory

Meanwhile, the political scientist Nicmer Evans presented an analysis in his blog where he states that the Venezuelan opposition is seeking to sabotage the Bolivarian revolution, and that a few careless mistakes inside of the revolution are facilitating the process. He also demands that those responsible be found.

No es sólo que la oposición anda provocando o buscando situaciones extremas para lograr acabar con la revolución bolivariana, es también que las torpezas, descuidos o negligencias a lo interno de la revolución bolivariana pueden estar facilitando el camino para que la oposición se acerque a su objetivo.

It's not just that the opposition keeps provoking or seeking extreme situations to end the Bolivarian revolution, it's also that blunders, mistakes, and negligence inside the Bolivarian revolution can be paving the way for the opposition to achieve its objective.

On the issue of establishing blame, some citizens are waiting for the results of the investigation and also requesting that the accident not be politicized. Such is the opinion of Oliver Reina (@oliv22), who published on his Twitter account:

@oliv22: Si lo de Amuay fue accidente o atentado lo dirán las investigaciones, pero debe cesar el irrespeto al buscar crédito político de la tragedia.

@oliv22: The investigations will tell if what happened at Amuay was an accident or intentional, but disrespecting the tragedy by seeking political credit must stop.

Photo taken by photographer Gil Montaño (@gilmfoto), used with permission

Others, like Javier Belisario (@javierbelisario), do not approve of how the government acted during the events in the refinery. Javier criticises those who have a different view on the performance of the authorities:

@javierbelisario: Da ASCO ver los tweets de algunos dando “gracias a Dios que tengamos un gobierno tan eficiente” refiriéndose a la tragedia en #Amuay

@javierbelisario: It's DISGUSTING to see the tweets of some giving “thanks to God that we have a government so efficient” referring to the tragedy at #Amuay

There was also criticism within social networks of the economic support that Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) gives Venezuelan Formula 1 racecar driver Pastor Maldonado. The controversy started when several newspapers published the Report and Accounts for 2011 of the state-run company. Within, PDVSA itself states that it could not carry out maintenance because of the lack of materials.

Broderick Zerpa (@Beisbologo) wrote on his Twitter account:

@Beisbologo: La refinería explota por falta de manteniemiento, pero PDVSA tiene 60 millones de Dólares para romper carros en Los Proceres #GoodChoice

@Beisbologo: The refinery explodes due to the lack of maintenance, but PDVSA spends 60 million dollars to crash cars at Los Proceres [Venezuelan racetrack] #GoodChoice

Photo taken by photographer Gil Montaño (@gilmfoto), used with permission

When President Chávez made a public appearance after the tragedy, the internet response became even more tense. The president on two occasions said that “the show must go on”, after which Naky Soto responded with a post on her blog that “Amuay is not a show that must go on”:

Sólo le advierto que nadie resucitará por la victoria de la patria, que usar a los fallecidos como estrategia de campaña no funcionó; que a pesar de postergar su aparición 38 horas mientras le construían una estrategia idónea, no pudo capitalizar el evento y todo porque ya está desacostumbrado al debate.

Just be warned that nobody will come through with a victory for the homeland, that using the deceased as a campaign strategy will not work; that in spite of postponing his appearance for 38 hours while a suitable strategy was constructed, he could not capitalize on the event and all because he's now unaccustomed to debate.

Comments were also seen from users that requested unity and rejected the politicization of the tragedy. Rafael Sin Mordaza (@rafavalbuena) requested on his Twitter account that the political propaganda decrease:

@rafavalbuena: Como habitante de Paraguana pido a PDVSA: menos afiches, puntos rojos y politiqueria, mas prevencion, capacitacion y mantenimiento #Amuay

@rafavalbuena: As a resident of Paraguaná [peninsula which contains the refinery], I beg of PDVSA: fewer posters, red items, and politicking, more prevention, training, and maintenance #Amuay

In addition, some offered ways to help out those affected by the explosion, and the journalist Floralicia Anzola (@floralicianzola) explained how to help through social networks.

