My name is Victoria Tinta and I would like to briefly share my experiences with Global Voices:

I started to translate for Global Voices Aymara in 2009, and at the time, I only translated one article per month regarding topics such as politics, sports, education, environment, and others. But since I started as editor, I no longer translate just one article, but rather more than five articles per month.

I translate all of these articles during my free time, and each post takes one, two, or even three hours each, depending on the post's length. By translating and editing, I have been able to learn about events taking place in other countries. Among my translations, there is one that caught my attention: Languages: Let's Tweet and Speak in Quechua. For me, it was an interesting topic to translate and this is the translation in Aymara: Aymara: Arunaka: Tuytiyañani ukatx qhichwat arsuñani.

Members of the Global Voices in Aymara team at the celebration dinner commemorating the official Lingua status. Photo by Eddie Avila taken in El Alto, Bolivia. .

I am very happy to be a volunteer translator, and I am very motivated to continue the work.

I would also like to congratulate the translation team from Global Voices Aymara.

¡Nayraqatar sarantasipkakima!

Keep up the good work!

Irma Silveria Laura Apaza writes:

I started to translate articles for Global Voices in Aymara beginning in June 2011, and I've always been interested in things related to languages. I think it is very important to value the Aymara language, and to spread knowledge of this language throughout the internet so that other people can become interested through the translations.

One that really caught my attention was Slovakia: The Most Expensive Apple Computers and in Aymara: Eslovaquia: Apple cumputaduranakax sinti jila chaniniwa.

Some may not be interested in the topic, but university students have the latest technology for their studies with no regard to the cost of the computers. Having a computer is no longer a privilege, but rather a necessity. The majority of students have netbooks, and as is the case in some countries, many professors are behind when it comes to technology.

Martha Valencia Intimayata writes:

My participation with Global Voices in Aymara started in 2010 to the present, and through this translation work, I learn about what is happening around the world.

Over time, I have translated interesting topics including one that really impacted me, which was: Iran: Female Blogger Receives 50 Lashes and the translation: Aymara: Irán: Bloguerax phisqa tunk jawq’aw katuqatäna.

How could a blogger receive 50 lashes just for providing information? That is very unjust.

Victor Paco Montevilla writes:

Personally, I started to translate at the beginning of last year.

First of all, it gives me great satisfaction to be able to contribute to the Aymara language on the internet, especially through Global Voices Online. In regards to my translations on Global Voices in Aymara, I consider it benefits Aymara speakers and the language itself, as its status grows considerably by being online.

The topic that impacted me the most was related to the help received by the humanitarian aid workers during and after their rescue work for the Japanese earthquake: Japan: Aiding the Aid Workers and in Aymara: Japón: Japunan yanapt’irinakar yanapt’asa.

Emma Quispe Mamani writes:

I started to translate for Global Voices in Aymara since February 2011, as it has already been a year. It is interesting that by translating one becomes informed about important issues taking place around the world, and for me that is very important. The topic that most impacted me was: Zambia: Netizens Start Countdown to 90 Day Change Promise and the translation in Aymara: Zambia: Cibernautanakax 90 urun mark turkakipañ amtawitx niyaw jakhuñ qalltapxi

I will continue to translate because I really like to translate into Aymara.

Elias Quispe Chura writes:

It all started when my colleague Ruben [Hilari] cordially invited me to be part of the Jaqi Aru project. I didn't think twice to be a part of the initiative, since at the time I was looking for opportunities to apply my knowledge acquired during my university studies. At the beginning, I started by publishing posts in Aymara. Soon, I learned how to use the tools on the Global Voices in Aymara platform, which was very interesting, but a little complicated.

I translated about a dozen articles written in Spanish, French, English, and Aymara. I have been taking part because I love translating from different languages. Even more, if it deals with contributing to the native language, and above all, to be able to share the same knowledge with society through the internet. Among those articles, the one that interested me the most was: “Mexico: Celebrating Cantinflas' 100th Birthday”. I chose the topic because I am a fan of the famous comedian, and I wanted to learn more about his life and career. I learned a lot by translating the article. To begin, I placed myself in his place, I felt, and learned that he did not become famous overnight, but rather it was a process full of virtues and sadness.

In the Aymara language, there are certain limitations compared to other languages, especially regarding vocabulary. However, those challenges are being overcome little by little. Some of the topics that were missing from the site included posts about Christmas, New Year Celebrations, Carnaval, and others, which is something that I would like to explore.

Honestly, I would love for Global Voices authors to continue to publish more and new content, which would give me more options to choose from in order to translate into Aymara.

“Aka uraqpachan aruskipt’asipxañasakipunirakispawa.”

“Let's continue to connect with the entire world.”

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.

Written by Victoria Tinta · Translated by Eduardo Avila · View original post [es] · comments (5)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

The indigenous march in defense of the Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro Sécuro (TIPNIS for its initials in Spanish) reached its final destination on October 19, 2011, when it arrived at the seat of government in La Paz, Bolivia.

Despite meeting one of its objectives, the marchers still have hopes of meeting with President Evo Morales face-to-face to discuss the 16-point list of demands, including the definitive halt in the construction of the section of the highway that would cut through the heart of their territory.

When word arrived that the march was approaching the city, residents began to prepare the grand reception. Some even traveled to meet the marchers in localities in the Yungas region, such as Tonny Lopez, who posted a few photos of the march's stop in Coroico. When the march passed through “La Cumbre,” which is the highest point of the march sitting at approximately 4,700 meters above sea level, many of the indigenous, who come from the lowland region of Bolivia, had trouble adjusting to the high elevation.

Eighty women from the nearby market of Urujara arrived to this mountainous region to show solidarity and provide a meal of rice soup and sandwiches for the marchers. In this video interview by the user En la UPEA, one of the women says that she feels sorry for the marchers for how long their journey has been; the women of the market will provide meals over two days:

Ever since the police repression of the marchers in the town of Yucumo on September 25, there has been even more public support for the marches and their demands. In light of this police repression, and the public declarations by Morales and his ministers labeling the marchers everything from being misled by NGOs to being “tourists,” many people began to wonder how they would be received by the government when they did arrive.

Manuel Alfaro (@_rogermanuel) asks [es]:

Despues de decirles traficantes, maleantes, pagados, en fin haberlos descalificado a diario, como recibira evo a los indigenas del #TIPNIS ?

