Stories about Spanish from March, 2011
Venezuela: H1N1 Cases on the Rise
The H1N1 virus has hit Venezuela. While writing this post, on March 28, the number of people infected with the virus is 415. Using Twitter, Venezuelans are sharing their frustration at the increasing number of cases as they tweet the latest official information and encourage each other to take precautions.
Colombia: Indigenous Communities Protect their Food Security
Indigenous communities in Colombia are taking steps to protect their food security. Not only are they educating their communities to eat what they grow on their vegetable gardens instead of buying expensive food brought from outside but they are also protesting new laws and regulations limiting their access to milk.
Colombia: The Lady of Colombian Television Dies
The blog Portal Vallenato reviews the death [es] of Gloria Valencia de Castaño [es] (1927 – 2011) from respiratory failure on March 24. Valencia pioneered radio and television projects in Colombia. She was known as “the lady of Colombian television” and as a major figure (as host, image and voice...
Colombia: Fractal, a Sci-Fi event in Medellín
Juan Diego Gómez posts in his blog about Fractal'11, an event about fiction, art, science and technology that will take place in Medellín, Colombia, on April 8-9, 2011. Juan Diego introduces [es] some of the speakers: awarded Science Fiction writer Kij Johnson (@kijjohnson), cyborg anthropologist Amber Case (@caseorganic), researcher Johanna...
Peru: Analysis of Latest Election Poll Results
Silvio Rendon from Gran Combo Club [es] analyzes the latest election poll results. The latest poll from March 27 shows candidate Ollanta Humala in the lead with Alejandro Toledo and Keiko Fujimori close behind him: “Humala's growth, the collapse of Toledo and Fujimori's stagnation follow a trend seen previously,” Silvio...
Guatemala: Should Inmates be Allowed to Vote?
Blogger Luis Figueroa [es] wonders if inmates should be allowed to vote in the upcoming elections. Guatemala's Tribunal Supremo Electoral (Supreme Electoral Tribunal) is considering installing polling stations in prisons to allow inmates to vote.
Colombia: Controversy Over Photos of Minors Published by Adult Magazine
An article, titled "Let the children come to me" (referencing Mark 10:14), which includes photos from an exhibition by photographer Mauricio Vélez depicting staged scenes of nude underage boys (or models pretending to be minors) being watched by actors dressed as Catholic priests has caused controversy both offline and online.
Panama: Saying Goodbye to Guillermo Ford
Politician and businessman Guillermo "Billy" Ford died on March 19. Panamanians said goodbye with respect, remembering his role in the search for democracy during the eighties. This was an opportunity to reflect on the current state of values in the country and the legacy we leave behind.
Puerto Rico: Interview of La Acera's team
Listen to the interview of the team behind the collective blog La Acera [es] in which they talk about the Puerto Rican blogosphere, and the Internet as a potential space of media democratization, and the way they work in editorial terms.
Puerto Rico: Documentary on the UPR
The art blog The Fractal [es] features Osvaldo Budet's documentary “More than 800 Reasons” on the student strike at the University of Puerto Rico. The title refers to the protest against the imposition of an $800 special tuition fee.
Puerto Rico: The art of Aslan
The collective blog El Faktor, dedicated to showcasing unknown and underground artists, features the art of Aslan [es].
Spanish-Speaking Bloggers React to Earthquake in Japan
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake which shook Japan on March 11th has provoked reactions from Spanish-speaking bloggers from all over the world. After reviewing news of various disasters around the world and most recently in Japan, the question which arises is: faced with a disaster, would you abandon your home?
Puerto Rico: Controversial Supreme Court decision
Blogger and Law scholar Erika Fontánez Torres [es] analyzes the recent decision [es] of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico that denies “adulterous” women the protections guaranteed under the Law against Domestic Violence.
Argentina: 35 Years After the Coup d'état
35 years after the coup d'état in Argentina, on March 24, 1976, various activities took place across the country. Argentinean bloggers reacted to the fact that the day is now a national holiday, and shared their thoughts and feelings about what the day means for the country.
Puerto Rico: Unique traditions
The team of #EnProfundo have posted their 41st podcast titled: “Unique and Innovative Traditions” [es]. They talk about a recently launched political candidate, the earthquake in Japan, and a new culinary product in Puerto Rico, among other topics.
Argentina: The Conflict between Teatro Colón and the City of Buenos Aires
After twelve years since his last performance in Argentina, Plácido Domingo was scheduled to sing on March 23 at the Teatro Colón theater in Buenos Aires. However, the concert inside the theater was canceled as the very musicians of the theater refused to play there because of their conflict with the city's administration. As a compromise, a concert was held outdoors, but the conflict between the theater's musicians and the city is far from over.
Brazil/Argentina: LGBT advocates repudiate death threats
The Federación Argentina LGBT (Lesbian Gay Transexual and Transgender Federation of Argentina) repudiates [es] the death threats addressed to the federal deputy Jean Wyllys – the first assumed homossexual to enter the Brazilian Parliament.
El Salvador: Citizen Reactions to Obama's Visit
The visit of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has sparked comments in favor and against his trip among Salvadoreans. The visit has also stirred up a heated debate on the Salvadoran blogosphere.
Colombia: Columnist Threatens to Sue Twitter User for Slander
Political website La Silla Vacía summarizes [es] the online fight between columnist Ernesto Yamhure (@eyamhure), a staunch supporter of former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez, and Twitter user Nicolás González (@nicoagonzalez). González criticized Yamhure's latest op-ed [es] where he mentions a character played by late comedian Jaime Garzón, claiming [es] the...
Ecuador: Investigation Around Newborn Deaths Continues
According to Ecuador's latest census, more than 14 million people live in the country, but there is still no consensus on the national infant mortality rate. Recent incidents have called attention to health care practices in neonatal units in Ecuadorian hospitals, triggering an investigation around newborn deaths in the country.
Paraguay: Photo Blog Reveals Dangers of Childbirth
Most Paraguayans are not aware of the high rates of death from childbirth and abortion in the country. These issues are rarely reported on mainstream media. This is why running into Rodrigo Alfaro’s photo blog post on death from childbirth in Paraguay is horrifying and shocking --even for a Paraguayan.
