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October 01, 2008 3:54 PM

October 1, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

More Hispanic News

May 29, 2008 3:00 PM

In Mexico City, governors from both sides of the border are meeting to discuss more crime-fighting and border security, regarding violence in Mexico. The governors of California, Texas and New Mexico planned to support Mexican President Calderon for his crackdown against the drug trade. In order to combat drug crime in Mexico, President Bush is urging Congress to approve the first five-hundred million dollar installment of a proposed $1.4 billion law enforcement aid package, called the Merida Initiative. The U.S. governors also expect to address a plan to respond quickly to natural disasters along the border and environmental protection.

The coast of Central America has been hit by tropical storm Alma with heavy rains and high winds. After authorities issued hurricane warnings for the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras, heavy rains reached Managua and caused flooding. Due to the storm, Costa Rican authorities evacuated low-lying areas and set up more than one hundred and sixty shelters. Forecasters warn that the storm could empty as much as twenty inches of rain in certain places. While the hurricane season began May 15th, Alma has become the first storm of the eastern pacific season.

May 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Hispanic News from Venezuela to Chile

May 15, 2008 4:29 PM

The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez is warning Colombia against having a U.S. military base near its border with Venezuela. But, Colombia and the United States have not publicly suggested this plan. President Chavez told the Colombian government that this would force Venezuela to revive a territorial conflict that took place ten years ago. Colombia exposed documents last week, revealing that Chavez wanted to arm and finance Colombian rebels. He denies the accusations.

In Chile, a retired army colonel, Col. Mario Manriquez is facing charges for killing a Chilean folk singer. The singer, Victor Jara was one of the best known members of Latin America’s “New Song” folk movement of the 1960s and 1970s. According to court papers, the singer was tortured and then he was shot to death. After Jara’s death, he became an international symbol of resistance to the Pinochet government.

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Recent Hispanic News

May 08, 2008 4:59 PM

In Mexico the chief of federal police, Edgar Millan Gomez died today outside his home. According to the Public Safety Department, Edgar was shot ten times in the country’s capital. Police arrested a suspect, but they still didn’t determine the motive for this morning’s attack. Last year more than 2,500 people died in Mexico, due to organized crime and drug-related violence. Police are investigating if this incident is possibly linked to drugs.

In Chile, police and soldiers forced remaining residents to leave the region of a volcanic eruption today. Chaiten volcano’s week-old eruption has scattered ash across South America, forced airports to close and caused more than 7,000 people to leave their homes. The country’s government has proposed $10.6 million in disaster funds to help the victims during the first month. 

In Colombia an army lieutenant colonel, Lt. Col. Byron Carvajal is going to face fifty-four years in prison, a decision that was made this Wednesday. He was convicted in February of ordering the massacre of ten anti-drug police officers. Carvajal has ordered this ambush in Jamundi, a town in Western Colombia. Senior police officials believe that Carvajal and his troops were protecting a drug lord.

For more Hispanic news, visit Exclusiva at http://abcnews.go.com/exclusiva

May 8, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Bush meets with Guatemalan President

May 01, 2008 3:11 PM

On Monday, Guatemala’s President Alvaro Colom met with U.S. President George Bush at the White House to discuss immigration. Although no agreements were signed, President Colom told us he was optimistic about immigration reform in the USA.  Both Presidents also talked about corruption and violent crimes in Guatemala.

After his meeting, Colom joined us for an interview. Visit www.abcnews.com/exclusiva  to watch David Puente’s interview that includes a personal look at the Latin American leader and his policies.

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World Hispanic News

May 01, 2008 2:02 PM

Mexico is currently facing a drug war and a crisis on its border. Mexican authorities say that in the past year, drug gangs have killed two thousand Mexican law officers. In almost every case, they killed them with guns purchased in the U.S., then smuggled across the border. Recently, President Bush promised to crack down on arms smugglers in Mexico. 

Soccer superstar Ronaldo, who’s won two world cups with Brazil, including the 2002 title in which he scored eight goals, was questioned by police this week. He was said to be involved in a run-in with transgender prostitutes in a Rio De Janeiro motel. Ronaldo admitted that he knew they were prostitutes, but said he didn’t realize they were transgender, until they got to the motel. The athlete told police that he offered to pay anyway. Then, one of the prostitutes allegedly asked for thirty thousand dollars to keep the story from the media. One of the three prostitutes also accused Ronaldo of asking for drugs.

Immigration rallies are expected throughout the United States on May 1st. Last year, in Los Angeles, violent altercations between police and protestors stunned the city. However, crowds are not expected to be as large as they were two years ago, when millions of immigrants hit the streets around the country, asking for immigration reform and a workers program.

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Noticias del Mundo Hispano

April 24, 2008 5:28 PM

In Paraguay, the world's longest-ruling political party lost power this week after six-decades. A political newcomer defeated the right wing ruling party. Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, is the country's president elect.  He resigned from the church to run for president, but his election poses a dilemma for the church. The Vatican suspended him from his duties, such as saying mass, last year, but it argued Lugo remains a bishop because his ordination was a lifelong sacrament. The bishop will be inaugurated president in August. The Vatican says Lugo's case is under review.

