San Juan is the perfect destination for New Yorkers | The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus spreads further in the Americas, with the first four cases in Colombia confirmed on the Caribbean coast | A New Economic Plan For Puerto Rico | The Puerto Rico Economy Nears The Abyss | Shapiro: PR should follow Ireland path

San Juan is the perfect destination for New Yorkers

Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:56 AM

The Canal: News And Analysis Blog From The PanAm Post

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Eighteen months. That is how long it has been since air-ambulance service Aeromed has been paid for its services by the Puerto Rico health program “Mi Salud” — for a debt of $US4.6 million dollars.+

As a result, Puerto Rico’s only air-ambulance service is shutting down. Those injured in a serious accident, who cannot be transported by ambulance fast enough to save their lives, will die.+

They will not die because the technology doesn’t exist. They will not die because there is no will to save them. They will die because the commonwealth government, under the current administration of Alejandro García Padilla, has utterly failed in its attempt to lead the territory.+

This can’t be written off as a simple mistake; nor can it be written off as the fault of the previous administration of Luis Fortuño.+

Alejandro, you own this one.+

When the former governor (Fortuño) tried to address the over-burdened government and tried to cut the size of government, he was attacked, universally. Protests filled the streets; many strikes took place (some of which were illegal); and the media went into a wild, zombie-like frenzy. Even then, candidate Alejandro García Padilla joined union protests.+

He said that under his administration there would be no layoffs. True. Instead, he is simply refusing to pay for a critical emergency service.+

Understand this, as a limited-government, conservative libertarian I firmly believe that the government has only a few critical missions. Emergency response is one of those.+

To compound his incompetence with the island’s financial crisis, the governor has bungled the hiring of a trustee to oversee the reforms at the heavily indebted Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The record of Lisa Donahue suggests that mass layoffs are coming to the power company, and the unions are already threatening strikes. The governor has indicated that she will have no power, and that he will be the one making decisions.+

I assume he is saying he will order the layoffs that must come, but ready yourselves for “It was her!”+

There is no way to overstate the crisis in Puerto Rico today.+

Earlier this week, El Nuevo Dia reported that existing home sales on the island had dropped from 13,403 in 2006 to just 1,654 this year — a roughly 85 percent decline. More than 300,000 Puerto Ricans have left since then, with some estimates expecting another 500,000 to leave in the next several years.+

Tax revenue, critical given the island’s massive $70 billion debt (or over $100 billon by some estimates, beyond 100 percent of GDP) has fallen. That is despite draconian tax programs and higher utility fees that few can afford. Entire government agencies have fallen behind on their utility payments.+

Yet the government is willing to pay as much as one $1 million per year to hire a trustee to do what those in power should have had the courage to do already. What about a critical air-ambulance service?+

Politicians and political parties have failed the people of Puerto Rico. Politics as usual is the politics of the abyss.+

Editor’s note: after this article was published, the Puerto Rican government announced they would use helicopters from the Electric Power Authority to fill in until a new service could begin.+

Read the whole story

 

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Chikungunya spreads to Colombia

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:45 AM

BBC News - Latin America & Caribbean

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The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus spreads further in the Americas, with the first four cases in Colombia confirmed on the Caribbean coast.

September, 12-14 2014

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:41 AM

The San Juan Daily Star

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September, 12-14 2014

Lotto Wine With Apple Pay and Smartwatch, a Privacy Challenge Gates Foundation Gives $50 Million to Fight Ebola Seilhamer Uneasy With PREPA CRO’s Power to Lay Off Workers, Hike Rates California Bill Sets Sights on Curbing Campus Sexual Assaults

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Venezuela looks set to lock away prominent opposition leader Leopoldo López by Nick Miroff

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:37 AM

The Americas News: News And Headlines From Canada, South America & More - The Washington Post

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CARACAS, Venezuela — The trial of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López has proceeded along a clear trajectory so far, seemingly driven toward a predetermined outcome.

