By Martha Ramos

MEXICO CITY: Every now and then comes a woman with a terrible story that includes violence, injustice, rape, kidnap, abuse. Each one seems so personal it really hurts.

Being a reporter for 23 years makes you strong. But last Saturday, I found myself crying.

One of my best friends is going through a terrible divorce. It's been four years and still she can't get rid of him.

As it usually happens, they tried to stay together for too long, and when they split, there was hate all over. So it was better to hurt each other than to go through a civilized process?

They have two kids -- a teenager and a 10-year-old. Both girls.

Suddenly, my friend was the guilty one. Her husband told the judge that she was a terrible mother. She fought back and hired a lawyer. In the process, he decided not to give her any money for the children's school, doctors, even for Santa's presents. He yelled, insulted and humilated her every chance he got.

He is losing, of course, because we have laws in Mexico City that protect the women. I still don't understand why it has taken so long, but that's their lawyers' problem.

On Saturday, I found out the girls want to go to live with their father because my friend has been in a very bad mood. She's jumpy, angry, works all day to get money to eat, has to deal with that guy, two daughters, her parents, the lawyer, her boss...

But it is not acceptable.

I know that when the girls move in with their father, I won't see them as often as I do. I love them... but it's more than missing them.

Why is my friend paying for it?

Why do we feel we have to protect the father's image in front of our kids, even if it means turning against us?

Why it is not still accepted to be proactive in these situations, and be the one in control?

And even when we do, how come we are always compared to the evil ones?

I know there are better laws to protect women, but we need more than that. We need to be considered on our own merits. Not for the role we play or for how strong, sweet, brave we are -- like it is now.

Continue reading "Mexico: It's time women are recognized on their own merits" »

Filed 30 de Junio, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Jennifer Barreto-Leyva

VENEZUELA: Venezuelans are about to say good-bye for good to democracy and freedom of speech. The only independent TV Station is about to be closed by Hugo Chavez's regime.

Radio Caracas Televisión (the first TV Station in Venezuela) was closed two years ago. They had become a very inconvenient truth, like a stone inside of a shoe of Hugo Chavez's regime.

As the Dictator he is, he is looking forward to eliminating, at any cost, anyone or anything that represents dissidence, a different idea, or a different voice.

Continue reading "Venezuela: We are in God's hands" »

Filed 23 de Junio, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Martha Ramos

MEXICO CITY: Next july the 5th is election day in Mexico.

It is middle term, we are voting for a new Congress, so it's a big deal. Or so I think.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador speaks to his supporters in the heart of the Angelópolis.
(Photo Source: La Jornada)

But it seems that Mexicans are fed up with politicians. There is a huge debate now between political parties, media and ordinary people about if it is really useful to go to the voting stand and vote for no one, what we call "voto en blanco".

"How are we going to change anything if we don't vote?", said one.

"But why vote for the same over and over again? We want change", said the other.

I, now, want to open the discussion.

What is the real value of a vote?

In Mexico more than 50% of the voters are women, also more than half of the population.

In conclusion, the important decisions made in the Congress affect primarily women.
So, as we do when we are looking for a boyfriend, let's make ourselves interesting. Let's put a high price on our decision.

Let's take an hour a week and start looking on the Internet for what the candidates are proposing -- because you will find out, sadly, that we (women) are not part of the agenda.

Beyond the campaign for "voto en blanco" we should be demanding five other things.

Continue reading "Mexico: Female voters need to demand 5 things of Mexican politics" »

Filed 8 de Junio, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Mayra Beltrán de Daetz

GUATEMALA: The Government of Guatemala has decided to make changes to the mobility of two people on a motorcycle. Starting May 9, 2009, two people caught riding together on a motorcycle will be fined Q1,000.00, approximately US$125.00.

The reason for the change in law is that they have estimated that roughly 80% of the murders committed in Guatemala have been by two people riding on a motorcycle.

The government expects this measure to be successful since it produced good results in other countries. The officials cite the city of Medellin, Colombia where crime rates fell by 40% over a period of six months after changes in their motorcycle laws.

