Lat/Am Daily » Side notes

NAFTA and Mexican maize

Peter Krupa — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:56:41 +0000

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.)

Farinas ends hunger strike

Peter Krupa — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:32:19 +0000

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]

Uruguay fuels up

Peter Krupa — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:31:25 +0000

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]

Guinea pig bets on Uruguay

Gubernatorial candidate assassinated

Peter Krupa — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:52:08 +0000

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]

Ballerina’s role in Panama coup attempt

Peter Krupa — Mon, 31 May 2010 02:52:31 +0000

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]

Porteños mount up

El Lobo’s ugly weapons collection

Peter Krupa — Fri, 07 May 2010 03:28:09 +0000

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]

Ranchers sentenced in murder of nun

Peter Krupa — Tue, 04 May 2010 03:32:18 +0000

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]

Car chase in Mexico

Peter Krupa — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:47:09 +0000

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 on Mockus

Peter Krupa — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:21:20 +0000

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]

Cruise lines to abandon Antarctica

Peter Krupa — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 23:17:37 +0000

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]