Which, of course, is also how railroads work.

Read full article >>

Shadowy sale of Venezuela paper raises fears of slow-building news blackout by Nick Miroff

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:37 AM

The Americas News: News And Headlines From Canada, South America & More - The Washington Post

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CARACAS, Venezuela — Through 15 years of roiling social change, the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal has been a go-to source for readers looking for tough coverage and criticism of the political upheavals brought by Hugo Chávez, the late president.

Read full article >>

Proposal to make Spanish Puerto Rico's first language - Fox News Latino

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:35 AM

Puerto Rico Statehood - Google News

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Proposal to make Spanish Puerto Rico's first language Fox News Latino The pro-statehood sector of the island's population generally supports the predominant use of English and independence-minded members of the Puerto Rican public generally prefer Spanish. The senator making the proposal is Antonio Fas Alzamora, with ...

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Puerto Rico News: Senator in US Commonwealth Wants to Make Spanish the ... - Latin Post

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:35 AM

Puerto Rico Statehood - Google News

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Latin Post

Puerto Rico News: Senator in US Commonwealth Wants to Make Spanish the ... Latin Post As of now, both Spanish and English are "officially co-equal" in all public forums thanks to Law 1-993, according to the news agency. Former Gov. Pedro Rossello, as a member of the PNP party in favor of Puerto Rico statehood, supported the law at the time. Proposal to Make Spanish Puerto Rico's First LanguageLatin American Herald Tribune all 14 news articles »

Governor's Plan to Beat Both “Sovereign Commonwealth” and ... by Contributing Editor

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:33 AM

Puerto Rico Statehood - Google Blog Search

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Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has been considering three strategies for defeating not onlystatehood but the “Sovereign Commonwealth” advocated by many in the 'Commonwealth' party he heads in a plebiscite provided for by a ... As worded in the report, Puerto Ricans would “first vote on the question of whether they would like to be part of the United States or would like to be independent, and then choose between the available status options, as limited by the ...

A New Economic Plan For Puerto Rico by hadeninteractive

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:29 AM

Puerto Rico Report

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Puerto Rico has had a fairly simple economic plan for decades. The plan is based on preferential tax treatment for U.S. based and foreign corporations, and some fear that if Puerto Rico gives up itsterritorial status, this perceived economic advantage will also be lost.

The theory behind this strategy is straightforward: by offering very low tax rates for corporations, Puerto Rico can lure U.S. corporations its shores. These corporations, it is thought, will then provide jobs and spend money in Puerto Rico, boosting the island’s economy.

How is that working out for Puerto Rico?

• The economy has declined for all but two of the past nine years, while neighboring Caribbean nations saw increases.
• Puerto Rico’s labor participation rate, the percentage of people of working age who are employed, is 20% lower than that of the rest of the U.S.
• Puerto Rico’s debt is equal to 95.7% of the gross domestic product of the island.
• The per capita income of Puerto Rico is $18,080, lower than Cuba as well as all 50 states.
• The per capita income fell by $1,000 between 2004 and 2013, while even the poorest states saw a rise.

Clearly, things are not going well for Puerto Rico economically.

Robert Shapiro,chair of NDN’s Global Initiative, has an alternative to suggest. In a new paper, Dr. Shapiro compares Puerto Rico to Ireland. Just as Ireland has been able to position itself as a low-cost option for foreign companies hoping to access the lucrative UK market, Puerto Rico can offer foreign investors an affordable access point for the US market.

“Ireland,” Shapiro points out, “transformed itself over one generation from the poorest country in the E.U. to one of its most prosperous members.”

Puerto Rico has some advantages already: a skilled, low cost workforce, easy travel and trade to and from the mainland US, and a bilingual population. With both Spanish and English already in place, Puerto Rico can attract both Latin American companies used to trading in Spanish and European and Asian companies used to trading in English.