While there was a question about how the country's first indigenous president would receive the marchers, there was no question how the city of La Paz would greet the approximately thousand-strong group that had been traveling over 600 kilometers for more than 60 days.

Since early in the morning, residents started to line the streets preparing water and food, as well as Bolivian flags and signs of encouragement. It was a true heroes' welcome. Jose Luis Chuquimia (@chuquijosel) was in the streets and described what he saw [es]:

las calles pacenhas….quedaron flores, mixtura, banderas de papel…lagrimas, abrazos…sonrisas..pasos que calan historias #TIPNIS ES VIDA

Many others from the Bolivian Twitter community also were present throughout the day reporting from the city streets. Several took photographs and posted them to Twitter. Nicole Gerke (@nicolegerke) posted photos of the crowd joining the march and of public support from the Afro-Bolivian community.

Others like Mariana (@ama1607) posted this photograph of women waiting for the marchers with flowers:

Photo by @ama1607 and used with permission.

Journalist and blogger Boris Miranda (@ivanbor) also accompanied the march and captured images of some of the well-wishers along the route:

"Welcome home brothers from the TIPNIS. We support you. Long live Nature" Photo by @ivanbor and used with permission.

Photo by @ivanbor and used with permission.

It was a photograph taken by Centa Rek, a Senator from the opposition party, that elicited an active response from the Twitter community. Throughout the day, many were commenting about the appearance of opportunists that took advantage of the outpouring of support as a way to benefit themselves. Twitter user @AndreaMiCaHe had some words of advice [es]:

Politicos oportunistas respeten marcha dl #TIPNIS no vayan a la marcha a solo aparecer n la foto, oposicion inutil xfavor manter distancia!!

Twitter user Alexis Argüello (@alexisarguello) used a play-on-words to [es] to describe those jumping on the bandwagon, calling them “OporTIPNIStas” instead of the Spanish word of “oportunistas” (opportunists).

The indigenous marchers arrived to the Plaza Murillo, which sits facing the Presidential Palace and Congress, in anticipation of a meeting with the President. No one is quite sure what will happen next and the indigenous marchers vow to not leave La Paz without a law that prohibits the construction of the highway through their territory.

Ana Rosa López Villegas of the blog Mi Voz, Mi Palabra summarizes the hopes of the marchers and the general public that supports them [es]:

Hace dos meses que caminan y que claman, hace dos meses que quieren ser escuchados. Hace más de dos meses que buscan en las pupilas oscuras y la piel cobriza de su “hermano” Presidente, el respaldo que los acoja en su legítima demanda.

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (2)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

What is also different for this election is that it will not determine a President, members of Congress, or local Mayors. For the first time in Bolivia, as well as in Latin America, voters will choose 56 judges and magistrates for the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Council of the Judiciary, and Agrarian/Environmental Tribunal.

These elections have been guaranteed by the new Constitution with the idea to eliminate the direct naming of judges by the political party that holds majority in Congress, as had previously been the practice. Even though there was a process to allow for objections to certain candidates that could not prove affiliation to a political party, many citizens believe that the ruling party Movement Towards Socialism (MAS for its initials in Spanish) will end up benefiting from the results.

Some of those sentiments come from a statement from Bolivian President Evo Morales in August 2011 at an event in Tolata, who said “I am sure, brothers and sisters, that in these Judicial Elections we'll win with 60 to 70 percent and with 90 to 100 percent in the peasant communities. [es]” There have been some reports of irregularities in the selection process [es], as well as the question of the impartiality of Supreme Electoral Tribunal President, Wilfredo Ovando, who was discovered to have strong ties to the MAS party from his recent campaigning during the re-election of Morales.

Twitter user Gastón (@gastulas) is skeptical about the candidates' independence and tweets [es]:

“googleen” el nombre de cualquier candidato en las #judiciales2011 y verán su “imparcialidad”. Vergüenza y asco! #YoVotoNulo

However, the general sentiment is that it was very difficult to know the candidates because of the lack of campaign information. Journalist and blogger Andrés Gómez Vela categorizes the various types of voters that could turn out. For example, in his blog Rimay Pampa [es], he characterizes the “legal vote” by those well-informed citizens:

…aquellas que siguieron las fugaces entrevistas a los 116 candidatos y candidatas y se documentaron sobre los antecedentes y méritos de sus preferidos. En otras palabras, los que decidieron soberanamente su voto (¿habrá al menos uno?).

He also notes that there will also be voters that decide based on political party, who have been told for whom to vote. Gómez also refers to votes by those who have no clue for whom to vote because of not knowing the candidates, and will do so by intuition. There have been those that have come out against the elections and will mark the ballot in protest of the government's attempt to build a highway through the TIPNIS, which is called the “environment vote,” as well as the “protest” and “opposition” vote. Finally he characterizes the “conscious” vote and describes it by:

Es la ciudadanía que se precia de ser reflexiva y leer la política desde la realidad. Unos apoyaron el proceso sin ambages, otros con reparos, otros con cálculo y otros con visión histórica. Algunos están arrepentidos y otros decepcionados y otros desorientados. Alistan su marcador negro o rojo para escribir: Fuera, basta, adiós o alguna leyenda contra Evo. Su voto será nulo para el Órgano Electoral, pero, válido para la sociedad.

While it has been prohibited to campaign for individual candidates, it has been unclear whether the opposition leaders' campaign for a No or Null Vote is allowed. Nevertheless, it has been a position held by many Twitter users, who have been announcing that they plan to vote Null. Social science researcher Roberto Laserna (@roblaser) tweeted:

Conozco a todos los candidatos #Judiciales2011: se prestaron a esta grosera manipulación y eso los define. Son indignos de mi voto. Nulo!

Finally, there has been some documents floating around the internet, as Miguel Buitrago of the blog MABB notes, that indicates the different options how one must mark the ballot in order for it to be considered null. Some may include writing the word TIPNIS in reference to the controversial highway project through an indigenous territory and national park supported by the government, while others have considered writing “Fuera Quinteros” (Out, Quinteros), in reference to the Bolivian football National Team that recently had a poor showing in World Cup 2014 Qualifying matches. Twitter user (@ch0ben) recently wrote [es]:

Nunca he reflexionado tanto sobre la manera más efectiva de anular una papeleta electoral… Es lo que nos toca en estas circunstancias.