In Brazil, a Roman Catholic priest who lifted off under hundreds of helium balloons remains missing. Adelir Antonio Di Carli wanted to break a record and raise money for a centre where truck drivers stop to rest. He was wearing a helmet, a thermal flight suit, and a parachute. But an hour after take off, Adelir told his crew that he couldn’t complete the planned 465 mile voyage. Then, they lost contact with the priest. Rescuers reached a cluster of the balloons floating in the ocean, but there was no trace of him. However, they continued to search the area off Brazil’s Southern coast. 

State Rep. Douglas Bruce was ordered to step down from the podium of the state House of Representatives on Monday for calling Mexican farm workers, “illiterate peasants.” The Colorado legislator made the Mexican slur, while debating a bill that would allow the state to help immigrant workers get temporary federal visas. Republicans removed Bruce from the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, since he refused to co-sponsor a resolution honoring military veterans.

Mexican Security and Railway Damage are slowing down the flow of illegal immigrants from Central America to the United States. In Mexico, Central Americans without documents face increased security. Mexico is also beginning to see fewer illegal immigrants and an increased number of soldiers, as well as federal police on its border. Despite Mexico’s efforts to secure its own southern border, it does not prevent its citizens from illegally entering the United States.

April 24, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Latest Hispanic News

April 14, 2008 1:57 PM

Brazil: Civil defense forces have begin to distribute 115 tons of food in the state of Paraiba after floods washed through the state and left 17-thousand people homeless. The northeast of Brazil is a dry, arid area, which has not seen such heavy rain in 30 years.

Rio de Janeiro: A paramilitary group has taken over land, which was to be used to provide housing for low-income families in the outskirts of Rio. The militias have started to construct shops on the land, forcing families who were supposed to be living in these dwellings to go back to living in shacks in the favela close by. The militia groups are made-up of former police officers and firefighters and enforce a vigilante rule to drive out drug trafficking factions in the city.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on a tour focused on ethanol and other bio-fuels, a sector in which Brazil is a global leader, signed a cooperation agreement with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. The agreement will allow Brazil and the Netherlands to work together on the sustainable production of biofuels and to help developing nations establish their own crops to make alternatives to fossil fuels.

Peru-US: The government of Peru says Yale University is holding onto 40,000 artifacts taken from one of the world's most famous archeological sites, and it wants them back. In 1911, Yale alum Hiram Bingham rediscovered the ancient city of Machu Picchu, where he excavated thousands of relics and brought them back to Yale for study. Peru now says the artifacts were only on loan. The two sides sounded like they reached an agreement last year. Yale said it would return 4,000 pieces it had, but now a Peruvian government commission says that's only a tenth of what Yale really has stored away.

Uruguay: More than a thousand people hosted the world’s biggest barbecue to promote the country’s most desirable export--beef. The National Meats Institute, which tracks beef sales overseas, organized the barbecue. The South American country surpassed a Mexican grilling record from 2006 by four tonnes. Beef exports brought in $817 million last year for Uruguay.

April 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Noticias de Mexico to Haiti

April 10, 2008 3:23 PM

After much political wrangling, the U.S. House of Representatives will effectively kill a free trade deal with Colombia. According to the White House, lawmakers’ votes are expected to indefinitely delay action on the bill. For several reports on this very heated trade deal with so many political implications, go to our Exclusiva website. 

Major security for the Olympic Torch that’s expected in Argentina over the weekend. Olympic organizers are trying to make sure that protesters, like the ones in London and San Francisco, don’t disrupt the Argentine leg of the torch as it works its way to Beijing. The torch is expected to arrive in China in August.

Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon sent an Energy Reform Bill to the Senate, which will help private contractors. Since energy is a major issue in Mexico’s economy, there’s a need to boost declining oil production and build new refineries. Calderon said the bill would not privatize the oil industry. This volatile issue has led the leftist opposition to threaten massive protests if the conservative government tries to bring in privatization.

Haiti is in many ways Ground Zero in a global food crisis. The UN is concerned about dramatic food price hikes in every corner of the world. For example, prices in Brazil have been up by eleven percent in the last year. Haiti is also facing high food prices, thereby causing its population to deal with hunger. It’s difficult to get Haiti out of poverty. Haiti’s President asked for lower food prices and there are reports that some order has come to the streets of Port Au Prince.

April 10, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Hispanic News From Mexico to Brazil

April 03, 2008 4:23 PM

In Mexico, a former female wrestler, Juana Barraza was sentenced to 759 years in prison. She became known as “la Mataviejitas” or the "little old lady killer" in Mexico City.  Barraza was found guilty of killing sixteen elderly women, but she only admits to killing four of them. 

Also in Mexico, more than one hundred prisoners in Chiapas State were set free, since authorities determined there was little evidence against them. They had been accused of crimes like homicide, kidnapping and robbery. There are also 227 other cases are pending, so more prisoners might be freed.

In Cuba, in only a few weeks, there had been many changes thanks to President Raúl Castro. Now Cubans, if they have money, can buy cell phones and appliances, such as computers. They are now also able to stay at hotels that were only for tourists. Many think that Castro is giving these liberties to gain popularity in power. The question is whether his brother, Fidel Castro, approves these reforms.

And in Brazil, the health crisis continues in Rio de Janeiro. 67 people have died and it’s believed that another 57 thousand people are infected. The Brazilian military has been forced to intervene to try to stop the spread of the disease.   

April 3, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)