@floralicianzola: Amuay: ayudar desde las redes sociales http://shar.es/74QIp through @0800flor #Amuay Aquí #centrosdeacopio

@floralicianzola: Amuay: help through social networks http://shar.es/74QIp vía @0800flor #Amuay Here #centrosdeacopio

Others lamented the political times in which the country lives, and the political campaign that makes the polarization more evident, comparing it to the behaviour of Venezuelans during the tragedy in the state of Vargas [en] in 1999 when landslides and floods left thousands dead. Nitzia Álvarez (@nitzialvarez) said:

@Nitzialvarez: Creo que el deslave de Vargas nos encontró menos divididos. Parecíamos mejores. Amuay nos sorprendió atrincherados…

@Nitzialvarez: I think that the Vargas landslide saw us even less divided. We seemed better. Amuay happens and we find ourselves entrenched…

The photos used in this post are from the photographer Gil Montaño (@gilmfoto). More photos from Montaño can be seen in the photo essay “Desolation at the Amuay refinery“

Venezuela: Fencing Win Brings First Gold Medal in 44 years

Alan Bailey — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:39:56 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage London 2012 Olympics.

Social networks in Venezuela enthusiastically celebrated the gold medal won by Rubén Limardo in the London Olympic Games. Shortly after the end of the duel, the blogosphere was inundated with the news and the tag #VamosLimardo became a global trending topic on Twitter. In this way, the people of Venezuela celebrated Limardo's hard work in a sport that is quite unusual for the country, and discussed the support that Limardo did not receive from the nation and its organizations.

With Limardo's olympic medal, internet media kicked off a period of celebration, amidst the on-going social and economic crisis. Similarly, and in spite of several attempts to politicize the news, it was also noted how both sides of the painful political division found something to agree upon, thanks to the efforts that brought an olympic gold to Venezuela after 44 years.

Profeballa, in his blog Venezuela and its History [es], points out that one of the great contributions of Limardo is the start of Venzuela's participation on new global stages:

Conocido mundialmente por sus reinas de belleza, riqueza petrolera y afición al beisbol, el oro olímpico del esgrimista Rubén Limardo profundiza la incursión de Venezuela en el deporte mundial, con futbolistas jugando en Europa, y triunfos en disciplinas como Fórmula 1 y golf.

Known around the world for their beauty queens, oil richness, and love of baseball, the olympic gold of fencer Rubén Limardo deepens Venezuela's foray into the sporting world, with soccer players in Europe, and successes in sports like Formula 1 and golf.

Kira Kariakin, on the other hand, reflected on the constraints faced by those that aspire to participate in sports:

Every time the Olympic Games come round, we think about the inequalities of the world. It seems somehow immoral, that huge amount of money spent on infrastructure, advertising and so on when so much could be done with it for the poor in the country hosting the games or elsewhere. We also think about the poor or underdeveloped countries that send delegations which don’t perform as wished, overwhelmed as they are by the power of the Chinese, Americans, Russians, Australians, Germans and all the other big medal-winning nations. Not to forget about the politics and struggles surrounding the games.

And more specifically, in regards to Venezuela:

Caricature of Edo(*), used with permission.

In Venezuela, sports are politics not policy […] Our young at universities and schools don’t have scholarships or logistical support for their studies when they’re good at sports. […] And there are always problems: insecurity and crime around the venues, not enough infrastructure, “missing” resources, internal quarrels in federations, inefficiency and no serious implementation of any comprehensive policy. In Venezuela it takes a truly “Olympic” effort for any person to achieve excellence in any discipline because everything is stacked against them.

(*)The text in the caricature of Edo “Gloria al bravo Limardo” [Glory to the brave Limardo] makes references to the title of Venezuela's national anthem: “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo” [Glory to the Brave People]

Ernesto Rondón [es], meanwhile, highlighted the historical importance of Limardo's medal:

Desde 1968, Venezuela no ganaba una medalla de Oro Olímpica […] Desde hace 108 años Latinoamérica no ganaba la medalla de Oro en esgrima […]. Ahora [en] agosto del 2012, un venezolano luego de unos largos 44 años , nuevamente se baña en Oro en unos juegos olímpicos […]

Venezuela has not won an Olympic gold medal since 1968 […] Latin America has not won a gold medal in fencing for 108 years […]. Now [in] August of 2012, after 44 long years, a Venezuelan is again bathed in gold at the Olympic Games.

On Twitter, the platform on which most of the discussions took place, some users highlighted the controversy surrounding Venezuela's limited participation in the training of athletes.