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (5)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (1)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (0)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

After the news of the September 25 police repression of the indigenous marchers in the town of Yucumo, there was even more reactions and mobilizations in defense of the Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro Sécure and against government repression.

In the past month, the marchers have received widespread support from residents of the cities that had donated food and supplies, as well as many Twitter users using the hashtag #TIPNIS to express their support. Even the international activist organization Avaaz launched a campaign to collect 150,000 signatures in defense of the TIPNIS.

In previous weeks, two Bolivian Cabinet members, Government Minister Sacha Llorenti (@sachallorenti) and Labor Minister Walter Delgadillo (@wdelgadillot) had been utilizing their Twitter account to report on the situation from the official government position. At times, there were interactions with Bolivian Twitter users that many thought was an encouraging first step. However, in recent days they have been silent on their Twitter account, causing Annelissie Arrázola (@Annelissie) to ask [es], “where are the Twitter Ministers now to explain the violence?”.

Civil disobedience sparked

The events of Sunday night are sparking acts of civil disobedience and other forms of protests across the country. Residents of the jungle town of Rurrenabaque prevented the landing of government planes [es] that were arriving to transport the detained marchers back to their communities by occupying the airport runway. Defense Minister Cecilia Chacón presented her “irrevocable” resignation.

A group calling themselves Anonymous Bolivia (@AnonBolivia) announced a “hacktivist” campaign [es] for September 27 targeting government websites.

In addition, citizens have been regularly taking to the streets in the major cities of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and La Paz in defense of the TIPNIS, as shown in this video by Ana Rosa López (@mivozmipalabra) taken in La Paz on September 23.

After the news and images shown by the mainstream media of the police repression, there were a series of vigils and marches around the country. In Cochabamba, Juan José Olivera (@jotajotaolivera) tweeted this photo of a march that initially was prevented by the police from entering the Main Plaza of the city, but eventually did enter the square.

There were also people gathering in the San Francisco Plaza in La Paz, as seen here in these photos taken by Sonia Soruco (@sosoruco). There were also protests in the city of Pando, where indigenous protesters spoke out in defense of the march.

'Respect for Indigenous Rights. Mr. Evo Morales, Your Mask Has Fallen' Sign from protest in Pando. Photo sent to Global Voices by anonymous and used with permission.

Moises Pacheco (@mo_i_6) writes [es]:

A las calles!!!!!!!!!!!! los indígenas ya marcharon en el campo. Nuestro turno de marchar en las ciudades.

During one march in La Paz, journalist Mery Vaca (@meryvaca) makes a mental note of the protest's composition [es]:

La marcha crece y crece a su paso por las calles de La Paz. Reconozco a muchos que hasta ayer eran evistas.

The developing events is causing some uncertainty, with rumors of other Cabinet members resigning, but Mario Durán of the blog Palabras Libres [es] sees two possible outcomes after the repressive events on September 25. He writes,

El gobierno presenta ya fisuras internas… entre el circulo afin a intereses geopoliticos del Brasil y entre quienes pretenden cierta independencia.

Jugando a lector de cartas del tarot y preveer el futuro, el gobierno tiene dos caminos: i) Hacer caer todo el peso de los resultados de la represion otra vez en los hombros del presidente Morales (como sucedio en el gasolinazo). ii) Usar de fusibles a quienes hayan ordenado la represion y sancionarlos.

Finally, blogger Pablo Andrés Rivero focused much of the blame on Minister Llorenti for the series of events [es]. Rivero recalled some of Llorenti's previous tweets that attempted to clear up any rumors, when on September 14 he said “there will be no intervention of the march. The police's sole mission is to prevent conflict.”

Las consecuencias del el amedrentamiento, del cerco policial y ahora el exceso de violencia injustificado, los gases, confrontar a mujeres, niños y marchistas cansados en el momento que recibían un plato de comida grafica plenamente sus intenciones de poder.

Lo sensato es su renuncia pero quién es uno para pedirle semejante acto de sensatez! Allá lo que usted y su gobierno deslegitimado hagan, veamos todos cómo se manifiesta el pueblo hoy.

Ahora más que nunca el TIPNIS SOMOS TODOS!

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

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (2)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

It has been more than a month since a group of indigenous protesters from the Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS in Spanish) started their 500km march with the goal of reaching the seat of government in La Paz to express their opposition to the planned highway construction through their land.

For several days, the march had been halted by a group of pro-government colonizers, who had blocked the road in Yucumo insisting that the protesters stop and resume dialogue with the government of Evo Morales.

Police intervention

TIPNIS march. Image by Fernando Miranda, copyright Demotix (26/09/2011).

The police also reinforced this blockade saying that it wanted to prevent any confrontation between the marchers and those blockading the road. This stoppage also prevented supplies, such as food, water, and medicine donated by thousands of residents from the cities, from reaching the protests. Tension between the sides continued to climb, and there was a sense that there would be an impending intervention by the security forces.

A little after 5 pm local time on September 25, 2011, right when the protesters were eating a meal, it was reported that approximately 500 uniformed police officers began to use tear gas to disperse the protesters with the goal of rounding them up on buses. The Fundación Tierra (Land Foundation) maintained a live blog, where it published the early actions reported by their communications team on the ground [es].

17:18 GASIFICACIÓN. En este momento comenzó la gasificación policial a los indígenas en el campamento en el que se encuentran desde ayer.

17:25 RUMBO A LA PAZ. Se informa que en este momento la policía obliga a subir a las mujeres y niños indígenas en camionetas rumbo hacia Yucumo.

17:28 DESESPERACIÓN. En medio de la desesperación los niños lloran y las madres buscan no separarse de sus hijos mientras los efectivos policiales antimotines ingresan en el campamento indígena para desalojará a los marchistas y obligarlos a subir a camionetas que llegan desde San Borja.

[…]

17:49 ESTAMOS EN EL LUGAR. Hacemos todo lo posible para actualizar con toda la información posible pero como comprenederán no es una tarea facil y las comunicaciones son intermitentes.

Soon after the police repression started, information began to be reported by the media on location, even though there were reports of the police confiscating cameras and cell phones from journalists. There are conflicting reports of the number of casualties, but the television channel Red Uno reported that a 3 month-old baby died [es] apparently from the fumes from the tear gas used by the police.