Shapiro emphasizes that Ireland’s transformation wasn’t just a marketing push. By focusing on very strategic initiatives for education, finance, and business-friendly infrastructure, Ireland was able to become a very welcoming environment for businesses. Puerto Rico would need to do the same.

Puerto Rico has weaknesses in its infrastructure, particularly in the area of energy costs and transport (logistics) which make it less attractive for businesses. Rethinking government regulations and tax policies could also make a difference, Shapiro suggests.

Puerto Rico’s “long reliance on U.S. tax breaks for American corporations operating there to spur growth and modernization has failed,” Shapiro concludes.  “Like Ireland and its relationship to the E.U., Puerto Rico can offer a low-cost platform for foreign multinationals to engage in the U.S. market.  The key to this new approach lies in the deliberate and sometimes politically difficult promotion of the economic and political conditions that attract large volumes of foreign direct investment.”

Read the whole story

 

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Puerto Rico's Political Fate | Información al Desnudoby Edwin Molina

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:09 AM

Puerto Rico Politics - Google Blog Search

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Reading from two novels about Puerto Rico by Robert Friedman, followed by a panel discussion about the island's status with political commentator Gerson Borrero and Columbia Law School professor Christina Duffy Ponsa.

INTERVIEW: Luis Fortuno to PJM: Puerto Rico Statehood Before...

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:08 AM

Puerto Rico Newswire

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INTERVIEW: Luis Fortuno to PJM: Puerto Rico Statehood Before Immigration Reform.

Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes - PanAm Post (blog)

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:07 AM

Puerto Rico News - Google News

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PanAm Post (blog)

Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes PanAm Post (blog)  To compound his incompetence with the island's financial crisis, the governor has bungled the hiring of a trustee to oversee the reforms at the heavily indebted Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The record of Lisa Donahue suggests that mass layoffs ...

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Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic President Hold Talks in Santo Domingo - Caribbean Journal

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:05 AM

Puerto Rico News - Google News

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Caribbean Journal

Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic President Hold Talks in Santo Domingo Caribbean Journal Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla met Thursday in Santo Domingo with Dominican Republic Prseident Danilo Medina. The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, focused largely on the area of security, according to a statement from the National ... Puerto Rico to show Dominicans how to fight crimeDominican Today all 99 news articles »

Puerto Ricans flock to US mainland as island crisis worsens - Yahoo News UK

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:05 AM

Puerto Rico Economy - Google News

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Yahoo News UK

Puerto Ricans flock to US mainland as island crisis worsens Yahoo News UK The island of Puerto Rico is depopulating, as residents stream to the US mainland fleeing the island's economic crisis and political gridlock in search of jobs. Since 2009, more Puerto Ricanshave been living pn the American mainland than on the ...  Number of Puerto Ricans Living in Puerto Rico Declines; Those Living in U.S ...AllGov all 9 news articles »

Doral says conflict with Puerto Rico govt could impact economy - Business News Americas

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:04 AM

Puerto Rico Economy - Google News

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Doral says conflict with Puerto Rico govt could impact economy Business News Americas The Puerto Rican government's failure to reach an agreement with local bank Doral Financial could lead to declines in investment, GDP growth and revenue that far outweigh the cost of settling with the bank, said Doral advisor Robert Shapiro. Doral ...

The Puerto Rico Economy Nears The Abyss - Seeking Alpha (registration)

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:03 AM

Puerto Rico Economy - Google News

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The Puerto Rico Economy Nears The Abyss Seeking Alpha (registration) Like a mad leviathan from the deep that chokes and drowns its prey, the tide of bad news keeps coming for Puerto Rico and threatens to drag the island commonwealth and its bondholders under. Indeed, Puerto Rico faces a massive fight on multiple fronts.

Enchanted Isle: Puerto Rico – Intelligent Travelby Henley Vazquez

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:03 AM

Puerto Rico - Google Blog Search

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An unincorporated U.S. territory since the end of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico established its own constitution in 1952, beginning its complicated status as a commonwealth. And while its residents are American ...

Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork - Fort Worth Star Telegram Pu... by Puerto Rico Business News

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 11:00 AM

PR Economy And Business News Review

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Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork - Fort Worth Star Telegram

Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork
Fort Worth Star Telegram
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Puerto Rico businessman has pleaded guilty to selling thousands of …


Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork - Fort Worth Star Telegram

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Puerto Rico Finds It Has New Friends in Hedge Fundsby By MICHAEL CORKERY

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 10:57 AM

NYT > Puerto Rico

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Hedge fund firms and investors have bought about 10 percent of all Puerto Rico government bonds, and have offered to help the government in expectation of a big return on their investment.

Moody’s: PR no longer benefits directly from gains in US economic

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 10:55 AM

Caribbean Business

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Moody’s: PR no longer benefits directly from gains in US economic growth It has been said that when the United States sneezes the world catches a cold … ...

The Dominican Republic posted a 12.8 percent rise in foreign tourist arriva ... Welch’s taps PR exec to head R&D Welch’s, the world’s leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, has tapped Puerto Rican executive Mari Rodríguez as vice ... Detroit, key bankruptcy plan opponent reach deal DETROIT — Detroit has reached a tentative deal with one of its key creditors that could remove the biggest stumbling block in the city's ... Obama to seek arms, training for Syrian opposition Issued: September 9, 2014 WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will ask Congress to quickly authorize the arming and training of Syrian opposition forces but will pres ... Issued: September 9, 2014 GENEVA — Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2013 as increasing levels of man-made pollution transform the plan ...

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PR to host summit for LatAm investors

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 10:54 AM

Caribbean Business

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PR to host summit for LatAm investors The Puerto Rico government is gearing up to host a summit for Latin American inv ... Spanish banking titan Botín dead 79; eldest daughter to take Santander helm MADRID — Spanish banking magnate Emilio Botín, who built the country’s Banco San ...

Governor heading delegation to DR Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla is slated to travel to the Domini ... Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi is pitching tax reform measures that ... PR cooperatives post solid gains Puerto Rico’s banking cooperatives have boosted assets by 13.85 percent to ... Issued: September 10, 2014 Employers in Puerto Rico expect to hire at a very sluggish pace during the fourth quarter of 2014, a new survey of U.S. and island businesse ... New special education chief named Issued: September 10, 2014 The Puerto Rico Education Department has named a new assistant secretary to oversee its troubled special education arm. Issued: September 10, 2014 Puerto Rico-native Nellie Gorbea has won the Democratic nomination for Rhode Island secretary of state. Puerto Rico’s banks all face a range of risks from the dismal economy but there are degrees in their ability to weather additional macroecon ... Court adds gay marriage to Sept. 29 agenda Issued: September 10, 2014 WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has formally added gay marriage cases to the justices' agenda for their closed-door conference on Sept. 2 ... De Blasio says NY will remain target Issued: September 10, 2014 NEW YORK — The 2001 terrorist attacks are closely associated with a pair of New York City mayors. US airlines improve their on-time performance Issued: September 10, 2014 At the height of this summer's travel season, airline flights were more likely to arrive on time and less likely to be canceled. Senior Americans burdened with student debt Issued: September 10, 2014 WASHINGTON — Rosemary Anderson could be 81 by the time she pays off her student loans. After struggling with divorce, health problems and an ... Feds raid fashion hub in money laundering probe Issued: September 10, 2014 LOS ANGELES — Federal agents raided dozens of businesses in the fashion district of Los Angeles early Wednesday as part of an investigation ... Nevada lawmakers considering $1.3B Tesla package Issued: September 10, 2014 RENO, Nev. — Gov. Brian Sandoval has ordered the Nevada Legislature into a special session to consider $1.3 billion in tax breaks and other ... Issued: September 10, 2014 NEW YORK — In the world of currencies, the dollar is starting to look like a safe home in a tough neighborhood. Islamic State group not an unstoppable juggernaut Issued: September 10, 2014 BEIRUT — The Islamic State group is often described as the most fearsome jihadi outfit of all: a global menace outweighing al-Qaida, with ar ... Putin promises new weapons to fend Western threats Issued: September 10, 2014 MOSCOW — Russia will counter military moves by the U.S. and NATO with an array of new nuclear and conventional weapons, President Vladimir P ... Obama's plan to destroy Islamic State extremists Issued: September 10, 2014 President Barack Obama goes before the American people Wednesday night to lay out his plan to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the ... Haiti gets help for mosquito-borne virus outbreak Issued: September 10, 2014 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti has received a large shipment of treatment packets to help it deal with an outbreak of the mosquito-borne viru ... Officials: Coca plants discovery a first for Mexico Issued: September 10, 2014 TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico — Officials say the seizure of 1,639 coca plants in southern Mexico marks the first known instance of the raw ingre ... Gates Foundation to spend $50M on Ebola response Issued: September 10, 2014 SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $50 million to support emergency response to the Ebola outbreak in West ...

