Latin Pulse/Pulso Latino

Status of Poverty in Latin America

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse: June 30, 2008) Features former president of Peru, Alejandro Toledo. How is Latin America coping with the issue of poverty? From violence to hungry children on the streets, it is an ailment that has afflicted the region for decades. As Latin America tries to increase trade and strengthen its economies, it is still troubled by the lack of financial resources to fight poverty. But as the pendulum swings back away from free market economies, some are starting to blame multinationals for promoting poverty for their own advantage. Historically the financial health of Latin America has been directly tied to the strength of the U.S. dollar. As the dollar weakens so do Latin America economies, sending the poverty index soaring. En Español El estado de la pobreza en Latino América. ¿Cómo esta Latino América haciéndole frente al problema de la pobreza? Desde la violencia hasta niños hambrientos en las calles, dos caras de las varias caras de la pobreza, una dolencia que ha afectado la región por décadas. Así como América Latina trata de incrementar el comercio para fortalecer sus economías, aún sigue plagada por la falta de recursos financieros para combatir la pobreza. Con el péndulo balanceándose entre las economías de libre mercado, algunos están comenzando a criticar a las compañías multinacionales por promover la pobreza para su conveniencia. Históricamente la salud financiera de Latino América ha estado directamente liada a la fuerza del dólar, sí el dólar se debilita así mismo se ven afectadas las economías Latino Americanas, aumentando vertiginosamente el índice de pobreza en la región. GUESTS: Joy Olson, Executive Director WOLA, Washington Office in Latino America Joy Olsen is a Latin America human rights expert who has directed non-governmental human rights organizations for more than a decade. A policy strategist and a partner in dialogue with U.S. policy and opinion makers in both Washington DC and Latin America, Ms. Olson has a long-standing commitment to promoting greater transparency in U.S. military programs in Latin America. She co-founded the "Just the Facts" project and co-authored its three books on U.S. military programs with Latin America. Her many achievements include campaign leadership to end U.S. government efforts to deport refugees who fled from civil war in El Salvador to the U.S. She led NGO efforts to increase U.S. funding for Central American peace accords implementation and a successful advocacy effort to lift the ban on food and medicine sales to Cuba. Prior to joining WOLA as Executive Director, Ms. Olson served as Director of the Latin America Work Group (LAWG), a coalition of 60 non-governmental organizations working together to promote peaceful and just U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America. A published author in the Latin American human rights field, Ms. Olson did her graduate studies at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, following two years' work in community development in Honduras. Héctor Perla Jr., Visiting Scholar CLAS, UC Berkeley An assistant professor of Political Science and Latin American Studies at Ohio University, Dr. Perla is currently on leave as a UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow. During 2007-08 Dr. Perla will be a visiting scholar at CLAS, where he will be finishing his book manuscript entitled "Revolutionary Deterrence: U.S. Coercion & Transnational Resistance by Sandinista Nicaragua." The book documents the strategies and tactics used by the Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN) to resist the Reagan Administration's efforts to oust them from power. It traces the domestic, international and transnational strategies that Nicaraguans both at home and in the diaspora used to sway U.S. public opinion to oppose Reagan's policy and deter him from escalating the conflict. Specifically, this includes analysis of transnational sub-state actors such as religious and secular NGOs, the Central American Diaspora and the Solidarity Movement in the U.S., as well as their impact on public opinion, media framing of the conflict and government officials' decision-making. Alejandro Toledo, Ph.D President of Peru, 2001-2006; President, Global Center for Development and Democracy (GCDD); Payne Distinguished Visiting Lecturer (CDDRL) Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Distinguished Fellow, Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS), Stanford University Dr. Toledo was president of Peru from 2001 to 2006. Toledo came to international prominence after leading the opposition against President Alberto Fujimori, who held the presidency from 1990 to 2000. After his presidential term, Toledo left Peru and went to the U.S. where he has been a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University during the 2006-2008 academic years. Currently he is a 2007-2008 Payne Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and a CDDRL (Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law) visiting scholar. Before being elected president, Toledo worked as a consultant for various international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He has also been a regular professor at ESAN, Peru's leading Business School. From 1991 to 1994, he was an affiliated researcher in the field of international development at the Harvard Institute for International Development. Toledo was also guest professor at the University of Waseda in Tokyo and at the Japan Foundation. Among Toledo's publications are works on economic growth and on structural reforms. However, his latest book, "Las Cartas sobre la Mesa" ("The Cards on the Table"), describes his political career which led him to found the party Perú Posible ("Possible Peru").

Food Issues in Latin America

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse: 15 June, 2008) As the price of food goes up in Latin America, so does the chance of social uprising and general discontent. One of the richest regions of the world is facing the problem of how to feed its own people. Is this an ideological issue, lack of know-how, or just mismanagement of funds? Will all those hungry people end up in the streets of towns here in the United States? Español Así como el precio de los alimentos aumenta en Latino América, así también el riesgo de descontento social y levantamientos de la población en general crece. Una de las regiones mas ricas del mundo esta confrontando el problema de cómo alimentar a su población. ¿Es esto un problema ideológico, falta de conocimiento de cómo hacer las cosas, o solamente un problema de mala gestión en la parte administrativa? ¿Terminaran alguna de esta gente hambrienta en las calles de las ciudades aquí en los Estados Unidos? GUESTS: Daniel Gustafson, Director of the Liaison Office for North America, FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Mr. Gustafson, a national of the United States of America, holds an M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Maryland. He started his career in 1977 at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Brazil, occupying posts in research and extension projects and at the country office until 1988. From 1988 to 1994, he worked as Programme Director of the University of Maryland International Development Management Centre and the Maryland Extension Service. He joined FAO in 1994 as FAO Senior Extensionist in Maputo, advising the National Directorate of Rural Development in the Ministry of Agriculture. From 1996 to November 1997, he served as Consultant for the Investment Centre, TCI. From 1998 to 2002 he served as FAO Representative in Kenya. In October 2002, he was appointed FAO Representative in India and Bhutan. Juan Carlos Hidalgo, Project coordinator for Latin America Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute Juan Carlos is project coordinator for Latin America at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity. Previously he was Latin America director of the International Policy Network and editor of El Cato.org, the Cato Institute's Spanish-language web site. He writes frequently on Latin American affairs and his articles have been published in newspapers throughout the region including La Nación (Costa Rica), El Comercio (Perú), La Nación (Argentina), El Tiempo (Colombia) and El Mercurio (Chile), among others. Hidalgo received his B.A in International Relations from the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica and holds a master's degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University. José Artiga, Executive Director, SHARE Foundation The SHARE Foundation building a new El Salvador today, has over 27 years experience in the United States working on El Salvador and community development issues. After arriving in the United States from his native El Salvador in 1980, barely escaping the death squads, he helped develop the Sanctuary Movement in the U.S. to help other refugees fleeing oppression and violence. He also led the "Going Home Campaign" to provide support to Salvadoran refugees based in Honduras returning to their country. Under José's leadership SHARE has made women's work a priority and has accompanied grassroots organizations in Central America in their struggle to oppose the Free Trade Agreement. SHARE has also been present with the Salvadoran people during natural disasters such as Hurricanes Mitch, Stan, the earthquakes of 2001 and volcano eruptions and accompanied the struggle of the immigrants in the US. Under Jose's leadership SHARE is responding to the food crisis by providing farmers in El Salvador with a package of native seeds and organic fertilizers.

Soccer/Fútbol

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse: June 2, 2008) In Latin America soccer is a game of passion, and it's taken to heart. What many consider to be the biggest game in the world has become so huge that when national teams play, entire countries come to a stop. It's also big business. Is soccer simply a game or is it an escape from the reality of poverty and corruption in Latin America? En Español: En Latino América fútbol es un juego con pasión, y se toma en serio. Muchos lo consideran el deporte más importante en el mundo, y se ha vuelto tan grande que cuando la selección nacional juega, el país entero se toma el tiempo para seguir el juego. Es también un negocio importante. ¿Es el fútbol simplemente un juego, o es un escape de la realidad que conlleva pobreza y corrupción en Latino América? GUESTS: Branko Milanovic, World Bank, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Visiting Scholar Branco is a lead economist in the World Bank's research department, where he has been working on the topics of income inequality and globalization. Previously, he was a World Bank country economist for Poland and a research fellow at the Institute of Economic Sciences in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Since 1996, Milanovic has also served as a visiting professor teaching the economics of transition at the Johns Hopkins University's School for Advanced International Studies. He received his Ph.D. in economics in 1987 from Belgrade University. As a senior associate on a two-year assignment with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Global Policy Program, Milanovic focused his research on globalization and world income distribution, as well as the interaction between politics, reform, and inequality in transition countries. He remains an associate scholar with the Endowment. Mylene Moreno, Documentary Filmmaker, "Fanáticos" Los Angeles-based filmmaker Mylène Moreno makes documentaries that reflect her diverse cultural interests. She is currently following Mexican fútbol fanáticos in southern California during the second season of the professional soccer team, Chivas USA. Her last project is "Recalling Orange County," a personal look at the orchestrated backlash against an immigrant rights leader that reveals fierce conflicts in California's Orange County over what it means to be American. It began airing in October, 2006, during the inaugural season of the Latino Public Broadcasting series VOCES. Mylène's previous film, "True-Hearted Vixens," featured female jocks pursuing dreams of professional athletic greatness in a startup tackle football league. Produced in association with the Independent Television Service, "Vixens" aired during the 2001 season of P.O.V. Previously, she worked in Austin on several PBS documentaries, producing the first episode of the landmark PBS series "¡CHICANO! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement." She also produced a tongue-in-cheek documentary "search" for the brilliant and reclusive novelist Cormac McCarthy, "Cormac's Trash," and directed "Maribel," a short about an El Paso teen's experience of motherhood, marriage and a second pregnancy. Mylène is a graduate of Stanford University's documentary film program. "Fanáticos" Synopsis: Worldwide, soccer fans are a phenomenon unto themselves. In the US, soccer may still be in its youth, but the fans are already here, creating new communities, influencing our appreciation for the game and supporting their home team. One such team is a fútbol club called Chivas USA. Fanaticos follows the fortunes of Club Deportivo Chivas USA's most colorful fans, Mexican and Mexican American fútbol devotés, during the team's second season in the United States' professional soccer league. Dr. Tomás F. Crowder-Taraborrelli, Introduction to the Humanities, Stanford University Tomás was born in Argentina and came to the United States in 1986. He studied Journalism, Film and Comparative Literature at San Francisco State University and did his graduate work at the University of California, Irvine and San Diego. The last four years Crowder-Tarborelli have been completing a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Tomás is also one of the directors of the Stanford Film Lab and had directed a couple of documentary films. He is a Boca Juniors fan.

The Game of Soccer / El Deporte del Fútbol

The Business of Soccer / El Negocio del Fútbol

Water Crisis

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse: May 19, 2008) Encompassing both glaciers and the Amazon basin, Latin America remains one of the biggest sources of fresh water in the world. Yet drinking water is scarce and for some it's a luxury. Will there be a battle for fresh water in the future? And if it runs out, what other alternatives are there? En Español La vida sobre la tierra no puede existir sin ella, sin embargo el agua se toma por dada. Se ha dicho que en el futuro el agua es como el petróleo, es un recurso natural sin el cual no podemos vivir, a diferencia del petróleo no hay conocidas alternativas para reemplazar el agua potable. Latino América con sus glaciares y el río Amazonas posee uno de los recursos más grandes de agua dulce en el mundo. A pesar de todo el agua es escasa y para algunos en un lujo. ¿Habrá una guerra por el agua potable en el futuro, y sí se acabara que otras alternativas hay? GUESTS: Alan Snitow, Documentary Filmmaker & Writer "Thirst" Alan's films include the award-winning "Thirst," "Secrets of Silicon Valley", and "Blacks and Jews." Snitow was a producer at the top-rated KTVU-TV News, the Bay Area Fox affiliate, for 12 years. Before that, he was the News Director for eight years at the Bay Area's Pacifica Radio station, KPFA-FM, winning the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Gold Award for Best Local Newscast. Snitow was a Board member of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters and President of the Board of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. He is currently a Board member of the Film Arts Foundation and a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He is a graduate of Cornell University. "Thirst" investigates eight recent high-profile controversies over the corporate takeover of water in the United States and illuminates how and why ordinary people are fighting back both here and abroad. Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch Wenonah is the executive director of Food & Water Watch. She has worked extensively on energy, food, water and environmental issues at the national, state and local level. Experienced in developing policy positions and legislative strategies, she is also a skilled and accomplished organizer, having lobbied and developed grassroots field strategy and action plans. From 1997 to 2005 she served as Director of Public Citizen's Energy and Environment Program, which focused on water, food, and energy policy. From 1996 to 1997, she was environmental policy director for Citizen Action, where she worked with the organization's 30 state-based groups. From 1989 to 1995 she was at the Union of Concerned Scientists where as a senior organizer, she coordinated broad-based, grassroots sustainable energy campaigns in several states. She has an M.S. in Applied Anthropology from the University of Maryland. Abel Mejía, Gerente Corporativo de Agua, World Bank Gonzalo E. Mejia, Director & Producer, Bananas Films

Availability and Infrastructure / Disponibilidad e infrastructura

Privatization vs. Public domain / Privatización vs. Dominio Público

Oil Addiction and Alternative Fuels

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse: May 5, 2008) Rising gas prices and the threat of oil shortages around the world are nothing new. What is surprising are the claims by one of the United States' main suppliers that it's already running out. Mexico is one of the main suppliers of crude oil to the United States, but recently that country has experienced a reduction in oil production. That concerns not only the oil industry but also Mexican citizens. Are we closer to the flash point than we thought, or is this just a political ploy to put pressure on the United States? Are other nations leaving the U.S. behind in the race to adopt new energy technologies, and will our oil addiction create a drag on the economy? En Español: La adicción al petróleo y alternativas de combustibles. El aumento en los precios del barril y la amenaza de escasez de petróleo alrededor del mundo no es nada nuevo. Lo que sorprende son las declaraciones de uno de los mayores surtidores para los Estados Unidos, de que los yacimientos de petróleo se están agotando. México es uno de los importantes surtidores de crudo para los EEUU, recientemente el país ha sufrido una reducción en la producción petrolera. Este hecho preocupa no solamente a la industria pero también a los ciudadanos de ese país. ¿Estamos acercándonos al punto culminante de escasez o es solamente una perspectiva política para presionar a los EEUU? ¿Están otras naciones dejando atrás a los estados Unidos en la competencia para adaptar nuevas tecnologías al uso de combustibles, y estará creando nuestra adicción al petróleo una fricción en la economía? GUESTS: Paul Paz y Miño - Managing Director, Amazon Watch: www.amazonwatch.org Barbara Kotschwar - Research Associate at the Peterson, Institute for International Economics Barbara Kotschwar, research associate at the Institute, was formerly the chief of the Foreign Trade Information System (2000-2007) and senior trade specialist (1996-2007) at the Organization of American States; was a research assistant at the Institute (1995-96) and at the North American Studies Project at Johns Hopkins University Foreign Policy Institute (1994-95). She has been an adjunct professor of Latin American Studies and Economics at Georgetown University since 1998. She was coeditor of "Trade Rules in the Making: Multilateral and Regional Trade Arrangements" (Brookings Institution Press/Organization of American States, 1999) and "The Andean Community and the United States: Trade and Investment Relations in the 1990s" (Organization of American States, 1998) and has written numerous papers on trade issues, particularly focusing on the Americas. Jorge R. Piñón - Energy Fellow, University of Miami, Center for Hemispheric Policy Jorge R. Piñón began his professional career nearly thirty years ago in the energy sector when he joined Shell Oil Company. In 1991 Amoco Corporation recruited him as President of Amoco Corporate Development Company Latin America, where he led the business development efforts in the region and participated in a number of important joint ventures between Amoco and state oil companies. In 1994 he was transferred to the downstream oil sector and to Mexico City to serve as president of Amoco Oil de México and president of Amoco Oil Latin America. In 1997, as vice-president and member of the board of directors of the AM-CHAM México, he received the "Yiacatecutli" award, for distinguished service in the promotion of US-México business relations. After the 1999 merger between Amoco and BP, Jorge was transferred to Madrid, Spain to run BP Europe's western European supply and logistics operations. Jorge retired from BP in 2003 and is currently an international energy consultant as well as an Energy Fellow with the University of Miami's Center for Hemispheric Policy where he focuses on energy and alternative fuels. He is also a frequent guest energy analyst on CNN En Español, CNN International, Bloomberg Financial News Services and other news organizations. Jorge Piñón's international experience in emerging markets and network of senior energy contacts in Latin America allow him to contribute objective analysis on Cuba's energy and economic challenges as well as the politics of oil and natural gas in Latin America, and the international oil markets. Jorge is a graduate from the University of Florida in International Economics and Latin American Studies.

Environmental Impact and Oil Supplies / Impacto en el medio ambiente y los yacimientos petroleros

Oil Politics and Oil Addiction / La addicion y las politicas del petroleo

U.S. Presidential Elections and the Latino Vote

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(April 21, 2008) The November election for president of the United States is fast approaching and never before has the Hispanic vote carried so much weight. With the race so tight, the three leading candidates are going after what may be the tie-breaker - the Latino vote. That group may determine who moves into the White House next winter. Will this translate into true political strength or remain just another political promise? En Español: EEUU Elecciones Presidenciales y el voto de los Latinos. Las elecciones para la presidencia de los EEUU se acercan, y jamás el voto hispano había tenido tanto peso en las elecciones en el país. Con la tan cerrada competencia, los tres candidatos están tras lo que parece ser el desempate, el voto de los Latinos. ¿Se traducirá este hecho en una real fuerza política o se quedará en una promesa política más? GUESTS: Andres Eugenio Jimenez University of California, Office of the President California Policy Research Center Andres Jimenez is director of the California Policy Research Center (CPRC), a University of California system-wide program that applies independent, nonpartisan scholarly research expertise to public policy issues. Jimenez has researched and written about society and politics in the United States and Mexico, U.S. race and ethnic relations, U.S. immigration policy, and US-Latin American relations. Before joining CPRC, Jimenez coordinated research programs at the Institute of International Studies and the Institute for the Study of Social Change at the University of California, Berkeley. Jimenez is a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for California Studies at California State University, Sacramento; the Executive Committee of the Center for Latino Policy Research at UC Berkeley; and the Advisory Committee of the Chicano/Latino Research Center at UC Santa Cruz. He chairs the editorial committee of the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, an independent refereed research journal housed at the JFK School of Public Policy at Harvard University. Jimenez was elected to the National Policy Council for the Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) for the 1994-1998 term. He also served on the Advisory Board for a major RAND Corporation study of the effects of large-scale immigration on California, the Board of Directors of the International Institute of the East Bay, the Planning Committee of the California Public Policy Consortium, and the Newcomers Task Force of Contra Costa County, which he chaired. Jimenez received his BA in Politics and Latin American Studies from UC Santa Cruz, and he pursued doctoral studies in Political Science at UC Berkeley. David Campos SF police commissioner David Campos is currently a San Francisco Police Commissioner and was previously General Counsel for the San Francisco Unified School District. An immigrant from Guatemala, David graduated from Harvard Law School and Stanford University. He is also an elected member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, the governing arm of the San Francisco Democratic Party. Mark Hugo Lopez Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center Mark Hugo Lopez is the Associate Director of the Pew Hispanic Center. Lopez received his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 1996. At the Center, Lopez studies political engagement among Latinos, young Latinos and helps to coordinate the Center?s national surveys. Prior to joining the Center, Lopez served as Research Director at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Maryland. Through his work at CIRCLE, he has studied young people's electoral participation, the civic engagement of immigrants, young people's views of the first amendment, and the link between college attendance and civic engagement. In other work, Lopez has studied the earnings differential between U.S. born Hispanic faculty and other faculty, the impact of bilingual education programs on long-term student achievement, the returns to speaking a second language, and the neighborhood effects of immigrants on the educational achievement of natives. Lopez joined the Pew Hispanic Center in January of 2008. Raúl Danny Vargas National Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly Mr. Vargas is the founder and president of VARCom Solutions, a marketing and communications consultancy firm. Previously he served as AOL's Vice President for Latin America, where he led the company's business activities in the region. A life long Republican, he was a member of the Hispanic advisory group for former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman and founder and chairman of a Hispanic advisory group for Congressman Frank Wolf (10th-VA). He served as coordinator for the Hispanic coalition for Senator Allen's re-election campaign and was a principal Spanish language spokesperson for the Kilgore campaign. He has advised members of Congress (House and Senate) on issues related to immigration reform, gangs, Hispanic outreach and more. He is an active member of the Fairfax County Republican Committee, the 10th District Republican Committee and is a member of the Membership Advisory Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. A Virginia resident for nearly 15 years, he is also a leader in the community, serving on the boards of various non-profit groups helping the poor, the young and the ill lead better and more self-sufficient lives. These include the Northern Virginia Family Service, Fairfax Partnership for Youth and INOVA Hospital's Community Advisory Board. As a leader in the private sector, he holds prominent positions in various chambers of commerce, including the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce where in July 2007 Vargas became the Chamber's chairman. He is a seven year veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force, including five years in Panama.

U.S. Elections and U.S. Latinos / Las elecciones y los Latinos en EEUU

U.S. Elections and Latin America / Las elecciones y América Latina

The Immigration Issue

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

(Latin Pulse, April 7, 2008) The immigration issue in the U.S. is once again a hot topic of discussion. It is an election year, and the economy is in a downturn. The United States is a nation founded on immigration, however, with every new wave of immigrants, social and economic pressures often cause a backlash. This heats up the debate within the political arena. The most recent wave of immigrants, both legal and illegal, is from Latin America, with the majority coming from Mexico. Is illegal immigration a necessary evil? Or an impossible problem that has to be solved? En Español: El Asunto de la Inmigración El tema de la inmigración es una vez más una discusión acalorada. Este es un año de elecciones y la economía esta en declive. Los Estados Unidos es una nación fundada por inmigrantes, sin embargo con cada ola de nuevos inmigrantes las presiones sociales y económicas a menudo provocan un contragolpe como resultado. Esto enardece el debate en la arena política. La mas reciente ola de inmigrantes legales e ilegales viene de Latinoamérica y la mayoría de ellos de México. ¿Es la inmigración ilegal un mal necesario, o un problema insostenible que tiene que ser resuelto? GUESTS: John Amaya Legislative Staff Attorney MALDEF - Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund John Amaya is responsible for managing and executing MALDEF's federal legislative strategies related to immigration policy. Prior to joining MALDEF, Mr. Amaya served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in the office of Immigration Litigation where he represented the United States in Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals and Federal District Courts. Mr. Amaya has previous legislative experience having worked as a congressional fellow for Senator Maria Cantwell (WA) and as an aide for Congressman Norm Dicks (WA). A native of Los Angeles, California, Mr. Amaya holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington where he previously served on the board of Regents. Alejandra Rincón, Ph.D. Writer Alejandra Rincón, Ph.D. is the author of a forthcoming book entitled "Undocumented Immigrants and Higher Education: Sí se puede!" This book reviews the history of struggle by undocumented immigrant students to gain access to college by paying in-state tuition rates. These efforts, which have been successful in ten states thus far, are the current expression of past civil rights struggles and may have broader implications for the population as a whole. The book will be available in August from LFB Scholarly Publishing (http://www.lfbscholarly.com) as part of their series entitled "New Americans: Recent Immigration and American Society." She is also the 2006 recipient of the Human Relations Award conferred by the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC). The NACAC award celebrates someone who dedicates themselves to making postsecondary education opportunities available to historically underrepresented students. Having earned her doctorate in Education Administration, she is an avid advocate for immigrant rights in the educational system. She has developed programs to encourage Latino and immigrant high school students to attend college. Working for over six years with two of Texas? largest school districts, she has been active in the passage and implementation of Texas legislation that allows undocumented high school students to attend Texas colleges at in-state tuition rates. She has served as the director of Multicultural Affairs at Prairie View A&M University and is the adviser of Jóvenes Imigrantes por Futuro Mejor, an association of immigrant college students throughout Texas. Michele Waslin Senior Research Analyst at the Immigration Policy Center (AILF) Michele Waslin, Ph.D., is Senior Research Analyst at the Immigration Policy Center. She has authored several publications on immigration policy and post-9/11 immigration issues. Ms. Waslin appears regularly in English and Spanish-language media. Previously, she worked as Director of Immigration Policy Research at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Policy Coordinator at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. She received her Ph.D. in 2002 in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame, and holds an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Political Science from Creighton University. (mwaslin@ailf.org) About IPC The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research arm of the American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF). IPC was established in 2003 with the mission to provide policymakers, academics, the media, and the general public with access to accurate information about the effects of immigration on the U.S. economy and society. The IPC attracts nationally recognized scholars as research fellows and guest authors, and publishes timely reports on the role of immigrants and immigration policy. Together, the IPC director, fellows, and staff have been a major voice in the national debate on immigration. They have testified before Congress and regularly serve as experts on immigration law and policy issues for members of the media.

U.S. Immigration Policy / La política de Inmigración

The Human Face of Immigration / La Faz Humana de la Inmigración

Cuba and Fidel

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From makeshift baseball games, to remote villages in Cuba, many have admired Fidel Castro. And for almost fifty years he's been the island's most polarizing figure. Is Cuba ready for life after Castro? In February 2008, the baton was officially handed from President Fidel Castro to his brother Raul. Now Cuba faces one of its biggest challenges since Fidel took over the island nearly fifty years ago. Can the revolution continue without its iconic leader? En Español Cuba y Fidel Desde las canchas de béisbol hasta los remotos pueblos en Cuba, Fidel Castro ha sido admirado por muchos, y por casi cincuenta años ha sido la figura más polarizada de la isla. ¿Está Cuba preparada para la vida después de Castro? En febrero del 2008, la batuta fue oficialmente traspasada de mano a mano del Presidente Fidel Castro a su hermano Raúl. Ahora Cuba confrontará uno de sus grandes retos, desde que Fidel tomó el mando de la isla hace casi cincuenta años. ¿Podrá la revolución continuar sin su icónico líder? Program Guests Martin Carnoy Vida Jacks Professor, School of Education Stanford University Dr. Carnoy is a labor economist with a special interest in the relation between the economy and the educational system. To this end, he studies the US labor market, including the role in that relation of race, ethnicity, and gender, the US educational system, and systems in many other countries. He uses comparative analysis to understand how education influences productivity and economic growth, and, in turn, how and why educational systems change over time, and why some countries educational systems are marked by better student performance than others'. He has studied extensively the impact of vouchers and charter schools on educational quality, and has recently focused on differences in teacher preparation and teacher salaries across countries as well as larger issues of the impact of economic inequality on educational quality. Vicki Huddleston Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy Brookings Institute Vicki Huddleston is an expert on Latin America and Africa. A career member of the foreign service, she served as U.S. ambassador to Mali and Madagascar, acting U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and chief of the American interest section Cuba. Vicki Huddleston has been recognized for her work with a Presidential Award and an award for Distinguished Service and Valor. Michael Conniff Director, Global Studies San Jose State University As director of the Global Studies Institute at San José State University, Professor Conniff promotes curriculum reform, faculty and staff development, exchanges with foreign universities, and programs to prepare students to succeed as citizens and professionals in the world at large. Conniff earned degrees at UC-Berkeley and Stanford (Ph.D. 1976) and has published a number of books on modern history, most recently A History of Modern Latin America (with Lawrence Clayton), Africans in the Americas (with T.J. Davis), and populism in Latin America. He has lived overseas for a dozen years, has held several post-doc appointments (including three Fulbright tours), and served in the U.S. Peace Corps. He lectures often in Portuguese and Spanish. Before joining SJSU, he taught history at the University of New Mexico and created Latin American studies programs at Auburn University and the University of South Florida.

Castro's Resignation / La Renuncia de Castro

World Reaction / Reacción Mundial

A Future Without Fidel / Un Futuro Sin Fidel

Colombia-Venezuela Relations

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Tensions are growing between one of America's strongest Latin American allies and one of its foes. Will Colombia ever be able to pacify a guerrilla movement with a forty years history of violence? Or will the U.S. have to continue to pour billions of dollars to prop them up? Colombia's once friendly relationship with neighboring Venezuela is now strained. Venezuela claims the U.S. government is promoting violence in the region to advance Washington's own agenda. For close to half a century Colombia has struggled with internal unrest. Violence in some parts of the country is not only rampant, but has become a way of life. At the root is the guerrilla movement suspected of being financed by drug money; years ago they turned to kidnapping to raise additional funds and to put pressure on the government. But support for this guerrilla movement seems to be eroding - people in Colombia are fed up with the violence and instability. Recently, people marched in the street against the situation in the country. En Español: Pulso Latino Relaciones entre Colombia - Venezuela: Las FARC, los rehenes, y la reciente crisis. La tensión se acrecentó entre uno de los países Latinoamericanos mas cercanos a los EEUU y uno de sus enemigos. ¿Será Colombia capaz de pacificar un movimiento guerrillero que tiene una historia de violencia de ya casi cuarenta años? ¿O tendrán los EEUU que continuar enviando miles de millones de dólares para apoyarles? Las relaciones entre Colombia y su vecina Venezuela fueron en el pasado amistosas, pero ahora son tensas. Venezuela sostiene que el gobierno de los EEUU promueve la violencia en la región para avanzar sus propios intereses. Por casi medio siglo Colombia ha luchado con un malestar político interno. La violencia en algunos lugares del país es no solamente licenciosa pero se ha vuelto una manera de vivir. A la raíz se haya una guerrilla susceptible de ser financiada por el dinero de la droga, desde hace algunos años están realizando secuestros para obtener más fondos y continuar presionando al gobierno. Pero el apoyo popular para la guerrilla se ha deteriorado, la gente en Colombia esta harta de la violencia y la inestabilidad y se han volcado recientemente a las calles para protestar en contra de la situación en el país. LP Panel Guests' Bios Susana Pimiento Chamorro TFLAC Co-Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation Colombia Project Susana Pimiento Chamorro, Task Force co-director, began coordination of the FOR Colombia program in June of 2005. Susana is an attorney (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá) and holds a Master's in Public Policy (Institute for Social Studies, The Hague). She formerly co-directed the U.S. office of The Sunshine Project, where she conducted research and advocacy on arms control and co-organized a campaign to halt the use of biological weapons in the Drug War. She has worked in the fields of environmental policy, indigenous peoples rights, international law and constitutional law. Her previous experience also includes managing the World Wildlife Fund, Colombia's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Implementation project as well as spending time at Colombia's National Consitutional Assembly and as a Prosecutor at the Colombian National Attorney General's Office. Marcela Uribe Sanchez Marcela Uribe Sanchez is an activist who recently immigrated to San Francisco. She is a historian (Universidad Javeriana, Colombia) who holds a Master's degree in Media and Cultural Studies (Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina). Since her youth she has been involved in different countercultural groups mainly as a bass player for Bogota's punk-hc, noise bands (PPYY, Polikarpa y sus Viciosas, Oposizion). She is a researcher on media and culture. In San Francisco, she has been involved with the International Latino Film Festival and FOR, as an active member of the grass roots group. Douglas Farah IBI Consultant, Freelance Writer Since June 2005, Douglas Farah has been an investigative consultant with the NEFA Foundation, as well as a consultant and freelance writer on terror finance and national security issues. In 2004 he worked for nine months with the Consortium for the Study of Intelligence, studying armed groups and intelligence reform. For the two decades before that, he was a foreign correspondent and investigative reporter for the Washington Post and other publications, covering Latin America and West Africa.

Colombia - Venezuela Relations/Las Relaciones entre Colombia y Venezuela

The Hostage Crisis/Los Rehenes y la Crisis

U.S. - Latin American Relations

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

(February 19, 2008) Free trade continues to be a controversial issue for Latin Americans. Some say the region is becoming increasingly dependent on the United States for trade and security. But despite stiff opposition both here and abroad, these free trade agreements continue to be ratified, and not always with the United States. Also, U.S. policy is the target of strong criticism as Latin American presidents meet to discuss common strategies and markets. Is the region moving away from U.S. influence, and should we be concerned? En Español: Relaciones entre EEUU y Latino América Los tratados de libre comercio siguen siendo un tema controversial en Latino América. Algunos dicen que la región ha acrecentado su dependencia en los Estados Unidos en el comercio y la seguridad. A pesar de la persistente oposición tanto aquí como allá, estos tratados continúan de ser ratificados y estos no lo son siempre con los Estados Unidos Además las políticas de los Estados Unidos son criticadas en Latino América, mientras que los presidentes de los países de la región se reúnen para discutir un mercado común. ¿Esta la región emergiendo fuera de la influencia de los Estados Unidos, y esto debe preocuparnos?

Free Trade Agreements / Relaciones entre EEUU y Latino América

Economic Aid and Security / Ayuda Económica y Seguridad

From Soccer Stadiums to Main Street

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

(September 4, 2007) Violence seems to be an every day reality for most people in Latin America - bloodshed and aggression have become daily occurrences. What impact do American politics and culture have on all this? To what degree are they to blame? En Español En los estadios de fútbol y en las calles. La violencia es una realidad cotidiana para la mayoría de la gente en América Latina. En donde agresiones y acciones sangrientas ocurren cada día, y a cada instante. ¿Cuál es el impacto que la política y la cultura Estadounidense tienen en la región? ¿ Hasta que punto son la cultura Estadounidense y su política extranjera responsables por esto?

Natural Resources

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

(August 21, 2007) Natural resources, once seen as an endless source of raw materials, are now in short supply for those living south of the border. How will that impact your pocketbook? En Español Recursos Naturales Los Recursos naturales han sido considerados como una fuente inagotable de materiales en bruto, actualmente escasean para los habitantes al sur de la frontera, ¿Como esto afectara su presupuesto familiar?

Human Rights

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

(July 22, 2007) In this episode of Latin Pulse we examine the role of paramilitary groups in Central America, as seen through the eyes of a variety of TV channels. In addition, we discuss the role of the Church and accusations of its inaction in the face of human rights abuses. En Español Los derechos humanos son el enfoque de este programa. A través de reportajes de múltiples televisoras, examinaremos el rol que han desempeñado grupos paramilitares en América Latina, al igual que acusaciones contra la Iglesia Católica de apoyar a grupos que violan los derechos humanos en la región.

Abortion & Women's Rights

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

(July 10, 2007) Segment 1 - Abortion Does a woman have the right to terminate the life of her unborn, or are the rights of the baby to be protected at all cost? And why are women's rights such a controversial issue in Latin American countries? Segmento 1 - El Aborto Tiene la mujer el derecho de terminar con un embarazo no deseado o se debe proteger los derechos de la criatura a como de lugar? ¿Por que son los derechos de la mujer tan controversiales en América Latina? Segment 2 - Women's Rights Latin America is commonly know as the macho capital of the world, where women are treated as second class citizens. This may or may not be true in some parts of the region. What is true though is that women's rights are often violated for political, social or economic reasons. Segmento 2 - Los Derechos de las Mujeres América Latina es conocida como la capital del machismo en el mundo. En donde las mujeres son tratadas como ciudadanos de segunda clase. Esto puede ser cierto o no en algunos lugares de la región. Lo que si bien es cierto, es que los derechos de las mujeres son constantemente violados por razones políticas, sociales, y económicas.

Free Press in Latin America

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

(June 25, 2007) Free Press in Latin America People take to the streets in defense of a free press in Venezuela, where President Hugo Chavez is about to shut down an institution in Latin American media. Some say this is the beginning of the end for a free press in Venezuela, others say the station is a threat to Chavez's Bolivarian revolution. The Venezuelan ambassador to the United States, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, debates two journalists, Francisco Barradas and Daniel Coronell Castañeda, on the issue of free media. En Español: Libertad de Prensa Nuestro primer tema: la gente se ha arrojado a la calle para defender la libertad de prensa en Venezuela... donde el presidente Hugo Chávez está a punto de cerrar una estación de televisión parte de los medios de comunicación latinoamericanos. Algunos dicen que este es el comienzo del final de la libertad de prensa en Venezuela. Otros dicen que la estación es una amenaza para la revolución bolivariana de Chávez. El Embajador Venezolano a los Estados Unidos, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, debate con dos periodistas, Francisco Barradas y Daniel Coronell Castañeda, sobre los asuntos de libertad de medios.