Group items tagged

The United States Department of State summarizes the international recognition of the problem of narcotics trafficking. In the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Argentina has become the transit for cocaine and heroin being produced in Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. Although Argentina itself is not a large producer of narcotics it has advanced chemical production facilities that produce the precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit drugs. Since 2005, there has been an increase in seizures, by the Argentinean government, of heroin, coca leaf, chemicals for cocaine production and a drop in marijuana seizures. Political turmoil is brewing at the border of Brazil and Argentina, which threatens the efforts of the international community to combat narcotics trafficking. In addition to the conflict, Argentina is fighting corruption within their government, which enables the large drug cartels mobility to avoid investigation by law enforcement officials.

The region including Latin America and the Caribbean is the area with the most homophobic crimes committed in recent years. Countries including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia have had an unfortunate recent history of homophobic crimes. This article, from ipsnews.net., describes how IDAHO (the International Day Against Homophobia Committee) is asking for an international day against homophobia. They chose May 17th as the day of recognition, because on May 17, 1990, homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organization's list of mental disorders. In the past few years, many Latin American countries have developed slogans and media campaigns against homophobia and the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Many activist groups in Latin America (and worldwide) are vying for political action and equal rights laws.

Venezuela was just approved for a 1.4 billion dollar 12-month stand-by credit by the International Monetary Fund to support the nations 1996-97 economic program. This article gives background the economic stressors that Venezuela experienced in the late 1980s followed by a vigorous growth in the early 1990s in association with an increase of international oil prices during the Middle East War of 1990. As the oil prices fell, the economy significantly decreased in productivity and was further weakened in 1994 with a string of major banking crisis' involving the introduction of exchange and price controls. It analyzes the economic program of 1996-97 as well as addressing the social issues and structural reforms that resulted from this difficult economic period.

This report, from Guatemala's Historical Clarification Commission, completed 25 Februrary 1999, discusses the human rights violations of the internal armed conflict. However, as of 7 August 2009, Amnesty International reported that many of the recommendations of this document have not been heeded, and the marginalization of indigenous peoples has not been rectified.

There are many relevant links at the Amnesty International website, but this one deals with recent threats of reprisals against those who seek to uncover the bodies and identities of the disappeared persons in Guatemala.

This news story is about a "declaration of sexual rights" given by the International Planned Parenthood Federation in Argentina, in which the group asked governments to commit to protecting their citizen's sexual rights, which translates into sexual education and ease of access to contraceptive methods.

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs created and maintain this website. Many topics are discussed in length about indigenous people - the issues they face, their values and political systems - from multiple continents, including Argentina, Guatemala, Panama, and Peru from Latin America.

This cite is valuable because it has a large compilation of articles pertaining to a multitude of current issues in Venezuelan society. Such topics include; the economy, social change, internal and external politics, current events, etc.. There are audio recordings as well as the literary ones.

The author of this blog uses such examples as international fast-food franchises and the massive memorial to Michael Jackson in Mexico City to declare that Latin American culture is becoming one with American culture. In the author's view, Mexico is losing its "foreignness" to Americans.

Criminal Organizations in Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, El Salvador, and Guatemala have increased their power over the last decade, weakening political stability and democracy of Latin America. Surprisingly, the journalists who cover the crimes are their targets. the number of killings, attacks, and disappearances have increased causing the government to become unable to assure safety from the paramilitary gangsters in Brazil, guerillas in Colombia, and street gangs in El Salvador and Guatemala. As revenge, journalists are taking on self-censorship. Although the crime rate has decreased, the fight against crime requires domestic and international support. Better legal structure and diminishing criminal groups will help create independent media outlets.

This is an article from the NY Times that discusses the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court of Argentina's decision to decriminalize the private consumption of illicit drugs.

In August, the Supreme Court of Argentina decriminalized the private use of illicit drugs. Such inquiries as to whether to accept drug use, help those who are addicted, or maintain the prohibition have arisen internationally at an increased rate recently. The Argentine administration felt that the war on drugs has not succeeded as predicted and it should focus on "treatment (more than) punishment."

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 discusses how the U.S. gets involved with international domestic abuse. Around 4,000 women in Guatemala have lost their lives in the past decade due to domestic abuse and violence. Luckily, Ms. Alvarado was spared this unfortunate fate. She had tried to get away from her husband numerous times but because he was involved with the military he easily tracked her down. So, the Bush and Obama administration got involved and allowed her to come to an asylum in the U.S. to get away from her violent husband. This is because violence is not tolerated no matter what nation. However, the U.S. cannot do this to every women in the world, they must provide credible and specific testimony of persistent abuse along with other criterion in order to be rescued. This seems to be a very good structure for battered women to get away from the abuse; but I believe that something needs to happen within the country to change the high numbers of domestic abuse instead of just sending women to the U.S.

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 interviews a woman named Lidia Cacho who runs a crisis center and discusses the domestic violence issue in Mexico. Many women's rights activist say that domestic violence is one of the ugliest consequences of Mexico's machismo culture. Many domestic violence victims are silent, because of fear and the lack of support from the police. Victims are often followed by their husbands or sent death threats. Lidia Cacho tries to work with domestic violence victims by protecting them and offering them as much support as possible.

In 2005, Mexico declared that a sexual attack by a husband is still defined as rape. In 1994, the country ruled that it was simply "an undue exercise of conjugal rights". Under this ruling, women could not report rape by their husband. The article states that 47 percent of women report being the victims of violence, and 84 percent of domestic violence victims are silent.

This article presents the approximate levels of induced abortion in six Latin American countries- Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru. Through calculated data on the hospitalization of women's abortion complications, an estimated 550,000 women are hospitalized a year. To read more about the complications and calculations go here!

This article discusses family planning laws being enforced in Guatemala and the Catholic churches response to it. Birth control methods would be available to the public and sexual education would be incorporated into schools. Even though the Catholic Church is fighting against the law, many are happy because it will decrease abortion, poverty, and maternal mortality rates. As we continue to read Fixing Men, we can look at reproductive health reformations in other Latin American countries and see how people respond to them.

Website of the national Latin American Studies Association. Provides information and details concerning developments, conferences, news and events.

I tagged this website because it can provide us with current up to date information that LAMA is currently focusing on. Also, it can provide information regarding conferences and events.