Media outlet Erbol reported that at least 45 people were being treated in area hospitals, and that the Director of the San Borja hospital. Javier Jiménez, said that police had handcuffed doctors and prevented them from treating the indigenous marchers [es].

The blog TIPNIS Resiste (TIPNIS Resisting) collected a personal testimony from indigenous representative Esther Argollo, who was present at the time of the police intervention [es]. She said:

Había una mujer que estaba con tres bebés, llorando en el camino y estaba entregando sus pequeños y a mí me dijo por favor mi bebé, mi bebé y yo le tuve que socorrer a un niño de tres años que estaba llorando y que rostro estaba lastimado de repente por una caída que ha tenido. Escapamos al monte porque los policías estaban tirando gases por todos lados, no han respetado a nadie, han rodeado el campamento, han tirado las cosas, han agredido a las personas, hay gente que ha sido golpeada.

… Había muchos niños perdidos, las mamás estaban buscando a sus hijos, no se sabe cuántas personas están todavía en el monte porque han corrido, estaban de miedo. Han corrido peladitos, sin nada. […] Todos están dolidos hay mamás que han perdido a sus bebés no se sabe dónde están, hay niños desaparecidos, está oscuro, no se sabe más de la gente, están perdidos, regados por todos lados.

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

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (7)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

The first translation of Global Voices in Aymara was published in September 2009 and continued with intermittent publication for the next year. Once Victoria Tinta took the helm as editor, the site began to produce regular translations from Global Voices in Spanish to Aymara. In addition to proofreading and formatting translations, Victoria has been responsible for recruiting and coordinating the team of volunteer translators. In all, there are have been 21 volunteers who have contributed with a translation, and there is a core group of approximately one dozen who have produced regular translations.

Global Voices in Aymara Editor Victoria Tinta at the Brazilian Digital Culture Forum in São Paulo in October 2010.

The new site is an initiative of the Jaqi Aru project based in El Alto, Bolivia and aims to contribute to the availability of content in the Aymara language on the internet, as a way to promote and preserve their native tongue. Most of the translators and members of the Jaqi Aru project are students in the Linguistics Department of the Public University of El Alto [es] (UPEA for its initials in Spanish), and hold a passion for conserving the language for future generations. The partnership with Global Voices enables the group to provide valuable content in the Aymara language about current events and cultural issues from around the world.

While all of the translators are bilingual in Aymara and Spanish, and in some cases, multilingual, this translation project is still in its early stages. In many cases, words do not exists in Aymara for the text that appears in Global Voices articles. To help in such cases, there are projects such as Runasimipi that attempt to build consensus for the translation of a particular word, especially words related to technology. But in many cases, these translations are an individual's proposal for how something should be translated. This interpretation may vary from translator to translator, but beginning in this manner leaves room for discussion, thus helping each translator improve upon their work.

Members of the Global Voices in Aymara translation team.

It may be true that most readers of Global Voices in Aymara have no trouble reading Global Voices in Spanish instead, but the project is part of a larger goal of encouraging Aymara speakers, especially young people, to embrace the language of their ancestors. Making interesting content available on the Internet, is only the first step for the Jaqi Aru project and the Global Voices in Aymara translation team in hopefully setting an example for other indigenous and minority language communities around the world.

This post is part of our special coverage on Languages and the Internet.

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (2)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

“Like it or not, we are going to build this road,” [es] announced Bolivian President Evo Morales during a speech in the town of Sacaba on June 30, 2011, in reference to a controversial project to build a new road that would go through the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS for its initials in Spanish).

The plans and subsequent preparation for the construction of section two of the country's ‘national road' has attracted strong criticism from indigenous groups whose lands would be affected. The project is calling into question Morales' commitment to autonomous indigenous rights and environmental protection, two issues that Bolivia's first indigenous president proudly has claimed as pillars of his administration.

Controversial construction plans

Map of the TIPNIS area

With a 332 million dollar loan from neighboring Brazil, Morales signed a law that would begin the construction of a road from the town of Villa Tunari to San Ignacio de Moxos in the Department of Beni. The territory is not only protected as a nature reserve with rich biodiversity, but also protected as the home of members of the indigenous communities Moxeños, Yuracarés, and Chimanes. Isiboro Sécure was declared a national park in 1965 and named an indigenous territory in 1990.

At the XXIX Gathering of Corregidores (council members) of TIPNIS [es], the participants developed a statement regarding their stance on the proposed project. Their resolution was republished in the blog Defendamos el TIPNIS (Let's Defend the TIPNIS), in which the residents “conclusively and non-negotiably reject the construction of the road from Villa Tunari to San Ignacio de Moxos or any stretch of road that affects our territory, our large home”, and states:

3. La decisión de la construcción de la carretera se ha tomado sin seguir los procedimientos técnicos y legales, sin un estudio de impacto ambiental previo, sin aplicar el derecho a consulta de los pueblos indígenas dentro del TIPNIS, transgrediendo la misma Constitución Política del Estado Plurinacional (CPEP) recientemente aprobada en sus artículos 30 y 343, además de transgredir las leyes que preservan el medio ambiente.

Puzzling response

The lack of consultation with indigenous groups whose lands and livelihood would be directly affected is puzzling for those accustomed to seeing President Morales as someone who has put the rights and interests of indigenous communities at the forefront of his government. Blogger Pablo Andrés Rivero has been writing about this subject in a number of posts, and mentions the concept of indigenous autonomy that has been given increased importance in the new Constitution approved in 2009. Rivero writes:

Within this context, one of the major changes constitutionally introduced is the Indigenous Autonomy, a particular figure of self ruling and decision making criteria for indigenous peoples to decide, directly and in full capacity, over the natural resources and ways of development according to their traditions, history and own decisions in the regions where they live for centuries.

[…] The government, is worth remember, is not ruled by white-mestizo elites any more. Instead is Evo Morales, a indigenous himself, who came to power claiming to bestow indigenous dignity back once and for all, claiming to make sure we all live in balance with nature and respecting peoples decisions or, as he discursively put it “governs by obeying the people”.

The decision and determination shown by Morales to go ahead and build the highway regardless of the opposition also contradicts his place on the international stage as a defender of the environment. At the United Nations, Morales promoted resolutions that would promote “a holistic approach to harmony with nature, and an exchange of national experiences regarding criteria and indicators to measure sustainable development in harmony with nature.”