For example, Elizabeth Fuentes (@fuenteseliz) [es] quotes Limardo and points out:

@fuenteseliz: Ruben Limardo en su Twitter(19 de Marzo) denunció que clasificó sin apoyo del Ministerio del Deporte

@fuenteseliz: Ruben Limardo on his Twitter (March 19) reported that he ranked without the support of the Ministry of Sport

However, other users like Oriana Anzola (@Orianaanzo) [es], emphasized the conciliatory nature of the gold medal:

@Orianaanzo El ORO de Ruben Limardo, hoy borró del vocabulario las palabras chavista y oposición, para darle paso a VENEZOLANOS

@Orianaanzo Today, Ruben Limardo's GOLD has removed the words Chavista [Chávez supporter] and opposition from our vocabulary, to make way for VENEZUELANS

Some, like @e_M_es [es], formed a clever play on words in this way:

@e_M_es: #VamosLimardo, asperezas..

@e_M_es: #VamosLimardo, asperezas.. [The play on words comes from the phrase in Spanish "limar asperezas", which means to overcome difficulties and forget differences, and its similarity to the name Limardo.]

Lastly, in the middle of the great avalanche of comments and conversations on Twitter, the typical humor of the Venezuelans couldn't be left out.

As Andrés Suzzarini (@Andreszz86) [es] says:

@Andreszz86: Tantos Años viendo [El Zorro] por tv valieron la pena #VamosLimardo

@Andreszz86: So many years watching [Zorro] on tv was worth it #VamosLimardo

And “Simón Bolívar” (@elsimonbolivar) [es] comments:

@elsimonbolivar: #VamosLimardo ahora te toca aprender a pelear desde el caballo

@elsimonbolivar: #VamosLimardo now it's your turn to learn to fight upon a horse

This post is part of our special coverage London 2012 Olympics.

Spain: King's Controversial Son-in-law Gets Salary in Millions

Alan Bailey — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:22:18 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

Last week it was made public in the press that Iñaki Urdangarín, the Duke of Palma, husband of Princess Cristina, and therefore the son-in-law of the King of Spain, had renewed his contract with the telecommunications company Telefónica. According to El Mundo, with the new contract, Urdangarín will receive a salary of 1.5 million euro as well as 1.2 million euro in-kind. The compensation in the event of termination would be 4.5 million euro.

The news has caused an outcry, especially since a few days after the news, the most severe budget cuts that the country has seen in recent history were announced. The Spanish have already been hearing talk of salaries and compensation in the millions for the upper executives of large companies and banks, who seem to be getting through the crisis with more relief than the average citizen.

Salaries and compensation for the heads of rescued banks, image from maestroviejo.wordpress.com

In addition to the scandalous salary, it must be added that Iñaki Urdangarín is being investigated in connection to various crimes perpetrated under the cover of the Nóos Institute, a supposedly non-profit entity that allegedly could have served as a front in a scheme to appropriate public funds illegally. The Duke of Palma is charged with obstruction of justice, forgery, misappropriation of public funds, fraud, and money laundering, for which he could be sentenced for up to 18 years in prison. In addition to the Duke, other executives of Nóos, along with some of their spouses, are incriminated, although up until now the judge has rejected the prosecution of Princess Cristina so as not to “gratuitiously disgrace a sole individual, which is not acceptable.”

Social networks immediately spread the news about Telefónica's renewal of Urdangarín, which was a trending topic on Twitter. Some handled it with humor, like the users @LargoJavariega and @eraser:

@LargoJavariega: En el país de los móviles, Urdangarin es el fijo.

@LargoJavariega: In the country of mobile phones, Urdangarín is the landline.

‏@eraser: HOLLANDE [Presidente de Francia] ten compasión d pueblo gorfante INVADENOS!! desde las + altas cotas dla miseria hastas las cimas dla #monarquia #Urdangarin #15M

@eraser: HOLLANDE [President of France] have compassion for the people INVADE US!! from the depths of misery up to the summits of the #monarquia #Urdangarin #15M

The fake doodle that Google dedicated to Urdangarín. Image from the Facebook page «His Excellency Don Iñaki Urdangarín, Great Swindler of the Kingdom»

But the majority of the messages reflected the helplessness that the Spanish people feel when faced with this type of abuse. Julia Romero comments on the news on the Facebook page Su Excelentísimo Señor Don Iñaki Urdangarín, estafados mayor del reino [His Excellency Don Iñaki Urdangarín, Great Swindler of the Kingdom]:

k fuerte…. pero trankilos… k no va a pasar absolutamente nada… si alguien tiene k pagar algo…. somos nosotros… k ellos roben k ya nos recortan a nosotros!!! verguenza de pais y verguenza de todo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how bold…. but rest assured… that absolutely nothing is going to happen… if anyone has to pay something…. it's us… they rob us of what has already been cut back!!! shame on the country and shame on everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cagonto Pormil Porcien, with a comment in El Mundo, says:

¿Urdangarín en Telefónica? Pues lo mismo que Zaplana como delegado de relaciones institucionales para Europa en Telefónica. ¡ Y sin tan siquiera hablar inglés ! O sea, que Telefónica es un cementerio de impresentables y delincuentes. Menos mal que ya no trabajo para ellos, porque estaría cien veces más indignado.

