Group items tagged

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."

Latin America is notorious for some of the worst prisons in the world, and large levels of HIV/AIDS cases have resulted from drug use and sexual relationships inside these institutions. This article notes the poor quality healthcare available in prison, and the issue of HIV/AIDS elevated by prison inmate interaction (drug use, sex) and poor healthcare.

In the first one hundred days of Barack Obama's presidency the issue between the US-Mexico border was being addressed. The discussions between President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón ranged on issues from global climate change and immigration reform. However, the issue that is most pressing is the use of assault weapons in correlation to the increase in organized crime. President Calderón has been trying to manage illegal immigration into the United States through attempts to increase employment rates in Mexico. To add to this initiative to crack down on the immigration issues between Mexico and the United States there has been an agreement between the United States, Mexico, and other Latin American countries which is a $1.4 million Merida joint security plan where the usage of United States equipment, technology and expertise are used toward combating drug trade. With the ban lifted in 2004 by the United States of assault weapons the organized crime has increased significantly; therefore, the drug trade has been gaining sufficient hold in towns.

scienctific article about illicit drug use research in Latin America. Also focusing on the realtionship between HIV and drug use

This article from the LAtimes.com demonstrates an interesting outlook on drug possession throughout Latin America. Issues such as drug trafficking and recreational drug use throughout countries such as Mexico and Columbia have increased over the years. However, many proposed laws aimed at decriminalizing drug use have not been approved...This article discusses specific drug-related situations in Argentina, Brazil, and Columbia.

Continuing our discussion of sexual education in the US and Latin America, this research study is the start to continued knowledge and use of contraception methods and the role of HIV AIDS in Latin America. With this knowledge integrated into the school curriculum, there is greater awareness of AIDS and prevention methods will increase. If more schools were to create a dialogue with students about sexual awareness and AIDS in particular since it is affecting so much of the young population, than attitudes and efforts to prevent the disease would certainly change and increase. Catholic schools refused to partake in the study. Similar to our discussion in which Catholic schools only preached abstinence while others focused on being safe, the Catholic schools continued to disregard preventative measures in order to follow their beliefs. They also mention that gender roles and machismo may also be precursors to risky sexual behavior because of hierarchies that are established in Belize.

This is an article about how Latin American drug smugglers are using GPS devices to outsmart the police

This article talks about the changes in policies for certain Latin American countries towards drug consumption. Countries such as Argentina and Mexico are looking to decriminalize drugs as step towards a solution. Many Latin American governments see the United State's way of dealing with drug use as having major negative effects and causing more problems then it is fixing.

Many people in Latin America are living with HIV and although this region is often overlooked, it has a very high number of people living with the disease. Most levels of the infection in Latin America are found in men who have sex with men or MSM. This information, though, is often hidden due to the 'machismo' culture of men in Latin America.

this article talks about the prevelance of HIV/AIDS in latin america. It says that HIV is found mostley in "men who have sex with other men" and how not many people know this because of the machismo mentality in latin america.

More than half of Latin Americans living with HIV live in the regions four largest countries. The highest levels of HIV are found within men who have sex with men. Latin American countries make little effort to provide AID services that address the needs of men who are sexually active with other men. Drug use is also a major factor in the spread of HIV.

US tourists in Antigua blame police for brawl " /> sdolge@wtopnews.com

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.

This article discusses discrimination against homosexuals in Mexico. San Francisco's Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals has made several rulings granting asylum to gay or transsexual applicants from Latin America, where violence against homosexual is common. Some of them have even been abused by the police.

Latin American leaders are trying to prevent HIV in Latin America and the Carribean through sexual education and health promotion programs in schools. Childhood and adolescent years are the most important years of developing, therefore it is imperative to provide education on sexuality. The Costa Rican Government signed an agreement allowing leaders to educate 15-25 year olds on HIV and how to use a condom.

Latin America Ministers pledged to provide broad sex education in schools. Having sexual education can give the children an accurate idea of how bad the issue of HIV/AIDS is, and how they could prevent it. The education will cover a broad range of issues such as how HIV is transmitted and how to use a condom. The governments in Latin America and Caribbean are showing huge leadership in this field to provide the children and adolescents will information that will help this growing epidemic.

This organization is an NGO based in Mexico and in this case Ecudor, specifically to work with street children and their families. When I used to live in Ecuador I worked for this group for six months as a sort-of social worker. Working there I encountered many people matching the descriptions of those found in "Reason to Believe" chapter 1.

This organization is an NGO based in Mexico and in this case Ecudor, specifically to work with street children and their families. When I used to live in Ecuador I worked for this group for six months as a sort-of social worker. Working there I encountered many people matching the descriptions of those found in "Reason to Believe" chapter 1.

Venezuela, under the rule of Hugo Chavez, expelled the U.S. Evangelical group "New Tribes Mission" in 2005. The group was active in indigenous communities in Latin America for over fifty years. The Venezuelan government believed that they were westernizing indigenous people by force, and blaming them of things, but disguising it as preaching the gospel.

In 2005, President Hugo Chavez accused New Tribes Mission, an Evangelical group from the US, of being "agents of imperialist penetration" and expelled them from Venezuela. The group had lived and worked in indigenous communities in Venezuela for many years, translating the Bible into indigenous languages to convert people. Their expulsion came soon after American televangelist Pat Robertson declared that the US government should have President Chavez assassinated.

This article focuses on the political tension between Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and the US government. He remarked of his support for Obama but questioned whether there were 2 Obamas, since he believes that the US gov't knew about the situation in Honduras and supported it.

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.