Bolivia announces UNASUR summit

Translated by Brian Schwarz

Originally published January 4, 2010 in "La Prensa" of Managua, Nicaragua (laprensa.com.ni) under the heading Bolivia anuncia cumbre de Unasur

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (AFP) – The Bolivian government announced Monday in La Paz that the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will host a summit in Quito, Ecuador, January 27 and 28, to discuss the issue of the seven U.S. military bases in Colombia.

“We will be arranging a meeting of the heads of state of UNASUR, January 27 and 28, where we will discuss exclusively the issue of the military bases” in Colombia, said Bolivian defense minister Walker San Miguel, interviewed by the private radio station Erbol.

The Bolivian official announced that “the Bolivian government will take its well-known stance” at the meeting, referring to La Paz’ firm criticism of the U.S. military bases, a position clearly shared by Colombia’s neighbors, Venezuela and Ecuador.

The existence of more than six bases staffed with U.S. personnel has generated a total impasse in the region, which feels uncomfortable with the foreign presence”, said the defense minister, Bolivia’s point person on the Colombia-U.S. military situation.

At the last meeting of UNASUR, held in Quito last November, defense ministers agreed to organize a regional meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in order to discuss the matter.

UNASUR, headquartered in Ecuador, is comprised of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Perú, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela. [UNASUR in this article refers to the voting body formed by the UNASUR treaty, signed in 2008, which aims to organize South America in a model similar to that of the European Union with a common currency, parliament, and passport.]

More scandal than glamour at runway show in Punta del Este

Translated by Brian Schwarz

Originally published January 4, 2010 in "Observa" of Montevideo, Uruguay (observa.com.uy) under the heading Poco glamour y mucho escándalo


PUNTA DEL ESTE, URUGUAY - Featuring his classic “moving heads”, Argentine hairstylist Roberto Giordano this Sunday held his traditional runway show in Punta del Este. This time, the soiree was absent of the big Argentinean stars such as Susana Giménez, Moria Casán, Diego Maradona or Viggo Mortensen, who have been known to occupy the first few rows fronting the catwalk.

This year Giordano chose the Hotel Conrad as the backdrop for his show. He was accompanied by his personal friend and co-director, famous Argentinean hairstylist Teté Coustarot, who thanked national customs director Ricardo Prato following the incident in which the dresses that were used in the runway show were confiscated.

Lacking famous names at the event, Giordano pointed out that among the crowd were inspectors from the [Uruguay’s] internal revenue service (DGI), which was on hand doing audits.

Unlike in past years, the show was not held outside, nor did it register any relevant surprises. Apart from models like Sofía Zámolo, Dolores Barreiro and Rocio Guirao Díaz, among others, very few recognizable faces were to be seen.

The mother of chocolate magnate Ricardo Fort was one of the special guests. Marta Fort appeared to be very cordial with those present and even gave a CD as a gift to Giordano. Actor Gabriel Corrado, another who never misses the classic event, enthusiastically applauded each of the models.

Also pointed out among those in attendance were singer and actress Lola Ponce, who is famous in Italy, and Argentine fashion designer Carlos Di Domenico.

Gay marriage, adoption rights open path to equality in Latin America

Translated by Brian Schwarz

Originally published in “El Tiempo” of Bogota, Colombia (eltiempo.com) under the heading Poco a poco se abren paso las bodas gays en América Latina

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY – For the gay community, 2009 was a year of great advances in the fight for equal rights in a region where fierce resistance stems from a strong Catholic tradition.

With the celebration in Argentina of Latin America’s first gay marriage and the legalization of this type of wedding in Mexico City, the gay community closed the year with important advances in its fight for equal rights, this in open conflict with the strong tradition of Catholicism throughout the region.

The Argentine wedding took place just two days after the Mexico City’s legislative assembly approved December 21 a law that would allow gay couple to marry. That law becomes effective in Mexico in February.

Buenos Aires and Mexico City, as well as Uruguay and Colombia, already allow civil unions, but marriage among people of the same sex was not made legal in the region until now.

The controversy over gay marriage carries with it a debate over adoption rights for couples of the same sex.

Along these lines, this year there were advances in Uruguay. A new law passed to authorize adoption for gay couples while another passed which allows name and sex records to be changed.

In El Salvador, an attempt to expressly block gay marriages failed. While clauses that prohibit sexual discrimination were included in the constitutions of Bolivia and Ecuador.

In Colombia, an ongoing judicial struggle indicates that couples of the same sex may win adoption rights, according to Germán Rincón, member of Colombia Diversa.

Even Cuba seems to have left marginalization behind and has raised the possibility of permitting legal unions and adoptions.

On the other hand, in Costa Rica the highest court rejected a plea to legalize gay unions. And in Peru, the government passed a new police law mandating severe sanctions for officers who are gay, because they affect the image of the institution.

Livestock sales in Uruguay find Web success

Translated by Brian Schwarz

Originally published December 30, 2009 in "Espectador" of Montevideo, Uruguay (espectador.com) under the heading Camponegocios: buenas ventas

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY - Camponegocios.com closed its first month of operations with 97 percent of its supply sold. The livestock-trading portal sold in one month nearly 1,000 heads of cattle.

The first Web portal for the buying and selling of cattle and sheep closed its first month of business Thursday, December 24 with more than 300 authorized businesses.

The total amount [earned] from operations was more than $200,000.

Shares [listed on the site] sold within an average of 10 days, marking a great achievement regarding transaction speed for Camponegocios.com. On December 24 Camponegocios fulfilled its fastest transaction to date, selling a batch of cattle within two hours.

Manager of Camponegocios.com, Fabián Artigue, said that “without a doubt, this makes [one] believe that these transaction speeds and the security of authentications are here to stay”.

Producers from diverse parts of the country participated in Camponegocios’ first month of operations. The departments most active in the purchase of livestock via the portal were Río Negro, Salto, Paysandú, Durazno, Maldonado, Lavalleja, and Flores, among others.

Artigue said that “beyond the numbers, the important thing is that users are able to experience the speed, security and efficiency of the system”.

Moreover, during this first month of operations, Camponegocios made presentations to various cooperatives throughout the country, giving more than 500 producers the opportunity to get to know this new portal.