DAILY LINKS
The Nation has a long, wonky, wonderful article on Mexican maize cultivation, the effects of NAFTA, and the dangers of genetically-modified seeds. Author Peter Canby backs up his excellent writing with piles and piles of meticulous research. Not to be missed. [link, via SM] (Image from Joel Penner.)
Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas ended his hunger strike yesterday after 134 days. Farinas decided to end his strike after the Cuban government said it would release political prisoners rounded up in the "Black Spring" crackdown of 2003. Get well soon. [link]
The Uruguayan selection, which has made it to the quarter finals of the World Cup, just received a shipment of half a ton of fine cuts of beef for the mother of all asados in preparation for a contest against Ghana on Friday: "450 kilos of lomo, 200 of entrecot, 75 of vacío, 75 of colita de cuadril, 150 of ojo de bife and 50 kg of picaña." [link]
Hitmen have assassinated the PRI candidate for governor of Tamaulipas State, Rodolfo Torre Cantú. Torre was gunned down along with six others at about 10:30 this morning on a highway on the way to a campaign event. Drug mafias are assumed to be responsible. [link]
From the days when coups were something of a regional sport, new documents detail a famous British ballerina's role in a plot to topple the government of Panama. The plan was to use her yacht to gather men and arms, then "land somewhere and collect in the hills." It didn't work. [link]
Mexico's Attorney General's Office has posted on its web site irrefutable evidence that gold-plated AR-15s and diamond-studded pistol grips are not nearly as cool-looking as they sound. The deadly knick-knack collection is said to belong to Valencia Cartel leader El Lobo. [link]
Two Brazilian ranchers were sentenced to 30 years in prison apiece for ordering the killing of an environmentalist nun: "Prosecutors said the pair offered to pay a gunman $25,000 to kill the 73-year-old [Dorothy] Stang because she had prevented them from stealing a piece of land that the government had granted to a group of poor farmers." [link]
This video of a kidnapping and car chase in Mexico is notable mainly for the bad-assitude of the TV journalists who were on this like white on rice. Well done, gentlemen.
The Economist takes a peak at the Mockus phenomenon in Colombia: "His moustacheless beard gives him the air of a Baltic pastor... He is financing his campaign with a bank overdraft. His supporters rely on Facebook and make their own posters; street vendors sell unofficial campaign T-shirts." [link]
Some cruise lines will cease traveling to Antarctica after this cruise season, as a ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil goes into effect next year. The ban came after a 2007 incident when a Gap Adventures ship got punctured by ice and sank, causing a mess. [link]
Category Archives: Argentina
Bonding
Venezuela’s system of foreign exchange restrictions has always been two-tiered. On the bottom tier are normal people, who have to go through the government to get dollars. They suffer months of delays and bureaucracy, if they get approval at all. On the top tier are rich people and financial institutions, who purchase dollar-denominated Argentine bonds [...]
Also posted in Economy, Venezuela Tagged Argentina, bolivar, bonds, exchange rates, Venezuela Leave a comment
Oceans catorce
This sounds like it should be in pre-production. The alleged perps of the “Theft of the Century” in Argentina are on trial. The theft itself sounds… amazing: The “Theft of the Century” took place on January 13, 2006, in the Acasusso branch of Banco Río, when five criminals stole at least US$8 million in gold [...]
Update on N. Kirchner’s surgery
He’s fine. The surgery was “routine,” removing some plaque from his carotid artery and placing a shunt. All that drama about last rites and whatnot was, well, drama. Below is an illustration from Clarín explaining what exactly went on. Click to enlarge.
BREAKING: Kirchner rushed to surgery
Former Argentine President (and husband of the current president) Néstor Kirchner was rushed to the hospital this morning for surgery after he… fainted? (Descompensación… and here I was thinking I would never need to translate medical documents.) It sounds like he’s having circulatory problems and doctors will be operating on his right carotid artery. Clarín [...]
Loose money
Argentina has a new Central Bank president, and by all accounts her appointment puts an end to not only autonomy, but also orthodox monetary policy in the management of the nation's currency.
Also posted in Economy, Politics Tagged Argentina, Central Bank, Kirchner, mercedes marcó del pont Leave a comment
Porteños mount up
Now here's a plan I can get behind. The Buenos Aires municipal government is going to offer its 120,000 employees subsidized loans for buying bicycles that they can ride to work. The loan program is part of a larger plan to get 5% of the city's 6 million commuters (300,000) to start biking to work. So far, only about 30,000 to 80,000 do so.
Kirchners in the hotseat: Why buy US$2 million?
Though the power struggle over Argentina's Central Bank has ended, the controversy hasn't. Central Bank ex-President Redrado made good on his threat to release a list of "friends of the power" who had purchased dollars from the Central Bank. A more accurate description would have been "husband of the power."
Also posted in Politics Tagged Argentina, controversy, Cristina de Kirchner, dollars, exchange rates, Kirchner, mysteries, Néstor Kirchner, pesos Leave a comment
And the nominees are…
Two Latin American movies are up for an Oscar in the awkwardly-named Foreign Language Film category.
Redrado steps down
Martín Redrado resigned his post as president of Argentina's Central Bank last night. Bloomberg News has a comprehensive round-up.
Voodoo economics