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Shapiro: PR should follow Ireland path

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 10:53 AM

Caribbean Business

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Shapiro: PR should follow Ireland path Economist Robert Shapiro, who served as undersecretary of the U.S. Commerce Depa ... As Venezuela economy worsens, fears of default CARACAS, Venezuela — President Nicolas Maduro is reassuring foreign creditors th ... PR debuts national fashion brand The Puerto Rico government is getting into fashion industry by supporting 10 loc ...

As Puerto Ricans flood into Florida seeking brighter economic opportunities ... The Puerto Rico government is gearing up to host a summit for Latin America ... Crowley Maritime Corp. subsidiary Carib Energy LLC has been granted a 20-ye ... Issued: September 11, 2014 Mark Anthony Burk, a professional golf player who was the subject of a 2011 Golf Channel documentary series titled “Pipe Dream,” is suing th ... Issued: September 11, 2014 Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla ordered flags lowered to half-staff at all government installations to mark the anniversary of the ... Issued: September 11, 2014 The Puerto Rico government is again postponing digital collection of sales & use taxes (IVU) on goods entering the island’s ports amid o ... Cuba turns down Hemingway fishing log request Issued: September 11, 2014 HAVANA — Cuba says U.S. scientists won't get immediate access to potentially invaluable fishing logs kept by Ernest Hemingway but author ...

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San Juan is the perfect destination for New Yorkers

Sunday September 14th, 2014 at 10:33 AM

Puerto Rico News

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The sandy beaches, elegant Spanish-style homes, and centuries-old forts of San Juan, Puerto Rico, could make you easily forget you're still in the U.S. And all those rum-soaked cocktails certainly don't help with thinking clearly. An unincorporated territory of the U.S., Puerto Rico requires no passport or complications with customs to gain entry, and direct flights from New York City to San Juan take just about four hours - but you'll feel like you're a world away.

» Venezuela arrests 64 for anti-Maduro protests: rights group
14/09/14 11:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Reuters: World News. CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan security forces have arrested 64 people during renewed demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro's government in the capital as well as the city of...

» Costa Rica seizes 1.5 tons of pot in chase at sea - MiamiHerald.com
14/09/14 10:55 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from World - Google News. The Costa Rica News Costa Rica seizes 1.5 tons of pot in chase at sea MiamiHerald.com SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Costa Rica's coast guard has recovered 1.5 tons of marijuana that official...

» Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes
14/09/14 12:56 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Canal: News and Analysis Blog from the PanAm Post. Eighteen months. That is how long it has been since air-ambulance service Aeromed has been paid for its services by the Puerto Rico health program ...

» Chikungunya spreads to Colombia
14/09/14 12:45 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from BBC News - Latin America & Caribbean. The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus spreads further in the Americas, with the first four cases in Colombia confirmed on the Caribbean coast.

