Archive for May, 2007
It’s Latino Vote Courting Time
4:56 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Politics · Comments Off
31 May 2007
When Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaragosa, endorsed Hilary Clinton he set off the race. Not the presidential race but the race for the hearts and minds of us, the Latino voter. Republican Mitt Romney has hired a Spanish-language media adviser in Florida. Both Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards have Spanish language portions on their websites. You know that the Spanish language commercials and salsa dancing candidates aren’t far behind.
Via / Time
FARC to Release Prisoners?
4:23 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Colombia|Politics · Comments Off
31 May 2007
The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia aka FARC of Colombia may just be getting ready to release oe of their longest held hostages, former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and others. This is according to a Colombian Senator. Clara Rojas, also a former presidential candidate, and her son are also allegedly set to be released. According to the Senator the releases are happening as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of the FARC. Betancourt has been held since 2002.
Via / El Diario/ La Prensa
“The Today Show” to broadcast from Cuba
3:26 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba|Politics|TV · Comments Off
31 May 2007
A.M. fluff-fest The Today Show is going after an edgier story: the political and social situation on the island nation of Cuba. And they are taking their camera and host Matt Lauer there to report from the country next week.
Matt Lauer and NBC’s “Today” show will broadcast live from Cuba next Tuesday to report on the political and economic climate there.Although Lauer is a frequent round-the-world traveler for “Today,” it took 18 months to arrange the visit to a country only 90 miles from the United States, said Jim Bell, the show’s executive producer. Bell used his ability to speak Spanish in the negotiations.
“It’s always timely to go to Cuba,” Bell said. “There’s always news there. Being there is news in itself.”
Somehow I don’t see Matt Lauer as the kind of hard journalist to cover this type of story, or The Today Show as being the forum for a discussion on topics like future regime change, civil liberties, communism and the embargo. You can’t with a clear conscience do a fluff piece on Cuba. But then again, Matt’s cutesy former co-host Katie Couric is hosting the CBS Evening News so I guess anything can happen.
Via / Hispanic Business
Songwriter Estefano in critical condition
12:03 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|crime|Miami|Music · Comments Off
31 May 2007
Estefano, the acclaimed Colombian songwriter known for his collaborations with artists such as Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony and Thalia, among others, was shot last Friday at his own home, presumably in a planned hit. EFE reports today that the artist remains in stable but critical condition:
The songwriter is in Intensive Care at Jackson Memorial Hospital [Miami] and, according to physicians, his life is not in danger, unless unexpected complications arise. A spokesperson for the police said that they are investigating under what circumstances the shooting, which occurred at the mansion of the producer in the exclusive Venetian Causeway area, took place.
Estefano was reportedly shot in the chest and the head by his handyman, Francisco Oliveira, who was delivering marijuana to the songwriter. Oliveira has since been arrested.
Via / Diario Las Americas
Ethanol to lead to tequila shortage?
5:17 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Environment|Lifestyle|mexico · Comments Off
30 May 2007
While some have criticized a boom in ethanol production might lead to deforestation in Brazil, it might have yet another ugly effect on a country a little closer to home: Mexico. Please say it ain’t so:
Mexican farmers are setting ablaze fields of blue agave, the cactus-like plant used to make the fiery spirit tequila, and resowing the land with corn as soaring U.S. ethanol demand pushes up prices.The switch to corn will contribute to an expected scarcity of agave in coming years, with officials predicting that farmers will plant between 25 percent and 35 percent less agave this year to turn the land over to corn.
According to Reuters, the abundance of Mexico’s beloved agave led to an oversupply of tequila and agave prices so low it wasn’t worth it to farmers to stick with the plant. As the demand for ethanol increases, corn prices soar, so it’s bye-bye agave. Get ready to pay $50 a bottle for some crappy Cuervo.