Urdangarín with Telefónica? Well it's the same as Zaplana [another former Spanish politician now with Telefónica] as Institutional Relations Officer for Europe with Telefónica. And without even speaking English! That is to say, Telefónica is a cemetary of untrustworthy and felonious people. Much better that I don't work for them anymore, or else I would be a hundred times angrier.

It so happens that Telefónica has already been losing clients for several months to ADSL, mobile phones and other landlines, and many internet users have expressed their intention to leave the company, driven by their rejection of paying a salary in the millions to Urdangarín, such as Beatriz Rico (@bearicoactriz):

‏@bearicoactriz: Si Telefònica renueva a Urdangarín por 1,5 millones d euros, no quiero q mi factura d teléfonía contribuya a ese sueldo; cambio d compañía.

If Telefónica renews Urdangarín for 1.5 million euros, I don't want my telephone bill to contribute to that salary; I'll change companies.

Meanwhile, others confirmed they have already terminated and urged other readers to do the same, like David Barba (@SmartPowerUp):

@SmartPowerUp: Vete de Telefónica. Mira lo que hacen con el dinero. CORROMPIDA LA VIDA ES MAS #Urdangarin #Vomistar http://pic.twitter.com/hNC23BVG

@SmartPowerUp: Get away from Telefónica. Look at what they're doing with the money. CORRUPTED, THERE'S MORE TO LIFE [Based on Telefónica's slogan "Shared, there's more to life"]#Urdangarin #Vomistar http://pic.twitter.com/hNC23BVG

In their defense, Telefónica has justified their decision to renew Urdangarín's contract to avoid “condemning him in advance”, although several members of the directive council have made known their rejection because of “the damage that the Urdangarín case is causing in-house.”

It is worth mentioning that Telefónica is carrying out an ERE [Spanish process of workforce downsizing] in Spain, with which it hopes to layoff 6,500 workers until 2013 and save 250 million euro in 2012. Another turn of the screw for the Spanish economy in its crippled state.

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

Puerto Rico: Strong Support for Land and Agriculture

Alan Bailey — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:10:54 +0000

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, except when otherwise noted.]

Dozens of people gathered in front of La Fortaleza [the governor's mansion] in San Juan on July 11 to demonstrate in support of the lands of the Agricultural Research Station, which belongs to the College of Agricultural Science of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), as part of the Mayagüez campus. The demonstration, organized by the Coalition in Support of Research Stations and Agricultural Reserves (CODERA) and the Agricultural Rescue Front (FRA), was demanding that the governor, Luis Fortuño, veto the recently approved bill that orders the UPR to transfer, at no cost, around 50 acres of the Agricultural Research Station to the municipality of Gurabo, where it is located.

The lands that the UPR are ordered to transfer to the municipality of Gurabo are considered among the best agricultural lands of Puerto Rico. The first organic farm to be established in the country and certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is on the land, where much research is currently being done on the best methods of cultivation and prevention of plagues. In exchange for granting land to the municipality of Gurabo, unsuitable land located in floodplains would be transferred to the Agricultural Research Station. The mayor of Gurabo, Víctor M. Díaz, wants to use the lands of the research station for several infrastructure projects, among them a hospital, a public housing project, and a school.

The demonstration took place in Old San Juan in front of La Fortaleza, the executive mansion of Puerto Rico. Photo by Christopher Torres Lugo. Courtesy of UPR Students Reporting. Used with permission.

United behind the demands of CODERA were various civic organizations, such as the Sierra Club, the General Council of Students of the Río Piedras Campus, and the recently formed Worker's People Party.