» September, 12-14 2014
14/09/14 12:41 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The San Juan Daily Star. September, 12-14 2014 Lotto Wine With Apple Pay and Smartwatch, a Privacy Challenge Gates Foundation Gives $50 Million to Fight Ebola Seilhamer Uneasy With PREPA CRO’s Power to Lay...

» Venezuela looks set to lock away prominent opposition leader Leopoldo López
14/09/14 12:37 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Americas News: News and Headlines from Canada, South America & More - The Washington Post. CARACAS, Venezuela — The trial of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López has proceeded along a clear ...

» Shadowy sale of Venezuela paper raises fears of slow-building news blackout
14/09/14 12:37 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Americas News: News and Headlines from Canada, South America & More - The Washington Post. CARACAS, Venezuela — Through 15 years of roiling social change, the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal has ...

» Proposal to make Spanish Puerto Rico's first language - Fox News Latino
14/09/14 12:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico statehood - Google News. Proposal to make Spanish Puerto Rico's first language Fox News Latino The pro- statehood sector of the island's population generally supports the predominant use of Eng...

» Puerto Rico News: Senator in US Commonwealth Wants to Make Spanish the ... - Latin Post
14/09/14 12:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico statehood - Google News. Latin Post Puerto Rico News: Senator in US Commonwealth Wants to Make Spanish the ... Latin Post As of now, both Spanish and English are "officially co-equal" in all pu...

» Governor's Plan to Beat Both “Sovereign Commonwealth” and ...
14/09/14 12:33 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico statehood - Google Blog Search. Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has been considering three strategies for defeating not only statehood but the “Sovereign Commonwealth” advocated by many in th...

» A New Economic Plan For Puerto Rico
14/09/14 12:29 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Puerto Rico Report. Puerto Rico has had a fairly simple economic plan for decades. The plan is based on preferential tax treatment for U.S. based and foreign corporations, and some fear that if Puerto Rico...

» Puerto Rico's Political Fate | Información al Desnudo
14/09/14 12:09 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico politics - Google Blog Search. Reading from two novels about Puerto Rico by Robert Friedman, followed by a panel discussion about the island's status with political commentator Gerson Borrero a...

» INTERVIEW: Luis Fortuno to PJM: Puerto Rico Statehood Before...
14/09/14 12:08 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Puerto Rico Newswire. INTERVIEW: Luis Fortuno to PJM: Puerto Rico Statehood Before Immigration Reform.

» Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes - PanAm Post (blog)
14/09/14 12:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico news - Google News. PanAm Post (blog) Puerto Rico Won't Pay Her Bills, So the Last Air Ambulance Closes PanAm Post (blog) To compound his incompetence with the island's financial crisis, the go...

» Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic President Hold Talks in Santo Domingo - Caribbean Journal
14/09/14 12:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico news - Google News. Caribbean Journal Puerto Rico , Dominican Republic President Hold Talks in Santo Domingo Caribbean Journal Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla met Thursday in Sant...

» Puerto Ricans flock to US mainland as island crisis worsens - Yahoo News UK
14/09/14 12:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico economy - Google News. Yahoo News UK Puerto Ricans flock to US mainland as island crisis worsens Yahoo News UK The island of Puerto Rico is depopulating, as residents stream to the US mainland ...

» Doral says conflict with Puerto Rico govt could impact economy - Business News Americas
14/09/14 12:04 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico economy - Google News. Doral says conflict with Puerto Rico govt could impact economy Business News Americas Doral says conflict with Puerto Rico govt could impact economy . By Kieran Lonergan ...

» The Puerto Rico Economy Nears The Abyss - Seeking Alpha (registration)
14/09/14 12:03 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico economy - Google News. The Puerto Rico Economy Nears The Abyss Seeking Alpha (registration) Like a mad leviathan from the deep that chokes and drowns its prey, the tide of bad news keeps coming...

» Enchanted Isle: Puerto Rico – Intelligent Travel
14/09/14 12:03 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from puerto rico - Google Blog Search. An unincorporated U.S. territory since the end of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico established its own constitution in 1952, beginning its complicated status as a com...

» Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork - Fort Worth Star TelegramPu...
14/09/14 12:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from PR Economy and Business News Review. Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork - Fort Worth Star Telegram Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork Fort Worth Star Telegram SAN JUAN, Puerto...

» Puerto Rico Finds It Has New Friends in Hedge Funds
14/09/14 11:57 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from NYT > Puerto Rico. Hedge fund firms and investors have bought about 10 percent of all Puerto Rico government bonds, and have offered to help the government in expectation of a big return on their invest...

» Moody’s: PR no longer benefits directly from gains in US economic
14/09/14 11:55 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Caribbean Business. Moody’s: PR no longer benefits directly from gains in US economic growth It has been said that when the United States sneezes the world catches a cold … ... The Dominican Republic poste...

» PR to host summit for LatAm investors
14/09/14 11:54 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Caribbean Business. PR to host summit for LatAm investors The Puerto Rico government is gearing up to host a summit for Latin American inv ... Spanish banking titan Botín dead 79; eldest daughter to take S...

» Shapiro: PR should follow Ireland path
14/09/14 11:53 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Caribbean Business. Shapiro: PR should follow Ireland path Economist Robert Shapiro, who served as undersecretary of the U.S. Commerce Depa ... As Venezuela economy worsens, fears of default CARACAS, Venez...

» San Juan is the perfect destanation for New Yorkers
14/09/14 11:33 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Puerto Rico News. The sandy beaches, elegant Spanish-style homes, and centuries-old forts of San Juan, Puerto Rico, could make you easily forget you're still in the U.S. And all those rum-soaked cocktails ...

Latin American, Caribbean officials urged to support LGBT rights

Latin American, Caribbean officials urged to support LGBT rights

Monday September 8th, 2014 at 8:10 AM

Comments On: Latin American, Caribbean Officials ‘Can’t Be Neutral’ On LGBT Rights

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Tracy Robinson, chair of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, second from right, sits on a panel at a meeting of LGBT rights advocates from Latin America and the Caribbean in Lima, Peru, on Sept. 6, 2014. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

LIMA, Peru — The chair of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Saturday said politicians throughout the Western Hemisphere have an obligation to publicly oppose anti-LGBT discrimination and violence.

“Politicians can’t be neutral to tolerance and hatred,” Tracy Robinson told the Washington Blade after she spoke at a meeting of Latin American and Caribbean LGBT rights advocates in the Peruvian capital. “They actually have to create an enabling and a supportive environment in which persons can undertake rights work on behalf of LGBTI persons.”

Created by the Washington-based Organization of American States in 1959, the commission seeks to promote human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere. It works closely with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that the OAS established in 1959.

The commission’s Unit on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Persons formed in 2011.

Robinson, a Jamaican lawyer, has been a member of the OAS General Assembly since 2012. Her colleagues elected her chair of the commission in March.

Commission considering 50 LGBT petitions

Robinson told the Blade there are roughly 50 petitions before the commission from OAS member states in the Western Hemisphere that are at various stages of consideration. A number of LGBT rights advocates from the Bahamas, Honduras, Ecuador and other countries approached her after she spoke at the meeting to discuss cases they hope the commission will consider.

“They will help to develop standards, they will help to provide some clarity on what the norms are, what the expectations of states are and what the responsibility states have to remedy and repair violations,” Robinson told the Blade.

Robinson described the 2012 ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in favor of lesbian Chilean Judge Karen Atala who lost custody of her three daughters to her ex-husband seven years earlier because of her sexual orientation “as a landmark case I think for the Americas” and for the world.

The Mexican Supreme Court cited the Atala case in its 2013 decision that said a law banning same-sex marriage in the state of Oaxaca is unconstitutional.

