LAWG Blog - Latin America Working Group

Join Us for a Flashmob Photo Against Torture in DC Tomorrow at 9:45am

by Ruth Isabel Robles on March 13, 2013

Let’s turn back the clock. The year is 2006. The month is May. Mexico State Security Forces evict a group of flower sellers from a local market in Texcoco, Mexico, whom authorities claim set up stalls without permission outside of the market. This eviction produced an outpouring of community support for the vendors in Texcoco and in San Salvador Atenco. The protest, which lasted two days, resulted in arrests of more than 200 people, 47 of which were women. These women were forced to endure unimaginable forms of violence at the hands of the police. Thus far, state authorities have pursued criminal action in only two of the 11 cases, citing “abuse of authority or “lewd acts” and not, torture.

:2013, Action Alerts, Mexico, Promote Justice for Mexico and the Borderlands

LAWGEF Event: 3/15 Human Rights Challenges in Mexico

by Ruth Isabel Robles on March 13, 2013

The Latin America Working Group Education Fund, the Washington Office on Latin America and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights invite you to a discussion on

Human Rights Challenges in Mexico

Featuring

Stephanie Brewer
Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center (Centro Prodh)

Cristina Hardaga Fernández
Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, Guerrero

Daniel Joloy
Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (CMDPDH)

Ana Luna Serrano
Citizens in Support of Human Rights, Nuevo León

Other speakers to be confirmed.

Friday, March 15, 2013
9:00 a.m.-10:30am
Washington Office on Latin America
1666 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 400

:2013, Mexico

Cuban-American Leader, Francisco Aruca, Dies

by Emily Chow on March 11, 2013

Francisco Gonzalez Aruca – Rest in Peace. The Latin America Working Group’s Cuba team extends sincere sympathy to family, friends, and colleagues of Francisco Aruca on his passing on March 6, 2013. Mr. Aruca died unexpectedly of a heart attack in his sleep in Denver, Colorado, where he lived. He was 72 years old. You may read the post sent out today by Progreso Weekly announcing Mr. Aruca’s passing, here...

:2013, Blog Posts, Cuba, End the Travel Ban on Cuba, Mavis Anderson

Latin America Says Goodbye to Leader Hugo Chávez

by Emily Chow on March 08, 2013

In light of the passing of Venezuela's President, Hugo Chávez, we think the following statements are well worth reading

Representative Jose Serrano: '"His focus on the issues faced by the poor and disenfranchised in his country made him a truly revolutionary leader in the history of Latin America. He understood that after 400 years on the outside of the established power structure looking in, it was time that the poor had a chance at seeing their problems and issues addressed. His core belief was in the dignity and common humanity of all people in Venezuela and in the world."...

:2013, Blog, Emily Chow, Latin America

Purely Pineapples: Aerial Spraying Continues to Miss Its Target in Colombia

by Winifred Tate, Guest on March 06, 2013

We heard from our longtime LAWG partner Nancy Sánchez, who has worked many years in Putumayo, Colombia, about this sorry case of fumigation of pineapple crops of the Association of Women Pineapple growers, Oroyaco Hamlet, Municipality of Villagarzon, Putumayo.

:2013, Blog, Blog Posts, Colombia, Guest, Stand by Colombia's Victims of Violence