Currently, very little of the food that is consumed in Puerto Rico is also produced in the country. More than 85% of the food is imported, which means that the island is in a position of almost total dependence for its food supply. Along with this, it must be added that between 2002 and 2005 Puerto Rico lost 20% of its already scarce agricultural lands. Some experts, like the agriculturist Ián Pagán Roig, have warned of the implications for the country:

Los precios de alimentos han alcanzado picos históricos en los últimos 2 años. Tan reciente como en abril, el Banco Mundial reportó un aumento de 8% de los precios de los alimentos. La crisis alimentaria mundial está causando hambre y estragos en el planeta. Tan solo en la región Sahel en África alrededor de 17 millones de personas están sufriendo de hambruna a causa de la crisis alimentaria desencadenada por los altos precios de los alimentos y el cambio climático, según informa el Banco Mundial. Este panorama pone en especial peligro a Puerto Rico de sufrir de los estragos de la crisis alimentaria si no actuamos y defendemos las tierras agrícolas que quedan y potenciamos la agricultura local. La posibilidad de sufrir hambre en Puerto Rico es real y más probable de lo que todos creemos cuando dependemos de más de un 85% de importaciones del extranjero para nuestro sustento alimentario. No estamos en posición de perder ni una cuerda más de terreno agrícola. Cada espacio protegido para la agricultura representa la seguridad de un plato de comida para nuestro pueblo y las futuras generaciones.

The price of food has reached historic peaks in the last 2 years. As recently as April, the World Bank reported an 8% increase in the price of food. The global food crisis is causing hunger and havoc on the planet. In the Sahara region of Africa alone around 17 million people are suffering from famine because of the food crisis triggered by the high prices of food and climate change, according to the World Bank. This outlook puts Puerto Rico in particular risk of suffering from the devastation of the food crisis if we don't work to defend the agricultural lands that remain and strengthen local agriculture. The possibility of experiencing famine in Puerto Rico is real and more probable than we all believe, when we depend on foreign imports for more than 85% of our food and sustenance. We aren't in a position to lose even an acre more of agricultural land. Each area protected for agriculture represents the security of a plate of food for our people and future generations.

In order to raise awareness about the importance of the lands of the Agricultural Research Station, the Facebook group UPR Students Reporting organized a trip last year to the research station. The magazine Diálogo Digital posted a video of the trip on YouTube:

CODERA and the FRA have started an intensive campaign to prevent the governor from signing into law the land exchange, urging citizens to express their disapproval of the exchange by calling La Fortaleza, sending messages to the Twitter account of the governor, and signing a petition on change.org.

Cuba: Kiss-in for Diversity and Equality

Alan Bailey — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:34:33 +0000

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, except when otherwise noted.]

“Come with something red and kiss someone, because all forms of love are important!” This was the announcement given last Thursday June 28 by the Arcoiris Project, a Cuban group that defines themselves as an “independent and anti-capitalist LGBT collective,” which is demanding that homosexual parents be legally recognized and transsexuality not be considered a disease, among other requests.

The invitation for the “Kiss-in for Diversity and Equality” near the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, repeated by several blogs, proposed:

Es 28 de junio: nuestros besos serán homenaje a quienes murieron y mueren por el odio a lo diferente. Nuestros besos son el voto porque un día el 17 de mayo y el 28 de junio ya no signifiquen nada.

It is June 28: Our kisses will be a tribute to those who have died and die because of hatred against what is different. Our kisses are our vow, that one day May 17 and June 28 will no longer signify anything.

The demonstration, which managed to bring together more than 20 people, commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots in New York in 1969, which sparked the civil rights movement in the LGBT community and marked the date that would become the Gay Pride Day.

Kiss-in for Diversity and Equality in Havana, Cuba. (Photo: Courtesy of Jorge Luis Baños)

According to the organizers:

Besarse es una muestra de cariño cotidiana, pero para muchos ojos constituye escándalo público si ocurre entre personas no heterosexuales. Al besarnos todos y todas, por amor o fraternidad, ejercitamos nuestra igualdad ciudadana y ponemos en evidencia los dobles raseros morales que generan la homofobia, el sexismo, las lógicas discriminatorias que marcan las raíces de nuestra cultura y debemos cambiar.

Kissing is a sign of everyday affection, but in many eyes it constitutes public scandal if it occurs between non-heterosexual people. When kissing each other, for love or friendship, we exercise our civil equality and highlight the moral double standards that generate homophobia, sexism, and discrimination, which mark the root of our culture and which we must change.

