By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA: Ofelia is the name of my wheelchair. It stands in stark contrast with the worn-out wheelchairs of the salespeople’s wheelchairs that enter the building where my new job is located.

These are the people who sell the lottery tickets. They are the vulnerable of the most vulnerable. At another time, in this same space, I’ve talked about the “exclusion club” where in Latin America the majority who belong to this club are the most vulnerable — women, children, old people and handicapped persons.

In the mornings, while I begin my work as a professional, the lottery sellers start their day. They spend the whole day in the hot sun selling lottery tickets. Many of them are elderly.

However, I am 21-years-old and I pass my day in front of the computer, talking on the phone inside an air conditioned building as part of my new job being responsible for Foreign Affairs.

My case is a statistical anomaly — I have a genetic disorder of which the probabilities of being born with it are expressed in the millions. I am part of the 1 percent of handicapped people who are able to finish their higher education in Colombia and I still belong to 0.1 percentile who go on to study at a university or for a graduate degree.

But what is the reason for this situation?

Continue reading "The most vulnerable in Latin America deserve equal opportunities" »

Filed 15 de Mayo, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Janett Chávarry García

PERU:During this month, I have been traveling to different places around my country, Perú. Throughout my entire journey I was left in awe of the huge efforts, creativity and sacrifice of women who work day-to-day to earn money.

In my journey to three different cities, I saw special kinds of women, some of them with special professions as fishers, engineers, bank assistants, and publishers. People who studied at university and obtained benefits through their thoughts and intellectual abilities — a good point in favor of these women when we consider that in Peru more than 40 percent of women are studying for a career at university, and every year the numbers increase.

On the other hand, and obviously, the most interesting part of my trip was seeing the different kinds of jobs women can realize. In this journey, I saw Peruvian women working as tourist guides — only using their hands and voices, women rowing boats, some of them preparing and offering food to anybody who would buy it, people who have the strength to carry stones or anything just to get a bit of money for their families.

From this journey, I can prove that the statistics are true that say that more than 50 percent of the women in Perú are the heads of their families and support, not only the education of their children and care for them, but also the economy.

Continue reading "Women workers need greater recognition and responsibility in Peru" »

Filed 9 de Mayo, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Mayra Beltrán de Daetz

GUATEMALA: Guatemala is living through a series of events forcing us all to face the issue of insecurity. So much so, that it has caused Guatemalans to think deeply about it and say, “And now…what else can happen?”

A morning headline appears in the first edition of all the newspapers declaring that in Rio Hondo, Zacapa, a shooting took place that left 11 people dead. It is thought this event could be related to the Cartel del Golfo.

Matanza zacapa

The images show destroyed cars — scenes like you can see in a Hollywood move....

The killers had assassinated Juan Jose Leon Ardón, alias "Juancho.” He was considered head of the Cartel Los Leones. He also was owner of the Agroganadera Company del Norte, S.A., according to the information provided by the media.

He had prior arrests for the selling, trafficking and storage of drugs in 1997 and 1998, but he was free. The surprising thing out of all this is that, according to what people said, he always went accompanied with a strong contingent of well-armed bodyguards.

Juancho

It overwhelms and frightens us to know that if a person who was so heavily protected could be killed like this then anything could happen to the common Guatemalan who leaves their home every morning to go to work, takes public transportation — all without any protection.

Continue reading "The violence in Guatemala sends a clear message: No One Is Safe" »

Filed 14 de Abril, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Ana María Hanssen

ARGENTINA:
Buenos Aires is going through the unimaginable; there’s no meat, anywhere. This quite possibly could be one of the worst moments in history to be a visitor. Protests, chaos, a bouncing dollar and even the risk of having something stolen could seem folkloric to those tourists looking for a little adventure.

But sitting down at a Buenos Aires “parrilla” and being told that none of Argentina’s famous red meat is being served, that’s as close as unacceptable as a person can take. So where’s the meat?

It’s on strike.

Continue reading "Passionate Protests in Argentina Keep the Spark of Democracy Alive" »

Filed 2 de Abril, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)

By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA:This past March 16 at Simon Bolivar, the international bridge between the Colombian and Venezuelan borders, seven peace ambassadors and 60,000 people gathered together in a reaffirmation of brotherhood.

The occasion was a peace concert. Juanes, the Colombian singer, born in Antioquia, and who is an active leader for peace, social justice and non-antipersonal weapons, called the concert to promote peace among Venezuela-Colombia-Ecuador.