His full backing of the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth that took place in early 2010 is also confusing; his actions regarding the road construction are incompatible with these international stances on the protection of the environment. Rivero adds:

Morales has travelled the world arguing -and glorying- Bolivia's decision of living in balance with the Pachamama, publicising his ‘Mother Earth' Bill and demanding effective actions -and economic compensation for poor countries- against climate change from industrialised countries.

"The jungle is life, the highway is death." Stencil art found on the streets of Cochabamba. Taken by Patricia Vargas and used with permission.

The government defends the project by stating that these communities are too isolated, and that the road would help bring about increased development and a “greater State presence,” which would help provide better access to health, education, and commerce. However, the road may also mean increased access by those committing illegal activities that would further harm the environment and threaten the indigenous communities' way of life.

There are some studies that show that the road may cause 65% deforestation over the next two decades [es], due to illegal logging and land clearing, which is already a problem in many of these areas.

Other critics predict that the growth of illegal coca plantations by settlers into the area may also increase drug trafficking activities. The former Vice-Minister of Land in the Morales administration, Alejando Almaráz said that the road provides greater opportunities [es] for “massive land-grabs and an uncontrolled business of illegal coca, this is serious, devastating for the indigenous communities and for nature because those coca crops are planted where there were once woods.”

And it is here where Morales' attention to residents in the southern part of TIPNIS that appear to be a conflict of interest. Many of those settlers are “already involved in land dealings with cocaleros,” [es] as pointed out by respected anthropologist, Xavier Albo. Morales' start in politics came about from his syndicate work with the coca growers, where he still retains the position of president of the Six Federations of Coca Growers.

The Bolivian government claims that the indigenous communities are being influenced by European NGOs [es] that are pushing the groups to ask for money. However, (@hormigoazul) believes that the opposition is not a political maneuver [es]:

El problema del #TIPNIS no es esencialismo ecologista, ni protección de ni intervencionismo tipo ONG, ni jugada política de la oposición.

The resistance from indigenous groups is a cause being supported by many from the cities, as Majo Ferrel (@lamajoferrel) states [es]:

El proyecto carreterro V.Tunari a S.I.Moxos no solamente es cuestionado por los del TIPNIS tb por gran parte de la sociedad civil !!!

As a result of this opposition, the Bolivian Confederation of Indigenous Peoples (CIDOB) is organizing a national march to begin on August 2 that will depart from Villa Tunari towards the seat of government in capital La Paz. They have received support from the National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ) [es].

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

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (12)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

It started with a tweet on May 30 from Senator Centa Rek of the political organization Plan Progreso Para Bolivia - Convergencia Nacional (PPB-APB) representing the Department of Santa Cruz. Rek was criticizing a recent decision by the Bolivian Congress to approve full amnesty for unregistered cars, many of which would enter from neighboring Chile. She tweeted:

Oficialismo promueve legalizacion de autos ingresados de contrabando y lavado del narcotrafico. Donde iremos a parar??

The tweet led to a response by blogger Mario Durán (@mrduranch), who was not about to let such an accusation go without a request for clarification. He asked:

@rcenta que evidencia tiene sobre el “lavado del narcotrafico” ?

His tweet led to an unfavorable reaction from Senator Rek, who responded to Durán:

@mrduranch las que usted tambien tiene, me va a amenazar ahora??? Muy masista la estrategia. Matonaje.

It was here that Rek started to link any criticism of her accusation with being a supporter of the government. Durán then asked when and where did he threaten her [es], and once again asked for evidence to back up her claims. Rek then followed with a string of insults calling Durán a “repressor” and “harrasser,” repeating her claim that Durán was threatening her. It was that short exchange and her use of the word “matoncito” [es] (little bully) in reference to Durán that led to an outpouring of support for Durán by many in the Bolivian Twitter community, who said that Rek was overreacting and should not resort to insults.

In addition, many Twitter users joined in the debate when Rek tweeted that she was responding to government “intelligence services” in reference to Duran's question about her claims of money laundering and drug trafficking. This led many to start internet memes, cartoons, photoshopped images, and even a sub-titled Adolf Hitler clip [es] as a way to mock Rek's misread of the situation. The hashtag #holarcenta (hello, rcenta) soon experienced heavy activity during the two days of back-and-forth, in which Rek claimed she was being a victim of relentless persecution [es]. All of which, as Andrea Guzmán of the blog Lo Digo Yo [es] wrote Rek “was unable to understand, and led her to becoming more defensive.”

Fake movie poster. "A film by @rcenta and Robert Rodríguez. Mario Durán in Little Bully" Artwork by Alvaro Guzmán @alvarocker

However, it was not all fun and games, as some Twitterers attempted to reason with Rek and provide a thoughtful explanation of why so many had turned against her and why her accusations were out of line. A collaborative open-letter [es] was drafted, and sent to Rek:

Creemos que es necesario que la Senadora Reck entienda que no son agentes infiltrados del gobierno boliviano quienes le responden sino ciudadanos bolivianos con acceso a internet, personas independientes y libres, que respetamos la libertad de expresion pero sancionamos el insulto, la falta de valoración de la ciudadanía por parte de una representante nacional electa y las difamaciones y calumnias que usted ha realizado contra varios ciudadanos.

Even one of her supporters came out to say that she was overreacting. Luis Sergio (@luissergioCB) wrote that he voted for Rek and shares her ideology, but that she should take a look back at what had happened [es]. He also mentioned that even though Rek was certain that those attacking her were members of the MAS party or government agents, that most Bolivian Twitterers are actually in opposition [es] to the government, as well.

Hugo Miranda of the blog Angel Caido [es] wonders how it got to this point and what it says about Rek's role as an elected representative:

Uno se pregunta con tanto asesor que hay por ahi, por que la Senadora no investigo bien que estaba pasando, por que las reacciones, que es lo que hizo mal, el Twitter es una minimicrocomunidad en Bolivia era facil desentrañar que estaba pasando.. pero no lo hizo… y pues.. empezo a cometer error tras error.. y bueno yo me pregunto si no escucha a solo solo menos de 200 twitteros.. como es que es representante de casi un millon de Bolivianos….

Some thought the jokes went too far and that the opportunity could have been used more positively. Enrique of the blog Voz Boliviana [es] left a comment on the blog post by Dog Punto Cero [es].