The above changes are covered under Government Agreement No. 105-2009, which came into effect April 9, 2009 and could last as long as a year. As with every rule, it has its exceptions and, of course, both police officers and Police City Transit may continue riding motorcycles carrying two people.

This new rule includes that the motorcyclists "must" wear a fluorescent yellow jacket with reflective signals horizontal and vertical ones over it, as well as, the number plate on the motorcycle jacket. It must be visible to a distance of 5 meters.

This means that an estimated 600 thousand motorcycles circulating must incur such costs, so you do the math. The jackets are being sold on the informal trade, ranging in price from Q35 to Q40 roughly about U.S. $ 5.00.

Like any change, this has been no exception in creating discontent among users of motorcycles. They have organized and carried out protests for the law not to be enforced. Why?

Continue reading "Guatemala: Making the country safer proves a hardship for the poor" »

Filed 19 de Abril, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Mara Muñoz

There are few experiences like walking the streets of Mexico City. With the sun following you like a dog, you can either be greeted in a docile and friendly manner or be bitten on your leg at any moment, paralyzing you and your expectations of going farther, or even safely finishing that very day.

The wild impression of Mexico has been created by decades of contradictions, and corruption of the original purposes and ideas behind the post-revolutionary state. For instance, the Mexican secular state taking away the power of church when being guarantor of such a power: through private education, or the abandonment of social responsibilities.

Behind these actions, which contradict the discourse that underlie the promise of a freer future, there is a serious misdemeanor: the incapability of the state in building a civic culture, a strong conception and practice of citizenship.

As a society, we lack rational options to faith. The critical tradition that underpinned modern societies has been practiced as an exception in Mexico. Instead, Mexican society is based on complicity and unconditional interrelations: unconditionally to get and keep a job, to get and preserve political power, to be part of a community of friends, academics and so on. There is not a place for human dignity, when the conditions of survival are tragic irony.

Continue reading "Walking around Mexico" »

Filed 19 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

By Rocìo Arango Giraldo

Colombia: All meetings about social policy are always full of women in attendance. In each one of the neighborhoods from Latin America, the women are the leaders of the community organizations.

But this potential for building networks and links for development has been lost because the “handbags and skirts” members of the population haven’t taken control of the Congressional palaces or Majority Houses.

Affirming roles for female political participation is a signature of progress for women and governments in every place of the world. When I started to participate in politics as a member of the Conservative Party, I had to ask, “Why hasn’t Colombia had a woman President?

To help this situation, organizations like FESCOL, NDI, GTZ and other foundations that work for political participation are promoting a campaign dedicated to increasing the feminine presence in Congress and local administrations. The campaign is called “More Women, More Politics.”

The campaign’s objective is to generate conditions for the inclusion of women. So, meetings are created with women from every Colombian political party. In my party, the women of every region of the country that comprise the Women’s Organization of the Conservative Woman, meet among ourselves to think about the gender focus of the Party, the time between now and the next elections and to design a work plan that guarantees the inclusion of women in the party dynamic.

Continue reading "Colombia: It's time to create a true democracy with equal gender participation" »

Filed 8 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Martha Ramos

MEXICO: As it turns, cutting jobs is “in”. I mean, the real crisis in this world crisis is the not-so-global-effect of losing our jobs. In Mexico, sadly, it’s a phenomenon that’s affecting more women than men.

Official data reveals that just in January, the rate of unemployed men has risen from 4.08% to 4.84% but among women it is worse: from 3.97% to 5.26%.

Why?

Well, no financial specialist has yet to analyze this fact but I can imagine, or go back 20 years and remember when it used to be said: “it’s easy for a woman to go back home.” “I prefer to keep a man, he never leaves early to take care of the kids.” “Women ask for a lot of extra time to spend with their family.”

Yes, but it is a fact that women are more responsible, they can handle two, three, four tasks at the same time, and sadly nobody denies this, but we still live in a society where it’s different between what you think and what you do.

In times of crisis, we don’t stop to think. We act in panic, and by instinct.

No, cutting women's jobs is not the right decision.

We live in a country with more than 26.7 million families and almost 11% are maintained by women. So the impact of unemployment among women will affect directly the Mexican economy.

It’s a logical conclusion, just add two and two.

So what do we do?

I propose to work together. We can. We, women are good at helping each other, at teamwork. So let’s do that now.

We need now to create new jobs, new ways of getting money. That is how Avon, Betterwear and other companies work, with women being women working for themselves.

I believe there are a lot of support groups to guide women who want to work on their own, how to do it, how to deal with loans, taxes, etc..

Do you know of one? Please share it with us.



I recommend you read:

Cómo ahorrar en tiempo de crisis (How to Save in a Crisis)

What to do if you lose your job

Report of jobs in Mexico

Continue reading "Mexico: Why are women losing their jobs?" »

Filed 5 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Anahi Parra

MEXICO: If you surf the internet looking for some information about Mexico, the first data that comes up from newspapers and websites is inevitably related to drug trafficking, violence, and corruption as constant characteristics of this country.

Official websites from Canada and the U.S. warn their people not to travel to Mexico, unless they want to be killed, robbed, or kidnapped. Mexico's presence on the web is a constant bloodshed, an infinite source of corruption and lies wthin the government, and, ultimately, a land of wilderness, cruelty, and of course, a feared uncivilized people.

Yes, Mexico can be a surrealist country, as Andre Breton labelled it in the 1930's. I guess the French artist would have never imagined the chaotic reality that has emerged at the turn of the 21st century: thousands (yes, thousands) of decapitated found in different parts of the country, a beauty queen involved in drug trafficking, tunnels built within borders in order to take the drugs from Mexico to the U.S., the worship of Malverde, a saint who as a man developed a successful career as a drug trafficker, and on the verge of insanity, a guy whose job was to get rid of the corpses that hired killers “produced” by literally desintegrating them with acid.

But is Mexico really that far away from what happens in the U.S.?

Continue reading "MEXICO: Mexico's Drug War and its Surrealist Profile" »

Filed 4 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

by Jennifer Barreto-Leyva

VENEZUELA:

Hours after living through every woman’s worst nightmare when she and her family were held at gunpoint, assaulted and robbed, Jennifer, through an email exchange with Latina Lista, graciously relived this horrendous experience. She shares her thoughts, her fears and plans for the future.

I went to my condo’s lobby to say hi to a friend who bought me a dress; she came to pay me. I smelled a strong male perfume (outside my apartment) but I thought it was my neighbor upstairs.

I went down, we said hi, she gave me the money and we said good-bye. Returning, I opened my flat’s door and a guy pointed at me with a gun and said, “If you scream or turn around I’ll kill your family and then I kill you”.

Three of them were there but someone was outside the condo warning them. They had a radio (walkie-talkie) to communicate between each other. They had a very professional style.

I just surrendered to him and closed my eyes and I smelled the same perfume I had previously smelled. It belonged to one of them. So they were there for a long time.

Continue reading "Venezuela: Common assaults create uncommon fear and anger over how much Venezuela has changed under Chavez" »

Filed 4 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Ana María Hanssen

ARGENTINA: I want to tell you about the first Argentine female I met in my life. Her name is Mafalda and I am sure many of you have met her too. Growing up in Colombia, it never even crossed my mind that she was from a different country.

I guess that’s because her ideas and philosophy go beyond our concept of countries. Her middle class life mirrored that of many Latin American children.

When I met her she was 6 years old and about to start school. Back then, she liked The Beatles, hated soup and loved to play cowboys at the park with her friends. She loved asking her parents questions and would do whatever it took to eat pancakes, her favorite food in the world.

Although she is an entirely fictional character born in the mind of her author, Quino, she made me think about things back then, and still does. Even though she is a girl from the 60’s, her criticism and analysis of the world are still current.

Continue reading "Argentina: My first Argentine lady" »

Filed 4 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)