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: Human Rights
Displaced for gold?
After being strafed by the Colombian military, an indigenous group is claiming that a controversial mining concession is behind the harassment (story in English).
Mass grave found in Colombia
A mass grave with 2,000 bodies in it was discovered outside a Colombian town, 200km south of Bogotá
Women imprisioned for having abortions
Eight women are being prosecuted for murder in Veracruz after having abortions, according to an NGO called the Veracruz Women's Institute (Instituto Veracruz de la Mujer).
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 Economy, 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
Say no to Tasers
Two thumbs up for Argentine legislator Francisco “Tito” Nenna for raising a stink over the Buenos Aires police’s acquisition of five Taser X26. Calling them “torture implements,” he pointed out that both the UN and Amnesty International frown on their use. Electricity is a great method for torturing people because it hurts like hell and [...]
Venezuela shuts down cable TV channels
Last night, the Venezuelan government cut off the cable transmissions of four channels nationwide, including that of RCTV. You might recall that the government had already cut off RCTV once, in 2007, by not renewing its bandwidth concession. Now it’s been silenced via cable as well. It’s not yet clear why exactly the government moved [...]
The politics of a massacre