New York, U.S.A. – Two leading television industry publications, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News have announced that Comcast Cable will be the first-ever recipient of their new award for Leadership in Hispanic Television. This recognition will be presented to leading executives of Comcast Cable during the Awards Luncheon at the Tenth Annual Hispanic Television Summit, to be held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square of New York City on Wednesday, October 3, 2012.

Louis Hillelson, the Group Publisher for the two publications said, “Comcast has long demonstrated a remarkable tenacity toward an on-going commitment to effectively serve Hispanic customers. The management and employees of Comcast are well-deserving of this recognition because they continue to innovate and re-invigorate their efforts to provide exceptional programming, promotions, technology, and customer service for the Hispanic consumer base within the company’s market areas.”

Hillelson went on to mention, “We are very happy to be able to recognize Comcast as the first recipient of this note-worthy acknowledgment.”

The award for Leadership in Hispanic Television is being introduced in celebration of the tenth anniversary of this signature conference for those in the business of television for Hispanic viewers. The award acknowledges a single company or organization for their extraordinary efforts to serve Hispanic viewers.  This is one of two recognitions to be made at the Awards Luncheon.

The other award to be presented will go to an individual who has demonstrated their ability to support the growth and development of the Hispanic television industry. This other award has traditionally been presented annually and is called the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Hispanic Television.

“Meeting and exceeding the needs of the Hispanic market is a high priority for Comcast,” said Marcien Jenckes, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Video Services for Comcast. “We are honored to accept this award as a testament to the outstanding work of our dedicated multicultural team who continue to find ways to deliver compelling new products and the best content lineups for current and prospective Hispanic customers every day.”

The Hispanic Television Summit has been presented each autumn since 2003. It has become a “must attend event” for those in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American viewing audience. Last year, the Hispanic Television Summit attracted 500 attendees from across the country, Latin America and Spain. This year’s event is expected to meet or exceed prior attendance records

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London, England — GSMA Latin America have announced the commitment of the main mobile network operators (MNOs) in Latin America to collaborate with the regional governments in initiatives designed to reduce mobile phone theft and related crime. This voluntary initiative of GSM MNOs will allow the sharing of stolen mobile device information in order to block stolen devices and make their trafficking and reuse across the region more difficult.

At a meeting of the Chief Regulatory Officers Group for Latin America (CROG Latin America), public affairs representatives of the regional MNOs agreed on the steps to start exchanging stolen handset information via the GSMA’s IMEI Database. The agreement implies the information shared between MNOs be used to identify devices reported as stolen from users to ensure they are recognised and eventually blocked subject to local regulations.

Javier Delgado, Chair of the CROG Latin America, highlighted that: “This joint effort by all regional operators to be part of this initiative will help regulators in our countries to face and address this scourge.”

This coordinated action by mobile operators is already showing results in Central America, where industry and telecommunications regulators in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama are aligning their efforts to facilitate the identification and blocking of stolen devices. “The idea is to build upon the experience of collaboration between telecom operators and governments carried out in Central America and expand it country-by-country throughout the region over the next six months,” said Delgado.

The creation by the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) of the Regional Front to Fight against the Theft of Mobile Terminal Devices was a key element of the resolution approved in 2011 by CITEL during the meeting of the Advisory Committee (CCPI).  Among the proposals of this resolution, it recommended: ‘Regulating at the regional level the exchange of black-listing databases and blocking their unique identification codes (IMEI) to prevent the activation and use of cell phones stolen in other markets and helping to control illegal trafficking of devices among the region’s countries’.

“Sharing of information via the global IMEI Database is an important collaborative step that our member MNOs are willing to take and is also proof of how public and private sectors can work together to address specific issues of concern to society and governments,” emphasised Sebastian Cabello, GSMA Latin America Director. “While information sharing can help to reduce crime, it is essential to explore and adopt other measures to ensure appropriate detection, prosecution and punishment of such crimes.”