Concerning the challenges of repeating such initiatives among the public in Cuba, the Cuban blogger Yasmín Silvia stated:

¡Por supuesto que el resultado fue excelente! Había gente que no era del Observatorio Crítico, ni de Bloggers Cuba, y sumamos más de veinte. Esa modesta cantidad se logró a través de mensajes de texto, correos electrónicos, invitaciones de FB y llamadas por teléfono. Se logró saltando sobre el obstinado silencio institucional que no puede —¿por naturaleza o falta de deseos?— reconocer que las sexualidades no son monopolio del Estado, sino tema que corresponde a la sociedad toda (…) La cosa perturbadora está en quienes sabían y no fueron.

Of course the results were excellent! There were people that weren't from Observatorio Crítico, nor from Bloggers Cuba [links added by Global Voices], and we amounted to more than twenty. That modest amount was achieved through text messages, emails, FB invitations and phone calls. It was achieved by overcoming the stubborn institutional silence that cannot -due to nature or lack of desire?- recognize that sexualities are not a monopoly of the state, but rather a subject that belongs to society as a whole (…) The troubling thing is those who knew but didn't come.

United States: Crucial Decision on Anti-Immigrant Law

Alan Bailey — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:00:39 +0000

The United States Supreme Court recently issued their decision in the case Arizona v. United States, putting into question the constitutionality of Law SB 1070.

The Supreme Court struck down three sections of the law, but sent back to the lower court for consideration the provision of Section 2(B), which grants authorities the power to detain people that are suspected of lacking legal documents to be in Arizona.

Demonstrators protesting law SB 1070 were gathered in front of the Supreme Court. Photo from Mexicans Without Borders on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Although the overruling of certain sections of law SB 1070 is a partial victory for pro-immigration activists, Section 2(B) represents a great danger because it will lead to racial profiling- based on appearance and how one speaks- even if the individual was born in the United States. As a result, bringing the End Racial Profiling Act to a plenary session of Congress has been proposed, with the goal of mitigating the possible effects of law SB 1070.

The reaction of the blogosphere was swift. Maribel Hastings wrote for the blog Latinovations that, according to her, law SB 1070 will be counterproductive for the Arizona population:

The Court has the potential to officially condone the use of racial profiling and discrimination against Hispanics and other minorities…The law was enacted in the name of fighting undocumented immigration, but its victims may be legal residents or, ironically, citizens–the precious voters both parties are trying to attract.

The blog InmigranteTV states that immigrants fear a wave of discrimination in the wake of the court ruling:

Este artículo [Section 2(B)] puede llevar a generar discriminación racial contra los inmigrantes hispanos, legales o indocumentados, por su apariencia física, señala Promise Arizona, organización con sede en Phoenix…Son muchos los casos que se reportaron en el pasado sobre el actuar de las agencias policiales al detener a personas solo por su piel, su forma de hablar, vestirse[;] por tal razón, existe un temor muy grande que los hispanos sean blanco de los agentes del orden en la aplicación de la SB 1070.

This article [Section 2(B)] could end up generating racial profiling against hispanic immigrants, legal or undocumented, because of their physical appearance, noted Promise Arizona, an organization with a branch in Phoenix…Many cases have been reported in the past about how police agents act when stopping people only because of their skin, way of talking, or clothing. For this reason, there is a great fear that hispanics would be targeted by law enforcement officers in the implementation of law SB 1070.

Pili Tobar explains the “true position” of Americans with regards to the nation's immigration system for the America's Voice blog:

Americans believe the immigration system is broken and know that action is needed to fix it. And some voters are so frustrated with the stalemate in Washington that they’re willing to consider other options. But support for comprehensive immigration reform is actually stronger than support for state-based crackdown laws. As it turns out, politicians can appeal to both Latino voters and other Americans simply by embracing and acting on real immigration solutions.

On Twitter, many question the effectiveness and the possible repercussions of law SB 1070:

Alia Rau (@aliarau) discloses the monetary expense that law SB 1070 has brought with it:

@aliarau: Arizona officials have spent nearly $3 million defending ‪#SB1070 the past two years: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/ … via @azcentral

Lastly, Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez, of Puerto Rican descent, expressed his point of view in regards to SB 1070:

@LuisGutierrez: We've had fun this week getting across a serious message: No one should be judged by the color of their skin or name, ‪#SB1070 is un-American

Peru: Amazonian Indigenous Communities Protest Against Oil Pollution

Alan Bailey — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 20:52:29 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon.

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, except when otherwise noted.]