Seamos más maduros dejemos los dramas novelescos a la televisión y la falta de ideas a nuestra clase política y hagamos de las redes sociales verdaderos instrumentos de información y no de simple chismoseo.

Finally, Rivero returns after the start of the interaction between the Bolivian Twitter community and Senator Rek with some hopes that something positive can come from the series of events. He reflects [es]:

Espero, finalmente, que el evento protagonizado por la senadora Rek (desafortunado quizá para ella, pero aleccionador para muchos) no desincentive el uso de la herramienta en la política, sino más bien aliente un empleo con mensajes mejor elaborados, así sean estos espontáneos, pero sin perder de vista el criterio táctico

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (2)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (3)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (0)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

As expected, the announcement caused much concern in the Bolivian population because of the uncertainty of what effect the increase would have on the cost of living. Hours after the announcement, long lines could be observed at some gas stations with drivers hoping to fill up before the price hike took effect. Drivers like Santiago Terceros (@sterceros) made some calculations that his monthly expense for gasoline would increase by US$80 [es].

Long lines to enter gas station in Santa Cruz on Sunday, December 26. Photo by Jessica Olivares and used with permission.

But it is the higher expenses for heavy transport that will affect the cost of daily goods, as Terceros rhetorically asks, “What things do not need to be transported?” [es]. The day following the Sunday announcement, Twitter users began to report on some of the price increases of goods and services around the country. For example, Jorge Bueno (@jj_creativos) reported on an increase in the price of cement, bread, and his daily lunch in the city of La Paz. Jorge Marco Zárate (@jmarcozarate) even noticed employees of his local supermarket in Santa Cruz changing the prices on the products on the shelves.

It is also the cost of public transportation that concerns many daily users of this form of transit. Many of the public transport syndicates met on Monday, December 27th to determine whether they would enter into a general strike or raise fares for the passengers. Reyqui of the blog Bolivia Informe [es] provides an overview of the price increases to take effect in the four largest Bolivian cities. The price will increase between 66%-100% in the cities of La Paz, El Alto, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba.

The availability of public transportation on the day following the announcement was irregular, as many bus drivers waited to see what the syndicate leaders would decide. As a result, the Bolivian Armed Forces helped to provide free transportation to some passengers. Tonny López (@tonnylp) took this Twitpic of one of these military transport vehicles in the city of El Alto.

The measure has been called the “gasolinazo” by the media and has been a popular hashtag [es] used by Bolivian Twitter users. The suffix “-azo” added to the end of the word gasolina (gasoline) conveys the act of a “strike or blow,” and reflects the feeling that the raise in prices is a blow to the cost of living.

Some wonder whether such a price increase was the first option, especially since those involved with contraband were the main culprits. The digital magazine La Mala Palabra tweets [es] that the Armed Forces should have been called in to tackle the contraband. Better control at the border may have been a way to prevent subsidized fuel from being sold in neighboring countries.

García Linera made the announcement in his function as acting President, since President Evo Morales was in Venezuela delivering aid to flood victims. However, some thought that it was no coincidence why the Vice-President made the unpopular announcement. Ivan Terceros (@ivntres) wrote:

Por que Evo no anunció el #gasolinazo ?? fácil, la imagen del Presidente no puede caer…

It was also the timing of the December 26th announcement [es] that Juan Carlos Véliz (@jcvelizmorejon) found to be telling:

El Gobierno lanzó el gasolinazo en un momento en que la población está adormilada por las fiestas de fin de año.

Some agree that the subsidies were unsustainable for the Bolivian economy including economist Carlos Gustavo Machicado of the blog Guccio's [es], who applauds the new measure:

Y si bien yo soy bastante crítico de lo que hace el gobierno, esta vez debo admitir que fue una medida buena, donde triunfo el mercado y aplastó una vez más esos discursos de patriotismo barato. Ciertamente no hay nada como el poder de los precios y de la libertad económica para frenar el contrabando y la especulación y lo que esta medida hará es justamente ordenar el sistema de precios y proveer la información correcta que los agentes necesitan

[…]

Muchas cosas pueden pasar y las magnitudes dependerán de las expectativas, entre ellas esta: Presiones salariales, ajuste de todo el sistema de precios, depreciación de la moneda nacional, entre otros. En todo caso lo importante es no alarmarse, esto es algo que tenía que suceder y mejor que sucedió ahora.

In his blog, former Minister of Hydrocarbons Mauricio Medinaceli compares the 2010 price increase with similar increases in recent history [es]:

Efectivamente, revisando las estadísticas de los últimos 20 años lo que sucedió el día domingo 26 de diciembre del año 2010 es históricamente notorio. Como se observa, los valores históricos se situaban entre el 8% y 35%, lo que vivimos ahora es un ajuste del 73%… sí, 73%.

Mabel Lafuente Azad (@la_mabel) writes that such an increase was “necessary,” [es], but she adds that “once again the people with low incomes will be the ones who sacrifice the most.” And that is what many of the protests say that the ordinary citizen will the one most affected. While some citizens have announced plans for citizen street protests, blogger Mario Durán, who has been following the developments on his blog Palabras Libres [es] found it odd that some social movements had not reacted to the price increase. He wonders whether their silence could be explained because they feel like “this government is ‘their' government.” However, later in the day, Durán noted that organizations like the Departmental Worker's Center (COD for its initials in Spanish) and the Federation of Neighborhood Organizations in the City of El Alto (FEJUVE for its initials in Spanish) came out in opposition to the decree [es]. Social movements like these have traditionally been strong allies of Morales and his administration.

Even though there are plans for an increase in wages for public sector workers in February 2011 [es], there are some employees who do not have a promised raise. Alhen Wiki (@alhen_) writes about those who may be left behind:

Felices los del transporte pueden doblar sus precios. A mi quién me dobla el sueldo?