GSMA member operators that are committed to connect to the stolen handset database and to implement measures to block stolen terminals in all countries where they operate in Latin America are:America Movil, Antel, Cable & Wireless Panama, Corporacion Digitel, Entel Bolivia, Entel Chile,  ICE, Tigo Colombia, Nextel/NII Holdings, Nuevatel PCS Bolivia, Orange Dominican Republic, Telecom Italia and Telefonica.

The agreement, full implementation of which is expected to conclude in March 2013, covers more than 500 million mobile connections throughout the region. The GSMA will continue working to promote the adoption of these guidelines to all GSMA member companies in Latin America through the signing of memorandum of understandings among operators on a country-by-country basis.

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Following the Venezuelan independence day last Wednesday, US presidential nominee Mitt Romney issued a statement saying that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez “failed to honor the spirit of freedom with which Venezuela was established. Hugo Chávez is promoting ideas in Venezuela and other Latin American countries that run counter to freedom, prevent prosperity and expand tyranny.”

The statement is typical US discourse opposing Chavez, who has long been a hate figure in US media. The populist ideas Chavez is promoting have long been a concern for the US. This was illustrated by a similar statement by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, then reacting to Salvardo Allende’s election in Chile in 1970.

Chile was then on the verge of becoming an independent socialist state rather than a Soviet satellite, a development which, according to Kissinger, “would be far more dangerous… because its ‘model’ effect can be insidious… our main concern is the prospect that [Allende] can consolidate himself and the picture projected to the world will be his success.”

Washington’s greatest fear, far greater than communism or the rise of totalitarianism, is, and always has been, successful independent nationalism. That has currently become a reality across Latin America following the last ten year’s remarkable development known as the “pink tide.” This movement is characterized by the election of leftist governments (with notable examples such as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Rafael Correa in Ecuador and Evo Morales in Bolivia, among others), increased government control over natural resources with new social reforms favoring the poor and former marginalized indigenous populations, and a region-wide opposition to Washington influence stretching from Venezuela to Argentina.

Venezuela has been on the forefront of this socialist movement, initiated by the 1999 election of Hugo Chavez.

Hugo Chavez was elected President following two decades of economic turmoil in Venezuela. Chavez, coming from poor conditions himself, immediately set out to introduce reforms specifically targeting the poor majority – a former invisible group in a Venezuela dominated by a small and wealthy elite with close ties to the US.

Today, Venezuela has free health care and free education, as well as some of the highest literacy rates in the region. In 2002, the disgruntled upper class, rendered powerless under the Chavez government, staged a coup with the help of Washington. The US had been channeling millions of dollars to the coup makers through US Aid and the National Endowment for democracy. Chavez was replaced by Pedro Carmona, a businessman who suspended all members of the Supreme Court, the National Assembly and the National Electoral board and assumed dictatorial powers.

The IMF was not late to jump aboard; during a press briefing the day after the coup, Thomas C. Dawson, Director of the External Relations Department in the IMF, immediately pledged allegiance to the Carmona government, saying that “we stand ready to assist the new administration in whatever manner they find.”

All the while, official US spokesmen backed a phony story about Chavez supporters shooting innocent civilians. However, the poor masses were not going to accept being marginalized once again, and thus emerged with great numbers from the Barrios demanding Chavez reinstatement. As they approached the presidential palace, the army turned against the coup makers and reinstated Chavez, a mere 48 hours after his ousting.

Philip Agee, a former CIA agent operating in Latin America, explains why the US would back a coup overthrowing an elected government and replace it with a dictator: “In the CIA, we didn’t give a hoot about democracy. It was fine if a government was elected and would co-operate with us, but if it didn’t, then democracy didn’t mean a thing to us, and I don’t think it means a thing today.”

Venezuela is home to the largest oil reserves in the world outside of the Middle East, and is thus a country of vital strategic importance to the US. Detrimental to US designs, Chavez is forming close ties with China instead of Washington. Chavez is also cooperating closely with Cuba, Argentina and other South American nations under the premise of achieving a Latin American “grand unity,” in which Washington is not included.

