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: Economy
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 Argentina, Politics Tagged Argentina, Central Bank, Kirchner, mercedes marcó del pont Leave a comment
TACA and Avianca merge
El Salvador's Grupo TACA and Colombia's Avianca have completed a "strategic" merger.
Also posted in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru Tagged airlines, Avianca, TACA Leave a comment
Redrado steps down
Martín Redrado resigned his post as president of Argentina's Central Bank last night. Bloomberg News has a comprehensive round-up.
Honduras: Broke.
Honduras is, for all intents and purposes, broke. That is, incoming Finance Minister William Chong told the AP that Micheletti left the government with only about $50 million in its coffers
Also posted in Honduras Tagged broke, Honduras, international aid, lempiras, Mel Zelaya, Porfirio Lobo Leave a comment
Currency woes
Chávez is trying to prop up the bolivar with gushes of U.S. dollars from the government's reserves. Bloomberg says it won't work.
Also posted in Venezuela Tagged bolivar, Chávez, inflation, things that won't work, Venezuela 2 Comments
Venezuela: Still on the brink
The world is condemning Venezuela for shutting down more media outlets. But international finger-wagging and domestic rioting have happened before, with no effect.
Also posted in Human Rights, Politics, Venezuela Tagged Chávez, freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch, inflation, Organization of American States, protests, RCTV, Reporters Without Borders, students, Venezuela Leave a comment
Central Bank autonomy at stake
The New York Times published a nice article the other day on the controversy over Argentina’s Central Bank. Over the next few days, the Argentine Congress is going to be looking at the situation and deciding whether to fire Redrado – as Kirchner wants – or to keep him on. I imagine what most observers [...]
Argentina’s China problem
What with a Central Bank president defying her orders and a rogue vice president whose actions in her absence would be unpredictable, President Cristina Kirchner elected at the last minute to stay home from Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. She’s not the only one. Clarin reports that only 73 Argentine businesses will be present at [...]
Piñera clearing the air