In early June 2012, Petroperú president Humberto Campodónico announced that site 1-AB, an oil reserve currently operated by Pluspetrol Norte, will be put up for auction sometime before July 28. This site, just like others whose contracts will expire between 2013 and 2015, is part of a group of hydrocarbon reserves in which the state-owned Petroperú plans to drill for oil again, with up to a 49% share in partnership with a private company.

This issue, which might seem merely contractual and part of business procedure, put the people of the Pastaza river indigenous communities on alert.

Lake Ushpayacu, South Capahuari oil reserve, Pastaza river valley. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

These indigenous communities have been in negotiations with Pluspetrol for compensation due to the contamination of Lake Atiliano, located in site 8, which is another of the sites that this company will cease operating. The negotiations have taken place both in the Pucacuro community and in the city of Iquitos. But this is not the only case of pollution in the jungle.

Site 1AB, San Jacinto oil reserve. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

An inspection was planned last week by a parliamentary working group from the Commission of Andean, Amazon, and Afro-Peruvian People, Environment, and Ecology of Peru, who investigate the pollution from oil operations that have been carried out for 40 years in the river valleys of Pastaza, Tigre, Corrientes, and Marañón. However, the visit did not happen due to congresswoman Verónika Mendoza resigning from the ruling party [en].

This at first raised suspicions, since it could have been an attempt to “hide all the environmental impacts to help the bidding”, but then congresswoman Mendoza explained that the visit did not occur because her resignation had caused her to be removed from the aforementioned commission.

However, the Apus [Apu is the Quechua word for leader of a community] of the indigenous communities indicated that they will declare a peaceful demonstration and demand the establishment of round-table discussions for the communities of San José de Saramuro (Kukama indigenous group), Nuevo Andoas or Alianza Topal (Quechua indigenous group of the Pastaza river), Nuevo Jerusalem (Achuar indigenous group of Corrientes), and 12 de Octubre (Kichwa indigenous group of Tigre).

Shashococha, Capahuari Sur oil reserve, Pastaza river valley. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

Congresswoman Mendoza posted on her blog the issues which the round-table discussions would deal with:

- Realización de un proceso de consulta previa antes de la anunciada licitación para julio del lote 1AB, en el marco del Convenio 169 de la OIT.
- Realización de una auditoría internacional independiente en los aspectos ambientales y de salud antes que se concreten nuevos acuerdos de exploración y explotación.
- Cumplimiento de las remediaciones ambientales necesarias y sinceramiento de los pasivos ambientales existentes.
- Cumplimiento de las compensaciones por el uso de tierras así como las indemnizaciones por derrames de petróleo y otros daños ambientales.

- Fulfillment of a prior consultation process [recent Peruvian law giving indigenous communities more control in decisions] before the announced July bidding period for site 1AB, within the framework of agreement 169 of the OIT [International Labor Organization]
- Completion of an independent international audit of the environmental and health aspects before new exploration and drilling agreements are made.
- Completion of the needed environmental remediation and clean-up, and honesty about the existing environmental liabilities.
- Fulfillment of compensation for land use as well as for oil spills and other environmental damages.

Contaminated lake, site 8x. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

However, bases of the Quechua Indigenous Federation of Pastaza heading towards the Andoas oil field, in the province of Datem del Marañón, have reported that the government has militarized the area, which they say will make any possibility of dialogue difficult. In that regard they have issued a statement that, among other things, says:

- Exigimos un proceso de Consulta Previa e informada en las mejores condiciones e incluso que se haga un inventario de los actuales pasivos ambientales contaminantes y el registro de los que no se encuentran hasta el momento en algún plan o programa de remediación.

- Rechazamos la presencia de contingentes militares en Andoas, los cuales tiene el único objetivo de reprimir con balas y fuegocualquier expresión legítima de descontento. Nuestras comunidades no son cuarteles. No queremos que se repite lo que sucedió en Andoas el año 2008 en donde la muerte, la tortura y la cárcel nos golpearon profundamente.

- We demand a prior consultation process reported under the best conditions, and also demand that an inventory of the existing environmental contaminating liabilities is made, while recording which of those are not yet found in any plan or program of remediation.

- We reject the presence of military contingents in Andoas, which only have the objective of suppressing any legitimate expression of discontent with bullets and fire. Our communities are not barracks. We don't want to see that which happened in Andoas in 2008 happen again, when death, torture, and imprisonment affected us deeply.