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (4)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Several Bolivian bloggers started a meme inviting others to admit their own stories of being conned. Even though they can look back now, and even laugh at the unfortunate series of events, they serve a lesson for others. In El Alto, Alexis Argüello writes about his experience at buying a used mobile phone in one of the city's markets [es]. These marketplaces that are understood to sell stolen merchandise are notorious for being a place where one can get scammed. Argüello was prepared and took every precaution to make sure that the mobile phone he would purchase would be fully functional. After negotiating a bit, they settled on a price:

“Te doy 250″ le dije, “noooo, hazme una mejor oferta. ¿A cuanto encuentras este equipo en las tiendas?” me dijo mientras ponía las cosas en su lugar”, “yo sé, pero es lo que puedo ofrecerte” le dije, “mmmm, ya ni modo, porque recién lo he jalado” dijo, “vale, pero ojalá no sea yo tu próxima víctima” dije mientras sacaba el dinero y le pagaba. Así, recibí el equipo, miré de un lado a otro para cerciorarme de que no me vengan luego con el cuanto del tío “ese es mi celular joven y este el ladrón…”. Inmediatamente tomé uno de los vehículos de transporte público con rumbo a La Paz.

When he arrived to his office, the phone would not turn on. After some fiddling with the case, it broke open and he found that the phone was filled with putty. So despite being careful in order to not be the victim of an accomplice coming up to him after purchasing the phone, Argüello did not check the phone carefully. He says that even though he lost money on the deal, he can look back and laugh because life is too beautiful to get upset.

Many of these scams prey on people's emotions, in particularly, one's own sympathy towards others. That is what happened to blogger Pepe Fuentes in the city of Sucre. It took place at his office, when a woman approached with tears in her eyes saying that her son had died in a nearby town [es]. She needed money to bring the body back home for the burial. However, she only needed the remaining 80Bs. (approximately US$11) for the full amount.

fue tan convincente y tan emotivo que mi corazón de piedra se volvió por un rato humano, saque los 50 bs que tenía en mi billetera y se los di diciendo que con gusto le hubiera dado más si hubiera tenido, la otra me abrazo me agradeció y se fue.

It was only after the woman had left did Fuentes started to wonder whether he had been scammed, but just to make sure, he went to other nearby offices and asked if a woman had come in. Two other offices also gave money, but he still wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, until he saw something outside that convinced him otherwise.

pero después la veo en la tienda a media cuadra comprando una botella de trago riendo con un tipo, me ven, se suben a un taxi y se hacen pepa. Yo tenía razón!! Si me mamaron!! Claro que el tener la razón no me hizo sentir mejor, me dejo sin un mango en mi billetera y con una desconfianza ante futuras situaciones similares.

However, it is not always adults who try to scam money out of unsuspecting individuals for alcohol. Mario Durán of the blog Palabras Libres [es] came across a child who made up a story, and another who eventually revealed the true reason for the act.

Plaza Eguino. 1 pm. Joven, joven - escucho una voz que se dirige a mi. Miro y veo un colegial.
- ¿Que cosa?, respondo.
- Lo he perdido mi pasaje y vivo en El Alto, me dice con rostro compungido.
- ¿Cuanto necesitas?
- 3 Bs.-
Le doy las monedas… es dificil no tener pasajes y vivir lejos.

Camino unos pasos… digo para mis adentros “que caiman, he sido”. Retrocedo mis pasos, el mismo adolescente cuenta la misma historia a otro caiman, el adolescente me mira, le miro, empieza a correr y se pierde entre los automoviles.

La siguiente vez que escucho la misma historia con otros protagonistas, respondo “ya, cual minibus es, te embarco y te pago el pasaje”… algunos son cinicos y me responden “plata no mas quiero”. pregunto ¿y en que vas a gastar?, “en el tilin (juegos electronicos), pues”.

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (0)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Members of GV Latin America with friends from GV Portuguese and GV Caribbean. Photo by Suzanne Lehn

Andrea Arzaba [Mexico] - I don't think I've seen a single picture of Andrea in which she was not smiling. Her enthusiasm and friendliness is both sincere and contagious. Recently back in Mexico after spending a semester studying abroad in Spain, Andrea is very active in youth conferences and blogging competitions. She was recently chosen to represent the Think About It organization at the UN Summit to be held in New York City later this month. Read her blog One Lucky Life [es] and follow her on Twitter: @andrea_arzaba.

Belén Bogado [Paraguay] - Belén is quite the multimedia star in her native country of Paraguay. Not only is she an accomplished print journalist, but she has also hosted her own radio show and television program. In addition, she has brought special recognition to Paraguayan bloggers, including an introduction to the first blogger to write in the Guaraní language, who was featured in a GV post and which caught the eye of the local CNN affiliate.

Catalina Restrepo [Colombia] - Many of us have seen how much Catalina has grown over the past three years. She started as one of the participants of the Rising Voices' project HiperBarrio. Since then, she has really come into her own, gaining confidence by the day and asking for more challenges. In addition to being invited to speak at international conferences, she was also recognized at home when she was awarded the Talented Young Woman [es] prize in Medellín. Read her blog: Cosas del Alma [es] and follow her on Twitter: @catirestrepo

Felipe Cordero [Chile] - Felipe joined Global Voices in 2010, and his participation began shortly after the tragic earthquake struck his country of Chile. He was living in Columbia, Missouri at the time when he volunteered to help with the coverage, as way to draw more attention to the tragedy and reconstruction. His posts helped make the Special Coverage Page of the earthquake timely and diverse. Since graduating from college, Felipe has taken part in many interesting training programs and internships, including one at the Chilean Mission at the United Nations. Read his blog: Política Online [es] and follow him on Twitter: @felipe_cordero.

Gabriela García Calderón [Peru] - At the Global Voices Summit in Santiago, Chile, Gabriela received recognition for being the GV member with the most number of translations across all Lingua sites. With more than 2000 translations under her belt, Gabriela wanted to get involved with GV even more. So, she volunteered to become a GV author by focusing on some of the non-political facets of Peruvian society. Read her blog: Seis de Enero [es].

Issa Villarreal [Mexico] - To say that Issa is interested in the urban arts scene in her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, would be an understatement. In her free time, Issa covers local concerts and music festivals [es] on her blog and other publications. In addition, she is a videographer, and one of her most recent works was filmed a local amusement park. Her three-part series exploring graffiti and urban art across Latin American stands among some of her most classic posts. She also covers other topics, including the #internetnecesario campaign, although I was unable to convince her to write a post on the Mexican delicacy of eyeball taco. Read her blog: Perdida en el Súper [es] and follow her on Twitter: @hiperkarma.

Members of GV Latin America meeting with GV Board Member Rosental Alves at the GV Summit in Santiago. Photo by Juliana Rincón and used under a Attribution 2.0 Generic CC license.

