Washington, U.S.A. - Latino leaders from across the United States gathered to announce that they are taking on Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, by exposing the alleged predatory, monopolistic practices with which he has amassed his fortune.

The growing coalition point to the fact that Mr. Slim’s wealth has come at a huge cost to the people of Mexico and that his business practices have crippled economic development in Mexico and throughout Latin America.

“We have come together to speak out on behalf of the people in Mexico and Latin America who do not have recourse to speak out for themselves,” said Juan Jose Gutierrez, one of the coalition leaders and affiliated with Vamos Unidos USA.

“Carlos Slim’s monopolistic practices have imposed significant costs to the Mexican economy and burdened the people of Mexico and Latin America. We are exposing his abusive practices so that the harm he has caused can be rectified and that those who might throw praise and honor at this man might know the truth.”

In the first of many planned actions, Two Countries One Voice announced it was calling on George Washington University to sever ties with Carlos Slim and demanded that George Washington University officials disinvite him from the graduation commencement ceremonies on the National Mall and revoke his honorary degree.

Two Countries One Voice will announce additional actions against other American institutions and corporations with strong ties to Slim in the coming weeks.

“It would be a travesty for a respected American institution like George Washington University to honor a man who is a modern day robber baron. His empire has helped keep millions in poverty while he has lined his own pockets,” said Andres Ramirez, one of the coalition leaders who is based in Nevada. “We can not ignore how Slim has made his billions and this is why our first action is to call on George Washington University to sever ties with him immediately.”

Carlos Slim’s power and fortune is made up primarily from his monopoly in the Mexican telecommunications system.  According to the independent and highly respected Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Slim’s company, America Movil, which controls 80% of the total Mexican telecom, cell and internet industries, charges exorbitant prices and provides inadequate services.

Their report also shows that Mexico’s phone industry dominated by Slim’s companies’ overcharged customers a total of $13.4 billion a year for basic telephone and Internet service from 2005 to 2009.  The OCED report points out that those specifically and most profoundly affected by these business practices are rural and poor communities.

Last week, Slim and his company admitted to overcharging under pressure from a proposed one billion dollar fine. The Mexico’s CFC (Federal Competition Commission) had unanimously ruled that one of Slim’s companies, Telcel, holds too much power. Earlier this year the antitrust agency also served Telcel close to a billion dollar fine for “monopoly practices.”

The impact of Carlos Slim’s monopoly has resulted in Mexico ranking LAST in public investment in telecommunications compared with the 33 other OECD countries while Slim’s company Telemex had a profit margin of 47% - one of the highest of the OECD countries.

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Expedia.com, the world’s leading online travel agency, released the results of a study of American attitudes in today’s economy as they relate to domestic travel, international travel, hotel selection criteria and social media. The American Traveler survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Expedia fromFebruary 16-20, 2012 among 2,262 adults ages 18 and older.

Among other findings, it revealed that a full 41% of Americans – and nearly 1 in 2 men (49%) – have driven across the United States at one point. Just under one in four Americans (23%), and one in three students (31%) are “at least somewhat likely” to travel internationally in the next year.

Forty percent of Americans report the economic downturn over the past few years did not impact their personal/leisure travel. They “travel as usual,” particularly those between 35 and 44 years of age (46%). A percentage of young men (13%) and women (14%) aged 18 -34 are taking more trips these days, perhaps because a down economy prompts travel destinations to sweeten deals.

“This study, combined with our own data, tells us a lot about how Americans are traveling in today’s economy.  Our data shows that even though Americans are taking fewer flights, they are booking more hotel nights.  We believe that Americans are proving to be resilient in a down economy, by driving instead of flying and taking more frequent, shorter trips,” said Joe Megibow, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com.

“The study also showed how important friends and family were to the travel experience. Friends and family were the most important resource when choosing a hotel. Social networks are enabling new reach when seeking advice on travel, and we are thrilled to be able to help share that knowledge.”

Eighty-one percent of Americans have visited at least one of twelve major U.S. landmarks in their travels. Approximately one third of people have visited the National Mall in Washington DC, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Grand Canyon, while approximately one in four have visited the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Route 66, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the Alamo.

Expedia’s American Traveler study also found that:

Social media keeps travelers connected.

• 75% of those who travel use social media.
• 51% of those users do so to stay connected while on a trip regularly or periodically.
• 18 – 44 year olds are more likely than those aged 45 or older to use social media sites to connect with others during trip.

For some American families, social media is connection enough.

• 12% of Americans say they are less likely to visit their family in person thanks to social media, while 25% say they are more likely to visit family in person.
• Among those who use Feedback to connect with family members, younger adults aged 18 – 34 (22%) and those living in the West (22%) are significantly more likely to indicate that they are less likely to visit family.

78% of Americans rely on reviews to provide direction when selecting a hotel.

• The primary review source is friends and family (51%).
• A slightly higher percentage cited friends (44%) than cited family (40%).
• The hotel’s own web site is the second-most important source of reviews (47%).

Men are more likely to have ever driven cross-country than women (49% compared to 34%).

• Both genders still dream of the open road: 25% of men and 33% of women have “not done so but always wanted to” drive across the country.
• Westerners are more adventurous, with 57% having made the cross-country vehicle journey, significantly higher than those in the Northeast (31%).

13% report having purchased travel via a “flash sale”.

• Young adults aged 18 -34 (24%) and those living in the West (21%) were most likely than their counterparts to have done so.

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