The US often condemns Venezuela and its current form of democracy, while paradoxically praising and supporting the neighboring government of Colombia, a country with one of the worst human rights record in history. According to virtually unreported Latinobarometro polls, Venezuela is annually the highest ranking in all of South America when it comes to trust in democracy, assessment of the current and future economic situations, equality, justice, and education standards.

Venezuela has got its far share of problems, such as mounting inflation and continuous corruption, but compared to the pre-Chavez Venezuela, where the majority of the population were completely marginalized, the democratic development is nothing far from remarkable.

As Latin America is steadily slipping out of US control, Washington is waking up to a new multipolar world in which its powers are no longer taken for granted. The continent has seen a remarkable reversal of detrimental financial and social policies during the last ten years. The region, which contemptuously has been known as Americas “back yard,” is moving towards a future in which a bewildered Washington no longer has a place.

No wonder Mitt Romney is disgruntled.

Image COurtesy of   ¡Que comunismo!

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“If I’m fortunate enough to become the next president, it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet,” Mitt Romney told to a group of Cuban exiled and political leaders in Miami on January. With this short sentence he showed the world that he is not willing to conceive of Cuba as a friend, as long as Raul and Fidel Castro are still alive.

It seems that Mitt Romney dreams of a free Cuba and is willing to make his dream come true. He also wants to be everything Obama isn’t, so in the Cuba issue he would follow the same plan. If Obama, at the beginning of his presidency, adopted an appeasement strategy, Romney in his campaign assured he would harden the sanctions against Cuba if he is elected president. His plans are clear: the embargo would come to an end when Cuba is free, and free means with the Castro’s out of sight. It is clear that he wants the Cuban community’s support for presidential election.

But in these hard economic times, this strategy may not attract as many Cuban voters as he expects. Cubans are decisive in a crucial state like Florida. Most politicians try to gain their support by criticizing Castro, because most of their ancestors escaped the island when the Castro regime started in 1959. But in this period of crisis, most Cuban voters just think about the economy as their priority. Maybe in a time of prosperity, the priority of the Cuban voters will be the position of the presidential candidate over their country, but not in these hard times.

But Mitt Romney has bigger plans than the Cuban community support. He wants the entire Latin community support; he reassured citizens that he is interested in Latin American issues and clearly expressed the route that he will follow, referring to the relations with the different Latin American governments, if he is elected president. Romney believes that Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela and declared enemy of the United States,  and Fidel  Castro are serious threats for the United States.

That leaves the country members of ALBA (The Bolivian Alliance for the People of Our America), an alliance proposed by Chavez as an alternative to the FTA (Free Trade Area of the Americas, proposed by the United States) without hope of having good relations with the United States in the nearby future.

But Romney may not be the biggest threat toward Chavez. His real enemy is his sickness.Although president Chavez real health condition is a mystery; the fact is, he hasn’t been present in Venezuela during the last months, and it is very difficult to run a country and win an election just by Twitter. Chavez’s health will be a crucial issue during the next months because it will condition the relationship between the United States and Latin America. Also, if Venezuela falls, it is almost certain that Cuba would fall, because Venezuela is the country’s stronger economic supporter.

The future of the United States and Latin America is a mystery. We still have many questions without an answer, like if Romney would be elected president or if Chavez’ health would make him able to compete in the October elections against Henrique Capriles. All these answers are crucial and would determine the future of the continent.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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In an effort to identify best practices in Democratic Governance, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, initiated a series of information-gathering sessions on successful government programs implemented by Latin America and Caribbean countries. Of particular interest to Mayard-Paul are public safety, national defense and natural disaster management, areas that directly impact the quality of life for Haitians.

In the Dominican Republic, Mayard-Paul held informal meetings with his counterpart, Minister of the Interior and Police, Ramon Fadul, who is responsible for the country’s Democratic Security Plan, and with Attorney General, Radhames Jimenez, who leads the Dominican Republic’s Safe Neighborhood program.

During the meetings, Mayard-Paul and Dominican officials discussed the possibility of collaborating between their respective ministries to design and implement a public security program inspired by the Dominican Republic’s Safe Neighborhood or Barrio Seguro program.

“In exploring regional best practices that can be applied in Haiti, we were  impressed with the Democratic Security Plan implemented by our neighbors in the Dominican Republic,” said Mayard-Paul,  pointing out that in eight years, the plan succeeded in lowering crime rates throughout the country.

Mayard-Paul’s emphasis on national security is aligned with the overall vision of President Michel Martelly to develop Haiti as an equitable, independent and decentralized nation with a sustainable economy based on investments and job creation.

To that end, the Martelly administration is working to create an appropriate legal framework to ensure democratic governance, rule of law and appropriate tax incentives. “Issues of national security are critical to our larger goals,” Mayard-Paul remarked. “We want to ensure the best conditions for our foreign investors and for the welfare of the entire Haitian population.”

Pointing to the friendship and solidarity of Dominicans in supporting Haiti’s efforts to achieve sustainable development after the devastating 2010 earthquake, Mayard-Paul expressed the deep interest of the Haitian government in further strengthening mutual cooperation between the two Caribbean neighbors.

Image Courtesy of   arindambanerjee / Shutterstock.com

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Countries across the world are currently experiencing extreme weather and droughts. The largest freshwater lake in China is at its lowest water levels for years thanks to a drought, according to state officials and media. The shrinking lake does not bode well for fishermen who rely on it for their livelihoods and for the local ecology.

The Xinhua news agency stated that Poyang Lake, located in East China’s Jiangxi province, is shrinking quickly and has experienced over a decade-long dry spell. This is due to the Gan River, which is connected to the lake, not receiving enough rain and causing the water levels to hit record lows. “This year’s level is very low,” an anonymous official declared, affirming that the rainfall for the area was 65 percent less than average for December.

Texas is also experiencing its worst drought on record. The year 2011 was the driest ever for the state, says the National Weather Service, and it was the second hottest. Meteorologists do not believe this will improve for the year 2012 and the result will be further restrictions on water and the death of millions of trees. Lake Lavon has shrunk by 12 feet due to North Texas’ lack of rain and record-setting heat. “It is a challenging time, especially to bring awareness to our consumers and businesses how critical our drought has impacted our reservoirs,” stated Denise Hickey, spokesperson for the North Texas Municipal Water District. “As we’re planning to move through this drought period, we’re also planning and initiating additional strategies to bring additional sources online.” The Texas Forest Service believes that so far, the severe drought has killed 500 million trees.

In Latin America, nations have also been dealing with a plethora of problems stemming from the extreme weather, including wildfires, droughts, and floods. Many have wondered if climate change and global warming are responsible for the unusual weather and according to experts, this is most likely the case. Chile experienced an uncharacteristic heat wave, which resulted in rampant burning wildfires, while Northern Mexico has been dealing with its worst drought in 70 years.

On the other hand, Colombia has had two seasons of heavy rain, which has killed 182 people and resulted in about $2 billion in damage. A rose farm in a Colombian town named Chia sustained an estimated $6 million dollars in damages from the April and December floods. Javier Castellanos, the rose farm manager, stated, “Never in the history of this farm- and it’s a business with 30 years in the market- have we ever had any such problem.” Researchers assert that Latin America is at more risk to the extreme weather changes worsening in the future than any other region in the world because of deforestation and its sprawling construction. These elements cause it to be more vulnerable to landslides and flooding.

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Fans lined the streets to see Julieta Venegas perform at the State Theater in Falls Church Virginia this November. One of Latin America’s most respected songwriters and performers, the six-time Grammy winner attracted fans from all over Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas, all of whom have a different connection to Julieta’s music, and many with a story to tell.

When asked what it is about her music that really resonates, most fans echoed a similar sentiment. “She’s real,” said one fan at her show. “I like the fact that because she lives so close to the border, she understands the duality of being a Latino here in this country, she gets the culture. She gets the bi-culture.”

It is perhaps this bicultural appeal that has made Julieta such a longstanding fixture in Latin American and Spanish-speaking cultures around the world, and this presence was more than felt at Julieta’s concert. Fans from Chihuahua, Mexico City, Tijuana and cities throughout Mexico were present, as were those with roots to Columbia, El Salvador, and countries all over Central and Latin America.

Born in Long Beach, California, Julieta Venegas speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish fluently. She addresses her audiences exclusively in Spanish, however, and she does not write music in any other language, explaining that she feels her emotions and the lyrics wouldn’t translate.

Sylvia Ines Salazar was among the crowd at Venegas’ Virginia concert. Born in El Salvador and raised in L.A., Salazar considers Venegas a tie to her Hispanic roots. “She’s bilingual and bicultural, much like myself and my friends,” comments Salazar. “In that regard, there’s already a connection there. In this country, there are entire generations of people just like us.” Salazar and other fans alike consider Venegas and her music to be an embodiment of their bicultural pride.

Salazar goes on to explain how Venegas’ music makes a connection happen across cultures. Furthermore, she commends Venegas for the positive role she represents for Latina youth. “I really like how her music is very positive and uplifting,” she tells MexicoToday. “I think that needs to be promoted more. Even the sad stories she tells, she tells them melodically in a positive way.”

From her debut album “Aqui” to her latest “Otra Cosa”, her music has evolved yet maintained its signature style and simplicity. Julieta Venegas is truly a one-of-a-kind Mexican singer, and with her diverse musical talent and contemplative lyrics, it’s no wonder she has cultivated a loyal following throughout Mexico, the United States and the world.

Image Courtesy of  H. Sanchez

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Social Media continues to expand around the world and impact it, in its own way. In Guatemala, e-Marketing didn’t start picking up until about 3 to 4 years ago and it wasn’t only until about a year and a half to two years ago that agencies started to develop social media strategies.

After seeing some of the success from local companies, restaurants started taking advantage of it, to get their share of the market. It continues to expand throughout the years, with Facebook being the biggest social media platform utilized in Guatemala today. With only 2.5 million people with access to the internet in Guatemala, 1.6 million people have a Facebook account.

However, before Facebook, hi5 was considered one of the most popular social networking sites. In 2008 hi5 had 12,831,000 Latin American unique visitors ages 15 and up, while Facebook had only 7,711,000. MySpace became very big 2 years ago. According to comScore, social media has always been huge in Latin American countries. They are heavy internet users and mainly use the internet as a way to communicate with others.

According to Enrique Parros of TPP Emarketing, Twitter is a Social Media platform that is starting to grow in Guatemala and the reason for this growth is that mobile phones are becoming more easily attainable. The demographic segment in Guatemala that is currently active on twitter is mostly made up of kids, but 24- 35 year olds are starting to pick up on Twitter. This is why twitter is still an educational process in Guatemala.

The main social media Platform used for marketing in Guatemala is currently Facebook, due to the high concentration of people logged into Facebook. Facebook, to TPP Emarketing, is a great way for consumers to communicate with a brand. It is also a great way for people to interact with the brand, which will later help them to decide the future of the brand, and where it is heading. Another way Facebook is being used in Guatemala is as a focus group.

One major success story for TPP Emarketing is from the Facebook page Claro, which has 264,196 likes on Facebook. Gallo was also another great example of how successful Facebook was in helping to boost sales. In April of 2011, Gallo had about 90% of the market share in the country.

TPP Emarketing works with so many brands, such as Claro, P & G, and McDonald’s, that it would be hard to manage each account separately. This is why they use Hootsuite. It is a service used to manage social media accounts on one dashboard. With Hootsuite, companies like TPP E-marketing can manage their Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Foursquare and myspace accounts at once, and even schedule posts for later dates.

E-marketing is still growing in Guatemala, and for some it is still a learning experience, but digital marketing is always growing and expanding. Agencies are starting to pick up on it and take advantage of the marketing tools that are accessible. Some of the services offered today are SEO marketing, Public Relations, E-Mobile, Social Media and E-Advertising.

Digital marketing may be growing but TPP E-marketing understands the importance of utilizing it in their marketing campaigns and strategies.

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Imagine yourself on a strong and beautiful horse galloping up the mountains and along the beach as the sun sets, or swinging through the rainforest, swinging on canopy lines that extend over an acre.

Horseback riding and zip line excursions are just a couple of the many unforgettable things to experience when traveling to the lovely land of Costa Rica. This Central American country which sits in between the Pacific and Caribbean Ocean offers a wide range of beaches and resorts.

Less than 2 hours away from the capital city San José, is Jaco, the city is known to be a popular tourist spot. It is one of the top destinations for surfing and is even sometimes called “the Hawaii of Latin-American surfing.” Playa Jaco is nearly 3 kilometers long and faces the Pacific Ocean.

There you’ll find tourists from all over who come to enjoy the warm waters, ride its large waves and be a part of surf tournaments. This beach is the most visited in the country and was even named one of Costa Rica’s top ten beaches.

Jaco is also known for being a ‘party beach’ because of its “excellent nightlife.” Tourists will find hot casinos and clubs like The Monkey Bar, Vibrations, aka Vibraciones, Ganesha all along the strip. They can party with the Costa Rican locals (Ticos) and no matter what kind of music a person might like to dance to, they’ll find a mix of everything; Reggaeton, dance-hall reggae, electronica, hip-hop, club music, and more.

There are local buses that run throughout the city making it convenient for commuters to get around without the use of a car. Hotels like Villa Estrellamar are right there on the strip, nearby to everything but still far enough that guest can still have the desired peacefulness and relaxation without the crowds.

Among some of Costa Rica’s amazing attractions is the Arenal Volcano. The Arenal had been the country’s most active volcano until recently, but still maintains an “unavoidable presence.” There are canopy and rappelling tours surrounding the Arenal National Park as well as hot springs to soak and relax in. Tourists also get the chance to explore Costa Rica’s beautiful and diverse wildlife at places like the Carara Biological Reserve and the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Though there are many sites to see and exciting activities, Costa Rica’s delicious foods can’t be excluded. Some enjoyable dishes include empanadas, gallo pinto, and the traditional national dish casado. To top of a great meal, try their desserts such as flan or tres leches. Most choose to visit Costa Rica during its dry season between January and April, September and October tend to be the rainiest months.

It is a great place to come with friends and family whether the purpose is for weddings, yoga retreats, or other special events. With an abundant amount of restaurants guaranteed to serve good food and affordable shops, visitors can revel in a luxurious vacation even while on a budget.

Costa Rica is sure to be a worthwhile adventure.

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Uruguay is taking steps toward righting many wrongs committed during the tumultuous period of military rule. From 1973 until 1985 the South American country was run as a military dictatorship . During this time about 200 people are believed to have disappeared.

In 1986, as Uruguay was reestablishing itself as a democracy, the Expiry Law was passed. This law gave amnesty to many of the military personnel responsible for human rights abuses during the military rule. It also gave the president the power to choose which human rights abuse cases could be looked at by the courts.

During the height of the military regime’s rule at least 7,000 political prisoners were detained. Many of the people imprisoned by the regime have come out to say that they were tortured and abused. The Expiry Law kept the guilty safe and out of prosecution’s power. Even after outcries by those who were prisoners, their families and even international pressure, the law was never annulled. What is even more surprising is that the Uruguay Supreme Court has, on more than one occasion, concluded that the law is unconstitutional, yet until recently nothing has been done.

Uruguay’s current president, Jose Mujica, has finally decided to reopen 80 cases of abuse for investigation. This comes just a month after a failed attempt in Uruguay’s congress to annul the Expiry Law. Pressure from the Inter-American Human Rights Court paved the way for President Mujica to reopen the cases.

According to Presidential Secretary Alberto Breccia, all of this is being done for “ethical reasons” as well as a result of various human rights treaties that Uruguay has ratified.

Many of the abuses were perpetrated outside of the country. Uruguayan citizens were abducted and killed in various countries throughout South America. The military worked with neighboring countries in an operation dubbed “Operation Corridor.” This allowed the militaries of other countries to find, abduct, and eliminate leftist political opponents to the military regime in Uruguay.

Mujica was a guerilla that fought against the military dictatorship. During this time Mujica himself was captured and tortured by the military. It is surprising that a man who was subjected the cruelty of the military dictatorship would wait so long to allow the investigation of human rights abuses that he witnessed and lived though.

The last time Uruguay allowed an investigation into the crimes committed from 1973-1985 was in 2005 under President Tabare Vazquez. This investigation concluded that at least 38 people were executed or died as a result of torture at the hands of the military, although the number is most likely much higher.

President Mujica is expected to sign the decree to reopen the 80 cases by the end of this week. After that, the cases are given over to the courts, which will then decide how to go about each case and whether to open the archives containing the files about the cases that will be reopened or not. The reason for the delay in signing is to give relatives of victims the time to ask for their cases not to be reopened.

Although the Expiry Law is still in effect, Uruguay is taking measures to ensure justice. Lawmakers need to get on the same page and annul the law in order to bring down criminals of the regime and to give victims and their families the closure and justice that they deserve. For now all anyone can hope for is that the 80 cases that are to be reopened are successful in bringing down those responsible for the abuses and human rights violations that were committed.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/57813072@N05/

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Wondering what action movie to see this summer? Consider Colombiana, an action/adventure starring Zoe Saldana as a young woman who witnessed both of her parents murder by the mob when she was nine years old. Similar to Angelina Jolie’s character in Wanted, she grows up to be a “stone-cold” assassin, embarking on a fifteen year journey to hunt down the mobster responsible for her parents murders and achieve vengeance. During this time, she works for her uncle as a hit(wo)man by day, and come nightfall she becomes a rogue killer. Responsible for over 22 deaths within four years, she is getting closer to her target and, typical of Saldana, is looking good while doing it.

As its name indicates, the film is set in Bogota, Colombia, though it is filmed in throughout the United States, Mexico and Paris studios. With a focus on Latin America, many message boards are questioning the stereotypes which may arise due to the setting in Latin American culture. The murder and expected drug use–along with the common misconception that Bogota is located in a tropical jungle when it apparently has a more similar climate to Chicago, rarely reaching above 65 degrees Fahrenheit– has many Colombian natives questioning the authenticity. One blogger wrote, “I just hope to find in this movie at least some slight interest on the true Colombia, and not some pretension of creating a Latin Lara Croft raised in a non-existing and decontextualized Bogota.” With a looped tagline in the trailer of “Never forget where you came from,” will the movie live up to a higher standard?

Directed by Olivier Megaton and produced by Luc Besson, the French pair will take on the challenge. Megaton is best known for Transformers 3 (2008), though some would argue that it was their least favorite installment of the series. In addition, Transformers 3 is his only English-language film to date, making for some speculation amongst movie goers if he will be able to deliver.

However, teamed up with mega-producer Luc Besson the odds are looking quite likely. Besson wrote and directed the 1990 box office hit Nikita, which was focused around a femme fatale assassin. He is also responsible for other action films, such as The Fifth Element and Taken, making him a veteran of putting action and powerful female characters onto the screen.

To add to the hype is Saldana herself, who has become cinema’s “bad ass female” through her roles in the highly acclaimed Avatar and Star Trek. Present in a wave of action heroines, Saldana continues to hold her role as a sexually empowered and machine gun wielding vigilante, prevailing above whoever has done wrong until personal justice is achieved. Will she help make Colombiana a box office hit that stays true to Colombian culture, while asserting her presence as a femme fatale?

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Honduras can be categorized as one of the most dangerous countries in Latin American in regards of performing a Journalist career. Since March 2010, eleven journalists have been murdered, and no justice has been made in order to fight against violence and corruption that the country is suffering.

The past Tuesday, journalist Héctor Medina Polanco, was shot to death while he was going to his home. He was a journalist form the Morazán province in Honduras. Two men followed him on a motorcycle, which shot him few meters away from his house. He received four shots, one in his arm and three in his back. With his death, Honduras has summed up to eleven murders to journalist, since the president Porfirio Lobo Sosa assumed his position the 27^th of January 2010.