Jenny Cascante [Costa Rica] - Jenny is another of our authors that is active in her country in the arts and cultural scene. She has been a part of the super-stylish arts digital magazine De La Bimba [es]. Read her blog: Nube Número Nueve [es] and follow her on Twitter: @nubecina.

Jorge Gobbi [Argentina] - Buenos Aires is one of my favorite Latin American cities and most times that I've visited, I've managed to stop by to say hello to Jorge. I don't think I realized how well-known he is in the Argentine blogosphere until he was featured in the La Nación newspaper as one of 5 of the most important bloggers [es] in the country. Probably best known for his travel blogging, he won Best Travel Blog in Spanish awarded by Lonely Planet. Jorge is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in Social Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. Read his blog: Blog de Viajes [es] and follow him on Twitter: @morrissey.

Juan Arellano [Peru] - Ever since Juan has taken on the leadership role for Global Voices in Spanish, the site has thrived. The roster of active translators that he has recruited makes it one of the most diverse and willing teams to bring GV content into the Spanish language. The partnerships and collaborations that he has pursued serves as a model for other Lingua sites. In addition to translating posts, Juan also makes sure that local issues in his native Peru makes it to the pages of Global Voices. Read his blog: Globalizado [es] and follow him on Twitter: @cyberjuan.

Juliana Rincón Parra [Colombia] - While I had less interaction with Juliana than before, it was because she was promoted to Global Voices Video Editor. However, she still managed to provide great coverage of important videos from the region, which was whenever she was not knitting or podcasting. Read her blog: Medea Material [es] and follow her on Twitter: @medeamaterial.

Julián Ortega [Colombia] - Digital media has become an integral part of Colombian politics over the past several years, and Julián has provided a service for helping GV readers wade through the vast amount of tweets, Facebook groups, and blog posts. He is extremely knowledgeable about the subtle nuances and context of Colombian politics. Julián is also very active in the equinoXio [es] digital magazine. In addition, he holds a special place in his heart for his cats, who can be seen on his Flickr account. Follow him on Twitter: @julianortegam.

Laura Vidal [Venezuela] - Laura has been personally responsible for making sure that Venezuela is not portrayed as a country that only revolves around polarizing politics. She has made sure GV readers learn about many of the country's talented musicians, writers, artists, and cultural projects. Currently pursuing her Master's degree in Education Sciences at the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense in Paris, Laura has always offered me a place to crash on her floor during my stops in Paris, and also showcased her culinary skills to me when she made delicious arepas. Read her blog Sacando la Lengua [es] and follow her on Twitter @lenguaraz.

Luis Diego Molina and Adriana Vargas [Costa Rica] - I hesitate to not give each of these young authors their own recognition, but they've been working together on the citizen journalism project Habla Costa Rica, where they have reported from the ground during events like the protests at the University of Costa Rica. I've been thoroughly impressed with their willingness to learn and how much dedication they have put into their project. Follow the project on Twitter: @hablacostarica.

Lully Posada [Colombia] - Lully is such a strong supporter of citizen media projects around the world, but there is one that has attracted more attention than others. In fact, she has started volunteering with the HiperBarrio project helping out with workshops, but more importantly, providing encouragement and motivation to the new bloggers. She is also one of the co-founders of the equinoXio digital magazine, and provides interesting interviews. Read her blog: Reflexiones al Desnudo [es] and follow her on Twitter: @lullyp.

Milton Ramírez [Ecuador] - Milton or perhaps I should write Dr. Ramírez, has been one of the most prolific GV authors from the region over the past several years. Milton holds a doctorate in Education and is extremely interested in examining the relationship between education and technology. He is also a champion for local technology projects and events in his native Ecuador, including extensive coverage of BarCamps and other digital campaigns. His love for his home region of Loja has placed the city on my must-visits someday. Read his blog: Education and Tech and follow him on Twitter: @tonnet.

Renata Avila [Guatemala] - As one of the resident Creative Commons experts within the Latin America team, Renata is the lead for the Creative Commons project in her native Guatemala. She is also serving as one of the co-leads in the Technology for Transparency project at Global Voices. Renata also holds a special interest in the plight of the indigenous communities in her country and which has served as a subject for many of her articles on Global Voices. Read her blog: Nothing is Permanent [es] and follow her on Twitter: @avilarenata

Rocío Díaz [Dominican Republic] - Rocío is our first author from the island of the Dominican Republic. She took great care in presenting a wide range of issues from the colorful characters of Carnival to the national sport of baseball, as well as the DR's response to the earthquake in neighboring Haiti. She started blogging as part of a national movement for community action, which helps draw attention to problems, as well as solutions in the island's municipalities. Read her blog: Monaco [es].

Silvia Viñas [Uruguay/Chile] - As the new Regional Editor for Latin America, Silvia has always been willing to fill in whenever needed, whether it be about issues facing Chile or Uruguay. No wonder she is so flexible, since she describes herself as half-Uruguayan and half-Spanish, and has lived in five Latin American countries. This allows her to be a great fit for the role of Latin America Editor, who needs to be well-versed in the affairs of an entire region. When she is not online posting and editing, she is the mother of an adorable two year-old, who just celebrated her birthday. Read her blog: Walking Around [es] and follow her on Twitter: @silviavinas

This is only a partial list, as there are many more authors who have recently joined or who have been recently inactive, but have been an integral part of making the Latin America region as strong as it has become. These authors include: Claudio Ruíz [Chile], Clotilde Castillo [Panama], Nike Jung [Chile], Muna Annahas [Paraguay], Roy Rojas [Costa Rica], Celeste Calvet [Argentina], Aaron Ortiz [Honduras], Leonidas Mejia [Honduras], Mario Durán [Bolivia], Carlos Suasnavas [Ecuador], Mario Blanco [Uruguay], Tim Muth [El Salvador], Rodrigo Peñalba [Nicaragua], Melissa De León[Panama], Luis Carlos Díaz [Venezuela], Rosario Lizana [Chile], Iria Puyosa [Venezuela], Claudia Cadelo [Cuba], Alvaro Berroteran [Nicaragua], HJ Barraza [Mexico].

As you can see, the Latin America team is very diverse, not only in the part of the world that they cover, but in their own personal interests and background. Congratulations to such an amazing team of volunteers for making the Latin America region so well represented at Global Voices.

Written by Eduardo Avila · comments (15)
Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper