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: Mexico
Rolling southward
Last week I laughed when I read a comment from a Mexican health insurance executive blaming a 16% increase in the cost of health insurance last year on “people getting sick more.” Then my wife said, “Diet?” and I said, hm. And now I read this great post from Structurally Maladjusted on The NAFTA Diet. [...]
Bomb goes off at U.S. consulate
Someone threw a bomb at the U.S. consulate in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The incident took place at night, so no one was injured. The small device broke some glass. No word yet on what it was or who is taking responsibility. It’s the second recent attack on U.S. government personnel/installations after three people related [...]
The AP has called the Juárez turf war, and the winner is: The Sinaloa Cartel, led by El Chapo. Along with a little the help of the Mexican army, Chapo’s people have taken the Juárez cartel out of business and now own that trafficking route. [link]
International observers say Mexico City has made some good progress with its air pollution problem: “On a scale of one to 10, they were at 10, and now they’re at five.” Serious pollutants like lead are less common and public transportation has been expanded, though the city still has to struggle with the fact that [...]
Also posted in Environment, Side notes Leave a comment
Rape victims taking Mexico to court
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights will hear a case against Mexico next week. Two indigenous women from Guerrero state say they were raped by soldiers in 2002. Since the Mexican state has taken no action toward solving the crime and bringing the rapists to justice, the case has made it to the Court. One [...]
Also posted in Human Rights Tagged Amnesty International, CNDH, Human Rights, Mexico Leave a comment
Mexican authorities round up criminals
As if they didn’t have anything better to do, yesterday Mexico’s federal police arrested two foreign journalist for public urination. NPR journalist John Burnett and CBC journalist Bruce Livesey were on their way back to Juárez to continue covering the ceaseless killing and violence and lawlessness when they allegedly stopped to partake in some of [...]
Latin America is the most unequal region in the world, according to a recent report from the U.N. The wealthiest 20% of the population hold 56% of the total wealth. The most unequal countries in the region are Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, with Venezuela and Colombia also fairing particularly badly. [link]
Also posted in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Human Rights, Side notes, Uruguay, Venezuela Leave a comment
Whither the wrath of the Empire?
It’s all well and good that the U.S. and Mexico are chummy and joining forces to fight crime and whatnot. But I seem to recall that the reason Hillary & Co. made a rush visit to Mexico – the last straw, let’s say – was that three people connected to the U.S. Consulate in Juárez [...]
Today from The Mex Files, a brief look at a despicable figure from Mexican history, Victoriano Huerta: “He hunted down Zapatistas (and anyone who looked like they might be a Zapatista — meaning, basically — everybody), stringing them up and engaging in a scorched earth policy across Morelos State.” [link]
Also posted in History, Side notes Leave a comment
Women prisoners trafficked for prostitution