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it talks about the sex in latin america and the lack of sex education there. It talks about places in latin america where sex is very prevelant and it talks about solutions to help bring sex education to latin america.

This article proposes the idea that an increasing number of Latin American countries have become more acceptive of gay and lesbian ideals. Due to regime changes, the once "closeted macho" countries now welcome such legislation as protections against sexual discrimination; the decriminalization of same-sex intercourse; grants to health benefits, parenting, and so on in countries like Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and NIcaragua.

Though it is not focused on Latin America, this source examines how involvement in religion inhibits criminal activity.

Although the previously bookmarked article seeks to establish an outline of the human or women rights violations that occur within Guatemala, here, author Karim Velasco, sheds light upon newly distinguished laws and explains despite their hopeful goals, why they have ceased to work effectively. She argues that because of the "lack of effective investigation and prevention strategies of the Guatemalan authorities", women continue to be raped, tortured, and murdered at an increasing rate. Because of pressures from the European Parliament to abide by human rights laws, "on April 9, 2008, Guatemalan Congressed passed the 'Law Against Femicide and other Forms of Violence against Women Act' to severely punish any kind of gender-based violence..." However, because the violence stems from the power inequality between men and women in the first place, there is little belief or evidence that this Act will be implemented or strongly enforced by the men in power who seek to represent masculinity or display a constant idea of machismo.

This article talks about women's or young teenage girl's involvement in gangs in Guatemala. It discusses how these girls become initiated into these gangs and how they have to keep up membership. Also, it addresses why these girls join these gangs to begin with and why they cannot get out of them. Some studies show that nearly 40% of gang membership is made of females. This finding contradicts our normal idea of gangs being comprised of mostly men.

In response to the murder of lawyer, Rodrigo Rosenburg Guatemalan authorities arrested seven men. The men apprehended all had ties to the military or police forces. Still, no one has stated the murderes' motives. Authorities have said however, that the president and his wife were in no way responsible. It is not clear whether these arrests are a political response by the government of President Colom or if there really does exist hard evidence that these men were responsible.

This article describes Guatemala's recent election where Alvaro Colom defeated former military general Otto Pérez Molina. He was said to have won because his soft stance on public security in comparison with his opponents.

In 2003 when Goldman Sachs economists linked Brazil with Russia, India and China as the economies that would come to dominate the world, much contest aroused over the inclusion of Brazil. Many economists questioned how Brazil could participate amongst the ensemble since the country features a declining growth rate, victim to any outside financial crisis, and constant political instability does not make Brazil an appealing candidate as an arising force. China leads the world economy out of recession while Brazil was not far from behind. Brazil was unable to avoid the downturn, but was among the last to fall and among the first to recover with a growing economy again at an annual rate of 5%. With the development of new deep-sea oilfields over the next few years, Brazil's growth will rapidly escalate also a result of Asian countries heightened appetite for food and minerals from Brazil's ample land. Forecasts alternate but in the decades proceeding 2014 Brazil will emerge as the world's fifth largest-economy, excelling Britain and France, and in 2025 it is also speculated that Sao Paulo will be the fifth-wealthiest city. Brazil perhaps surpasses its competing members because unlike China, it is a democracy, unlike India; the country is not plagued with insurgents, or ethnic and religious conflicts, or hostile relationships with its neighbors like India has with Pakistan and Kashmir. In contrast to Russia, Brazil exports more than oil and arms, and has established more cordial relationships with foreign investors. Brazil's emergence has not been hasty but instead steady. Initiatives began in the 1990s when they established a coherent set of economic policies, and the Central Bank was granted autonomy, which stimulated development of new multinationals that may have previously been state-owned companies that are now prospering as a result of operating from a distance from the government. Weaknesses, however, still permeate throughout Brazil, so it is necessary to

On Monday in Buenos Aires, Argentina two men were bestowed a marriage license and are planning on what appears to be the first legal homosexual wedding in Latin America. The couple obtained the authority to marry last week when a judge declared that a prohibition on same-sex marriage violated Argentina's Constitution. Mauricio Marci, mayor of Buenos Aires revealed that the city would not appeal the court order, thus prompting other homosexual couples to address their rights in court. However, the mayor did not appear to be an enthusiastic advocate for the endorsement of same sex marriage license as he said, " We have to live with and accept this reality: the world is moving in this direction." No other country in Latin America permits same-sex marriage, although some jurisdictions warrant same-sex partners to configure civil unions with many similar rights.

This photomontage depicts El Salvador's remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the Jesuit Massacre of 1989, when six distinguished priests; their housekeeper and her daughter were murdered by the government's troops. Students have joined together to create traditional street carpets, honoring the lives of those innocently destroyed in one of the many brutal chapters of El Salvador's twelve-year civil war. In accordance with the Jesuit philosophy, El Salvadorians have decided to display the blood stained clothing of the victims in a memorial room, so the event does not dissipate in individual's memories but rather directly confronts the viewer so they are incapable of ignoring the stark realities of the massacre. Thousands gathered for a candlelight vigil amongst members of the victim's families, and Jesuit priests from around the world assembled to organize an evening mass in which their sermons assailed social injustice and inequalities held in front of the thousands gathered.

Like the previous bookmark I added, this is another article on the Honduran Crisis. This one discusses the U.S. government's approach to the issue. According to this article, the current US position is to accept the June 28 coup, in an attempt to eliminate Zelaya, elect a new conservative government, and regain legitimacy in international organizations.

This is a very recent news about ousted president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya. Honduran lawmakers will not decide whether to restore Zelaya until after upcoming presidential elections, which is on Nov. 29th, the congressional leader said Tuesday, a decision that could undermine international support for the vote. Some say the result of this upcoming election should not be accepted officially because it is held under the interim government.

This article discusses the marriage of a homosexual couple in Beunos Aires. On December 1st, a man will legally marry a man, for the first time in Latin American history. This article is especially important because it demonstrates a sense of social and political progress throughout Latin America.

This article shows that both sides initiate violence in Guatemala. Locals intercepted the policeman, who was accused of extortion, and brutally murdered him. Lynchings, however, are common and are seen as forms of vigilante justice.

The recent killing of prominent lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg has created uproar in Guatemala. The most chilling part, however, is that he predicted his own death, and the link to the video he made days before his assassination is provided in the article. As in Reckoning, there is no way to tell who is actually telling the truth in this situation. While there is evidence, for now, it is mainly a fight between the word of Rosenberg and the word of President Alvaro Colom.