Well 6 foundation (overflows with rain), Bartra oil reserve, Tigre river valley, site 1AB. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

On June 12, the demonstration was in the area of Alianza Topal, located in the province of Datem del Marañón. On the website of AIDESEP (Interethnic Development Association of the Peruvian Jungle), they reported:

Según anunciaron los Apus, las comunidades que la integran continuarán movilizados hasta que el gobierno central atienda sus demandas y para mañana tienen previsto realizar una asamblea en la que se decidirá las acciones que tomarán en los siguientes días, donde también estarán los jefes de las comunidades de la cuenca del Tigre, quienes han anunciado que se sumarán a la movilización pacífica de los pueblos indígenas de Loreto y se unirían -en los próximos días- los pueblos Achuar y Candoshi.

As the Apus announced, the communities that form it [the Quechua Indigenous Federación of Pastaza] will continue demonstrating until the central government meets their demands, and plan to hold a meeting that will decide the actions to be taken in the coming days and will gather the heads of the communities of the Tigre river valley, who have announced that the indigenous villages of Loreto will join and that, in the coming days, the villages of Achuar and Candoshi would join.

Chemical waste dump, Capahuari Sur oil reserve, Pastaza river valley. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

The indigenous communities in these areas have been condemning the effects of contamination on their ancestral lands and on themselves for years, as CINDES (Indigenous Center for Sustainable Development) Peru reports in its blog:

“Todas las plantas se están secando, los árboles se están secando, están haciendo una desgracia a nuestra comunidad” refiere el Apu de la comunidad Nuevo Paraiso.
“El 66.21% de la población infantil está contaminado con plomo y el 99.20% de la población adulta está contaminada con cadmio” señala un estudio de la Direccion General de Salud (Digesa)
“Han engañado sistemáticamente a casi todos los apus de la cuenca del río Corrientes, y del Pastaza y del Tigre también, haciéndoles firmar documentos que no reflejaban los acuerdos establecidos en la asamblea comunal”, denuncia

“All the plants are drying out, the trees are drying out, they are making a disgrace of our community”, comments the Apu of the Nuevo Paraiso community.
“66.21% of the infant population are contaminated with lead and 99.20% of the adult population are contaminated with cadmium”, a study from the General Directorate of Health (Digesa) states.
“They've systematically deceived almost all of the Apus of the Corrientes river valley, and of Pastaza and Tigre as well, making them sign documents that don't reflect the agreements established in the community meeting”, they report.

Site 8x, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Photo: courtesy of FECONACO

While the contamination from oil activity has been happening for 40 years, which is a liability for the current companies that extract oil, the fight of the communities to preserve their environment and the life that they are used to living within it has also been going on concurrently, and not all of the affected communities have received compensation. Recently, Observatorio Petrol Sur wrote in their blog about the negotiations between oil companies and the communities:

Finalmente, aquí no se negocia asuntos relevantes como: si es viable la extracción de hidrocarburos, si hay formas menos dañinas de realizar esta faena, […] Los resultados de la mencionada negociación es a fin de cuentas la misión principal de lo que llaman Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC), apaliar y minimizar daños con la clara intensión de crear paz social que permita seguir trabajando en las condiciones más favorables económicamente. Por tanto, lo que se negocia es la derrota, la enfermedad, el plomo o cadmio en la sangre debido a las prácticas de extracción, o bien la pérdida de las formas de subsistencia tradicionales recibiendo a cambio muy poco, un premio de consolación o a veces incluso nada, como el caso de la gente del Bajo Nauta, quienes habiendo sufrido el derrame no se les considera impactados por estar muy alejados del punto del derrame como para entrar dentro del círculo de los que algo recibirán.

In the end, relevant issues are not being negotiated, such as: if the extraction of hydrocarbons is viable, if there are less damaging forms of accomplishing this task, […] The results of the negotiations are, after all, the main objective of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to mitigate and minimize damage with the clear intention of creating social peace that allows you to work in the most favorable economic conditions. So, what is negotiated is the loss, the sickness, the lead or cadmium in the blood due to the extraction activity, or the loss of traditional livelihoods, receiving in return very little, a consolation prize or sometimes even nothing, as in the case of the people of Bajo Nauta, who, having suffered from the oil spill, are not considered affected because being very far from the spillage removes them from the circle of those who will receive something.

Lastly, the aforementioned CINDES blog is sharing the following documentary “Concerning 40 years of pollution in the Corrientes river valley” [es]:

Original post published in the blog of Juan Arellano.

This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon.