Monthly Archives: December 2013

Uruguay’s neighbors now considering legalization of pot The taboo is broken: Argentina’s new anti-drug czar says the country ‘deserves’ the debate, while Chile’s new president could ease marijuana laws.

Uruguay’s neighbors now considering legalization of pot The taboo is broken: Argentina’s new anti-drug czar says the country ‘deserves’ the debate, while Chile’s new president could ease marijuana laws.
  • December 24, 2013
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Argentina has given the first sign that Uruguay’s groundbreaking cannabis reform just may have started a domino effect across Latin America. Following the momentous vote by its smaller neighbor’s senate this month — making it the first nation in the world to completely legalize the soft drug — Argentina’s anti-drug czar Juan Carlos Molina has called for a public discussion in his country about emulating the measure. “Argentina deserves a good debate about this,” Molina told local radio. “We have the capacity to do it. We should not underestimate ourselves.” Crucially, Molina, a…Read more …

Peru’s blackface ’Negro Mama’ continues to offend A TV character meant to make Peruvians laugh reveals the casual racism still common in this South American country, campaigners say.

Peru’s blackface ’Negro Mama’ continues to offend A TV character meant to make Peruvians laugh reveals the casual racism still common in this South American country, campaigners say.
  • December 21, 2013
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When one of Peru’s leading TV stations was fined for racism earlier this year, you might have thought it would drop the offending comedy character, Negro Mama. But despite the 74,000 soles ($26,000) sanction, Negro Mama continues to star in Frecuencia Latina’s raucous flagship entertainment show, “The Humor Special,” which airs at primetime on Saturday night. Critics say the character, played by comedian Jorge Benavides, in blackface, and made up with grotesquely flaring nostrils and thick lips, relies on crude stereotypes. Not the least of those is that the character — which despite…Read more …

Female politicians taking over Latin America’s land of machismo

Female politicians taking over Latin America’s land of machismo
  • December 8, 2013
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Chilean presidential candidate for the New Majority coalition, Michelle Bachelet, left, and presidential candidate right-wing Evelin Matthei, right, greet each other before the presidential debate organized by ARCHI (Association of Radio of Chile) in Santiago, on Dec. 6, 2013. Martin Bernetti / AFP - Getty Images  LIMA, Peru — For a region famous for “machismo,” Latin America is about to take an unlikely step: elect a record number of women presidents. In Chile, moderate socialist former President Michelle Bachelet — whose admirers include Hillary Clinton — is widely expected to crush her conservative…Read more …