Peace without Borders concert draws 60,000 people to the international bridge between Venezuela and Colombia.
(Source: aljazeera.com)

The singer of the “Black T-shirt song” organized the concert and invited his fellow artists: Carlos Vives, Colombian-born from Vallenatos, Juan Fernando Velasco from Ecuador, Ricardo Montaner of Venezuela, Miguel Bosé and Alejandro Sanz from Spain, and as introduced by Carlos Vives, “the only war permitted” — Juan Luis Guerra, the Dominican singer.

(Editor’s note: guerra means war in Spanish.)

Continue reading "Peace Without Borders is Music to the Ears" »

Filed 24 de Marzo, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA: Poets, from here and others lands, have dedicated an infinity of verses to our landscapes. The happiness of our rhythms resound in the Caribbean music’s absolute happiness, but it is also expressed in the nostalgia of the tango.

Dois Candangos monument in Brasilia, Brazil
(Source: theodora.com)

Latin America has the color and the passion of Frida Kalho’s pictures, and the architectural novelty of Brasilia.

The people that are born of these lands are born encompassing the solitude of the past, the melancholy of the great civilizations of history and the indomitable spirit inherited from the Spaniards.

Anywhere we go, we feel at home. A home that guards us with the sea from Mexico that reaches to Patagonia, and in the south the imposing “dark mop,” as Mistral describes The Andes in one of his poems, that continue with the protection of its lands and people.

We Latin Americans who fight elbow-to-elbow. We the grandsons of those who rode the sheer summits in search of freedom, — What do we now call Latin America?

Continue reading "Solitude is a Relic of Latin America's Past" »

Filed 13 de Marzo, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Maria Luisa Grimaldi

CANADA:Since the word feminism entered our vocabulary, in my opinion, it has continued to create controversy between men and women.

(Source: wethewomen.org)

It has many supporters and critics. It is a word that stirs emotions and apparently illustrates that prejudices do not die.

Yet, what is its unpardonable sin and its most serious offense?

Well, it was and is — change.

Continue reading "Feminism: A Concept to be Celebrated not Feared" »

Filed 8 de Marzo, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Janett Chávarry García

PERU:Since the new Peruvian government took office, some Peruvians have been asking what route will Peru follow.

As it is, the economy is growing, more businesses are netting profits, we signed the Free Trade Agreement (TLC) with the United States that will benefit our agriculture and export sectors, especially in positioning new and original Peruvian products on the open markets around the world.

Yet, in respect to the agreement, corruption still exists in Peru. Fujimori’s trial continues, capturing the attention of thousands of people. And the corruption, which is at the center of it, proves it is still a difficult point in Peru to combat.

Continue reading "Peru's Future: A Route Hard to Predict" »

Filed 24 de Febrero, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Ana María Hanssen

ARGENTINA: I went to buy some groceries today at a nearby store and they gave me bananas as change.

“How many do you want? You have 1 peso left.”

“Don’t you have any coins?” I asked.

“No, no coins,” said the Korean guy.

I needed some real money for the bus and couldn’t get any from buying food. I stopped at a nearby wine store. “Where can I get change?” I asked the clerk.

“Nowhere,” he answered.

(Source: Diario de la Republica)

A few minutes later an old woman was buying some bread and cheese and the clerk asked her for coins.

“I have some, but I can’t give them to you,” she said.

“Come on, it’s not like you’re going to die,” he replied.

“Oh yes,” she said. “It is like dying. I need to take the bus three times tomorrow and no coins means I can’t go anywhere.”

Continue reading "No Change in Argentina: A shortage of coins leaves people counting their dinero" »

Filed 22 de Febrero, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)

By Rocío Arango Giraldo

COLOMBIA:Every one of the t-shirts worn by the people read, “Colombia is me.” February 4 will be forever remembered as a day that everybody in Colombia and around the World shouted: ¡Freedom, No More FARC!

A sea of marchers in Colombia take to the streets on February 4 to protest against FARC.
(Source: Rocío Arango Giraldo)

We, “The Generation of Fear,” Colombian youth who never have lived with peace; We, the daughters and sons of the 1960’s Hippies who fought for rights; We, our Colombian sons, came together and fought on Monday, February 4, in the name of peace. We took to the streets of every city and town in Colombia and every place of the world.

Continue reading "On February 4, the world shouted ¡Colombia is me!" »

Filed 6 de Febrero, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)