Honduras is facing a lot of instability and impunity. The death of several journalists leaves the impression of insecurity and corruption. Where the truth wants to be hidden. The violence started to have severe repercussions since 2009, when the president at that time, Manuel Zelaya was thrown out of power threatened with guns.

The family of the reporter claimed that Medina was threatened several times. His figure as a journalist was known nationally. He was the coordinator from the news local channel Omega Visión. He denounced several corruption cases where many functionaries of the town hall were involved. As well as irregularities committed by farmers, who were having land disputes, and also the alleged abuses made by mafias.

Mauricio Handal, the mayor of Morazán, claimed: “It is Illogical”. He assured that he had a friend relationship with the reporter, and he affirmed that he would insist the authorities to investigate the case.

On the other hand, the family just asks that the crime follows consequences and that the investigations do not stop. The reporter brother, Carlos Medina has asked the Presidential Government for some protection, safeness and security for the family.  He also notified that the family has also made a denounced to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Juan Darte, the local police official claimed: “There is nothing clear, about this murdered, there are several versions”.

The director of Reveistazo.com, Claudia Mendoza expressed her position toward these cases of impunity, where several colleges of her have been murdered, and no justice has been made. Her disappointment, and helpless feeling were emitted though these words: “ The impunity is the perfect ally for both authorities: the entrepreneurs and the politics, whom form part of the powerful groups that manage, in any way they please, the justice, the country’s finances, and allow the violation of human rights in Honduras, as well as the liberty of expression and press”.  She also stated that Medina had previously made denounces  in regard of harassment to the authorities, but he continued without any response.

The article Eleven Journalists Have Been Killed in Honduras, Since 2010 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Only thinking about the strength a person needs to have in order to leave their country to seek a better future is an enormous effort, and life decision. But many people around the world decide to take this decision in order to provide a better future for their family members, and the future generations. Unfortunately reality for many people in this world is so harsh in their own homeland, that having the opportunity to leave and search for new opportunities is the impulse they have to leave all they area accustomed and used behind.

Spain has been transformed from being a country of emitting emigrants, to a country, which has opened its door as a receptor of migratory flow. Moroccans, Rumanians and Ecuadorians constitute the main presence of immigrants in Spain.  Madrid has been the primordial zone for immigrants to locate themselves since normally they opt for zones where there is a great economic movement, so the opportunities of finding job offers enlarge.

Nevertheless, the statistics exposed by the Secretary of Immigration and Emigration that were updated until the 31^st of December of 2010 revealed that the number of Ecuadorian people inscribed in the Foreign Spanish regimen, reduced to 10.78% with comparison of the year 2009.

Compared to other collective members, the Ecuadorians were the ones with the more reduction. Other members such as the Argentinean people that are inscribed in Spain also reduced 9.83% from 2009. Does these reductions are insinuating that the crisis in Spain is making people leave the country? Nevertheless, by taking an inside view from the number of foreign people have increase 2.8% since 2009.

People coming from Rumania still show the highest percentage of the foreign people in Spain. They increase also their presence lifting it 11,85% with regards of 2009.

Within the total number of foreign with residence permit, the cipher exposes that 2.524.976 million are inscribed in the Foreign Spanish Regime. On the other hand there is still a huge presence of 2.401.632 million that are in the Communitarian Regime.

Also, by analyzing the overall ciphers in the General Regime, this leads to the conclusion that the presence of foreign people that do not belong to the European Union reduced to 37.056 with respect of the previous 2009 records. Which represents a decrease of 1.45%.

Still the percentage of immigrants in Spain is high, and most of them come from Latin America. Almost two million of people proceed from Latin America, specially focusing on the countries located at the North, whereas more than 2 million on the other hand come from the European Union.

Now that Spain has been one of the most affected countries in the European Union, the decrease in the foreign sector, does not bring any surprises since obviously they were one of the most affected sectors within unemployment and salary reductions.

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