Via / MSNBC
Bloggers strike out against Spain
2:51 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Blogs|Controversia|Cuba|Spain · 1 Comment
30 May 2007
Last week we told you about a controversial ad for Spain’s Iberia airlines which had a Spanish consumer group up in arms over its depiction of Cuba. The ad was pulled due to pressure by the group, and has been covered by quite a few bloggers. On a related note, a group of conservative Cuban bloggers have announced their condemnation of the Spanish government for its relationship with Cuba. Calling themselves the “Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty” (BUCL), they’ve launched a multimedia campaign against Spain:
“This effort marks the first of several coordinated activities aimed at exposing those countries, companies and institutions that aid and abet the Castro regime in oppressing the Cuban people,” said Henry Gomez, the spokesman for Bloggers United for Cuban Freedom. Gomez continues:
As if Immigration Didn’t Have Enough Problems, It Raises Rates
2:42 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Immigration · Comments Off
30 May 2007
Yesterday, Emilio González, the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, announced a total of 39 rate hikes for various services. The hikes, he explained, are needed to ensure efficient service. Beginning July 30, application fees to become a U.S. citizen will nearly double while those seeking legal permanent residency will have to pay triple the current fee for a green card. The application fees for U.S. citizenship will rise from $330 to $595, with an additional required fee of $80 for electronic fingerprints. The fees for a “green card,” or a legal permanent resident visa, will rise from $325 to $1,010.The fees for filing for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or work permit, also went up, from $185 to $340.
Via / El Diario / la Prensa
Dead Prez’s Can’t Vote in DR Anymore
2:06 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Dominican Republic · Comments Off
30 May 2007
What do Juan Bosch and Joaquin Balaguer have in common? If you answered that they were both presidents of the Dominican Republic and died in 2002 you’d be partially correct. Up until recently they were also eligible voters. How recently? Up until last week. Their names along with thousands of other Dominicans who are deceased, have emigrated or are otherwise ineligible to vote in next year’s elections were purged from the official record.
Via / CBS
RCTV closing roundup: Protests go on amid Chavez threats
8:16 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Media|TV|Venezuela · Comments Off
29 May 2007
Though RCTV went off the air over 48 hours ago, the media is still buzzing with stories about the end of Venezuela’s oldest television network.
El Universal reports that the International Press Institute has condemned Venezuela for the closing, saying:
“IPI believes the decision to close RCTV has apparent political motivations and believes RCTV came under attack because of its critical stance vis-à-vis Venezuelan current situation,” said IPI director Johann Fritz. “We urge both President Hugo Chávez and the relevant authorities to ensure that RCTV resumes broadcasts immediately.”
The BBC reports that the street protests in Caracas go on while President Hugo Chavez issued an ominous warning to another news network, Globovision, for broadcasting coverage of the events:
“Enemies of the homeland, particularly those behind the scenes, I will give you a name: Globovision. Greetings, gentlemen of Globovision, you should watch where you are going,” Mr Chavez said.“I recommend you take a tranquiliser and get into gear, because if not, I am going to do what is necessary.”
Santiago, shrouded in smog
12:15 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Chile|Environment · Comments Off
29 May 2007
The Chilean capital of Santiago is yet again under an emergency alert for the levels of smog reached in the city. The above photo from Spain’s 20 Minutos shows the city almost invisible and covered by smog on May 24th. Yesterday the city government declared another emergency alert which took 600,000 cars off the road in an effort to bring down the smog levels. According to 20 Minutos, reports of bronchial obstructions and pneumonia in children and the elderly went up 30 percent on Monday.
Via / 20 Minutos
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
About | Advertise with us | Contact | Twitter
blog advertising is good for you
blog advertising is good for you
- Karen: Have you see the census figures for 2010? Latinos are not all that diverse. Most" Latinos" are Mexic [...]
- Maegan La Mala: Hi Karen, I agree but only in part. I think that people do get up in cults of personality but th [...]
- Maegan La Mala: I haven't heard anything about a rally being held Jose Luis. i know Presente.org is organizing a pet [...]
- Karen: Also, Al Sharpton, now a host on MSNBC, brought attention to the Trayvon Martin case because he knew [...]
- jose luis: when the rally is going to be held in SAn Diego..if there is on??? [...]
- Welcome to NY Secure Communities
- DOJ Puts Sheriff Arpaio on Notice. Who Will Put the DOJ on Notice?
- VL at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival: Babygirl
- 45th Precinct Residents to File Complaint Against Abusive NYPD Officers
- Monday Musica : Maga Bo – Quilombo do Futuro
- NYC : Confronting Police Violence in the Courts – May 19, 1-3pm – Justice Committee Workshop
- Passage of NYS DREAM Fund No Dream Come True
- No Surprise in the S-Comm Task Force Sham
- Why There Will be no Winners in the S.B. 1070 Supreme Court Decision.
- Worldwide Debut of Ana Tijoux’s Video Sacar la Voz
