Archive for July, 2007
Will the olive branch from Cuba to U.S. be reciprocated?
12:01 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba|Politics · 1 Comment
27 Jul 2007
While Fidel was a no-show at a Cuban national celebration yesterday, brother Raúl addressed the crowd with a pointed message to the U.S. that his government will extend the olive branch to the incoming U.S. administration:
…Raúl Castro centered his message on the U.S., historic enemy of the Cuban revolution, and extended his hand to the administration that will replace that of George W. Bush, whom he accuses of maintaining a “retrograde and fundamentalist” way of thinking which “allows no room for rational analysis.”“The new administration will have to decide whether it maintains the absurd, illegal and failed policy against Cuba, or if it will accept the olive branch that we extended to them on the 50th anniversary of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, when we reaffirmed our willingness to discuss with equality our prolonged differences with the U.S.”, he emphasized. Raúl Castro was referring to the offer of dialogue that he made to the White House last December 2nd.
I.D. cards are a reality in New Haven
11:37 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Connecticut|Controversia|Immigration · Comments Off
27 Jul 2007
As some cities try to write discrimination into their local laws (and then find that these laws are illegal), one East Coast community is making immigrants’ lives easier. Last month Maegan told us about the plan approved in New Haven Connecticut to provide I.D. cards to undocumented immigrants, which would make getting access to local services a lot easier. Earlier this week, the cards became a reality, but not without controversy. Reuters reports:
Opponents hope to rally the public against it. Southern Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Reform says the ID cards will change “the entire country as we know it” and is organizing a protest on Tuesday at city hall.“There are millions of illegal aliens right around us that when these ID cards are available to them, they will rush to them and get some identification that will allow them to go to other cities,” said Ted Pechinski, who leads the group.
Hazleton’s Anti-Immigrant Laws are Declared Illegal
4:21 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Immigration|Justice · Comments Off
26 Jul 2007
U.S. District Judge James Munley has struck down the city of Hazleton’s tough new law, the Illegal Immigration Relief Act. This decision could impact other anti-immigrant ordinances throughout the country by setting a legal precedent.
The decision is expected to be appealed by Republican Mayor Lou Barletta, the chief proponent of the law who pointed the finger at undocumented immigrants for the city’s ills.
Mexico City to welcome MTV Latin Music Awards
2:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Events|Media|mexico|Music · Comments Off
26 Jul 2007
Mexico City is becoming a destination for high-profile events. Most recently, the Mexican capital was the site of the Miss Universe pageant, and last year the MTV Latin Music Awards. This year the awards will be back in the Distrito Federal, something that makes the city’s mayor very proud:
“For the second time we’re going to have the awards here in Mexico City….it’s the only city that’s hosted the awards for two years,” said Ebrard congratulating himself.
Calm yourself, it’s not the Oscars. But it does sound like it’s shaping up to be a memorable show. Cafe Tacuba is said to be headlining, and the city will set up 16 giant screens all over the city so that everyone can watch on October 18th.
You can’t blame Ebrard for being happy. According to Peru’s RPP, the awards are supposed to bring in $30 million for the city.
Via / RPP Noticias
Piri Thomas Goes Down Mean Streets With His Stepson
2:10 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Books|Controversia|New York City · 1 Comment
26 Jul 2007
Legendary Puerto Rican writer Piri Thomas is involved in a legal battle with his stepson, David Elder and the Hotel Chelsea management.
When David’s mother died in 1986, she left her 16% interest in the Chelsea Hotel to David and his two siblings in trust. However, the trust stipulated that Piri Thomas, her husband and David’s stepfather, was to receive all income from the trust for as long as he lived.
David and his siblings didn’t care for that arrangement and have refused to hand over the 1.2 million that the trust has generated in income, forcing Piri to sue for the money. Though the court called David and his siblings’ argument that the income was principal “absurd,” and ruled against them, they have tied it up in appeals.
Castro was a no-show at the party
11:47 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba|Politics · Comments Off
26 Jul 2007
In spite of his prolific writing and recent reports that he’s on the mend, Cuban president Fidel Castro once again missed one of his nation’s most important events. Revelers at the celebration commemorating the July 26th assault on the Moncada barracks in 1953 was instead led by the other Castro, brother Raul.
The expectations of a public reappearance by the Cuban leader had ostensibly lessened the night before, when press officially announced that it would be Raul Castro who would lead give the keynote speech for event, which is the island’s main revolutionary event.
Venezuela’s El Universal reports that it was precisely one year before when Fidel made his last public appearance at the very same event, and had surgery the next day.
Via / El Universal
Liar Liar , Documents Say Gonzales’ Pants Are on Fire
10:06 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Politics · Comments Off
26 Jul 2007
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is like a bad boyfriend. He swears up and down that he’s going to stay and make things better but all the evidence proves him to be nothing but a liar and a cheat. Under oath and before Congress Gonzales that emergency meetings on March 10, 2004, focused on a mysterious nameless intelligence program not Bush’s terrorist surveillance program.”
The dissent related to other intelligence activities,” Gonzales testified at Tuesday’s hearing. “The dissent was not about the terrorist surveillance program.”
“Not the TSP?” responded Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York. “Come on. If you say it’s about other, that implies not. Now say it or not.”
“It was not,” Gonzales answered. “It was about other intelligence activities.”
But like a pivotal moment in a novela, enter documents, obtained by The Associated Press.
Ricky Martin Expands His Tour (And he’s coming to NYC)
8:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Music|New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off
26 Jul 2007
The last time I saw Ricky Martin in concert he wasn’t even legal, was singing as part of Menudo and I wasn’t yet la Mala . Ah but oh how time flies and with his growing outspokenness I was thrilled to see that the second U.S. leg Of his BLACK & WHITE TOUR includes a stop here in NYC. So far his shows have been selling out and I have no doubt that the shows scheduled for NYC, Cali, and Texas will sell out as well. Ricky also will return to his home isla del encanto Puerto Rico on August 10th & 11th to film a concert DVD that is planned for release later this fall. To see the entire lineup of the second part of his tour read after the jump.
2000 Posts! VivirLatino has seen it all
7:20 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · VivirLatino · 2 Comments
25 Jul 2007
Around this time two years ago, we began the offline test phase of what would later become VivirLatino.com, a project all of us were excited and passionate about, and which had one clear goal in mind: to help fill the void in Latino online media. That passion hasn’t waned one bit in the past two years, and the biggest part of what keeps us going day after day is you! Today, as we celebrate the milestone of the 2000th post on our blog, we want to say thanks to the thousands of you who read us daily, and support us in other ways as well. We love you guys!
All gushing aside, 2000 posts is A LOT of writing. It seems like if it happened, we wrote about it. We’ve live blogged major (and not so major) events, we’ve covered the Latin Grammies and a Democratic debate, we’ve attended protests and rallies, and we’ve even covered elections coast to coast. And even all that doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the chisme, controversy and polemic we’ve covered, and the debates we’ve engaged in — willingly or unwillingly — as a result of it. Phew!
As we approach our second birthday, October 2nd, we’ll be taking a look back on the stories we’ve covered and where they are today. And if you have any favorite posts or stories you’d like us to revisit, please let us know in the comments section.
¡Viva VL!
Struggling students opt for medical school in Cuba
11:45 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba|Education|Politics|society · 1 Comment
25 Jul 2007
In what may be Fidel Castro‘s best PR moment of the year, and, coincidentally, excellent promo for Michael Moore‘s new film Sicko, 8 American students have graduated from medical school — in Cuba. Reports the International Herald Tribune:
Four New Yorkers, three Californians and a Minnesota native, all from minority backgrounds, have studied in Havana since April 2001.The six women and two men made up the first class of Americans to graduate from the Latin American School of Medicine since Castro offered free medical training to U.S. students after meeting with a delegation from the Congressional Black Caucus seven years ago.
“I’ve learned that medicine is not a business,” said Toussaint Reynolds, a graduate from Massapequa, New York. “I will be a better doctor in the United States for it.”
Hola!
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