A gay Mexican couple seeking the right to legally marry in their country in May filed a formal complaint with the commission. Three gay Chilean couples who are seeking to exchange vows in the South American country last November filed a lawsuit with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

“The court took a bold step in establishing an even more expansive human rights claims on behalf of LGBTI persons than was immediately before the court in [the Atala] case,” Robinson told the Blade. “More of those cases will help to clarify the situation, clarify the standards and help both activists and states to understand what is now needed to respond to the violations which we do see everyday.”

Anti-LGBT violence persists in spite of legal advances

Same-sex couples are able to legally marry in 19 states and D.C., Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico City, French Guiana, the French islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy and the Caribbean Netherlands that includes the islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius.

Lawmakers in the Mexican state of Coahuila last week overwhelmingly approved a same-sex marriage bill.

A handful of same-sex couples in Colombia have exchanged vows since July 2013, but the country’s anti-gay inspector general has challenged these unions in court.

The Ecuadorian government is currently in the process of implementing a law that will allow same-sex couples to legally register their civil unions. Peruvian and Chilean lawmakers are also considering the issue.

Argentina President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in 2012 signed what many advocates describe as the world’s most progressive transgender rights law that allows trans Argentinians to legally change their gender on official documents without surgery and an affidavit from a doctor or another medical provider. Cuba in 2008 began offering free sex-reassignment surgeries under the country’s national health care system, but LGBT rights advocates who oppose the Cuban government have previously pointed out to the Blade that less than 30 trans people have undergone the procedure on the island.

Peruvian Congressman Carlos Bruce, sponsor of a bill that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions in the South American country, in May came out as gay. Angélica Lozano, a former councilwoman in the Colombian capital of Bogotá, earlier this year became the first openly LGBT person elected to the Colombian Congress.

Anti-LGBT persecution and violence remain pervasive throughout the Western Hemisphere in spite these advances.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

United Belize Advocacy Movement, a Belizean HIV/AIDS group, in 2010 challenged the Central American country’s law that criminalizes homosexuality. Javed Jaghai, a Jamaican gay rights advocate, last month withdrew his lawsuit against the island’s anti-sodomy law because of concerns over his personal safety and that of his family.

A report from Global Rights, a Washington-based human rights organization, that Robinson and other commissioners discussed during a hearing last November said trans Brazilians accounted for slightly more than half of the 300 reported LGBT murder victims in the South American country in 2012. The group noted figures from the Brazilian Secretariat of Human Rights that estimate 52 percent of them were of color.

Nelson Arambú, an advocate from Honduras, told the Blade during an interview in New York earlier this summer that 176 LGBT Hondurans have been reported killed between a 2009 coup that toppled the Central American country’s president and May. These include Walter Tróchez, a prominent LGBT rights activist, and Erick Martínez, a gay journalist and activist.

Colombian LGBT rights advocates continue to express their outrage over the suicide of a gay teenager, Sergio Urrego, last month. Reports indicate that administrators of the high school the 16-year-old attended allegedly subjected him to anti-gay discrimination after a teacher saw a picture of Urrego kissing his boyfriend on his cell phone.

Robinson acknowledged to the Blade the state of LGBT rights in countries throughout the Americas and in the Caribbean is “really varied.” She said insecurity and anti-LGBT violence are “dominant” issues throughout the hemisphere.

“The initial work of the commission has focused on violence issues and my hope is that we’ll begin to see some results,” Robinson told the Blade. “Now the commission itself doesn’t create the change, but the hope is that we can support the work that defenders are doing, but also strengthening state accountability in relation to violence.”

Robinson conceded the commission has “very limited resources on the table” to conduct its work in support of LGBT rights. She nevertheless said she remains optimistic these issues will gain further traction in the region in the coming years.

“I think we’ll have more clarity on states’ responsibilities where there’s violence and particularly states’ responsibility where the violence is perpetrated both by state actors and by private individuals,” Robinson told the Blade. “My hope is that in the long run we will see a reduction in the levels of violence, we will see a reduction in the impunity which is now widespread for violence against LGBTI persons.”