 Edición Semanaria de Noticiero Latino |
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May 2002
May 3rd | Listen to the program
SOCIAL PROGRAM CUTS - President Bush's budget proposal for next year includes eliminating or cutting various social programs that benefit farmworkers. Farmworker representatives traveled to Washington this week in an effort to stop these changes from being approved. The goal of farmworker leaders was to meet with members of Congress and with White House officials, but to date they have accomplished only part of their objective. Patricia Guadalupe reports.
BRACERO FUNDS - The Mexican Congressional Commission that is investigating the fate of the missing bracero retirement funds recently requested more time to conclude its work and propose solutions. The request was made just as nearly one thousand ex-braceros, who had come from all over Mexico and the U.S., were maintaining a vigil outside of Congress to call attention to their efforts to recover the pensions deducted from their salaries more than fifty years ago. Raul Silva has the details.
L.A. RIOTS ANNIVERSARY - This week Los Angeles marked the ten year anniversary of the riots that rocked that city in the wake of the not-guilty verdicts rendered in the case of the police officers accused of brutally beating African American motorist Rodney King. The anniversary gave Angelenos a chance to reflect on the changes that have been implemented to prevent a new eruption of civil violence. But, as correspondent Ruben Tapia explains, residents and activists of South Central L.A., one of the areas that was worst hit, believe that there is still much work to be done.
May 10th | Listen to the program
FOOD STAMPS DEBATE - The Senate this week approved a proposal that includes restoring access to food stamps to qualified legal U.S. residents. During the long debate, Republicans argued that there are not enough funds to finance certain nutrition programs. Democrats, meanwhile, insisted the problem is due to the Republican tax cut. For its part, the National Council of La Raza believes it is more important to focus on the legalization of undocumented immigrants. Patricia Guadalupe reports from Washington.
U.N. CHILDREN'S SUMMIT - The U.N.'s Children's Summit, held this week in New York, brought together nearly one hundred presidents and three thousand delegates from around the world. But on this occasion, the participants also included 250 children. Participants discussed proposals to address the problems faced daily by millions of children all over the world.. Marco Vinicio Gonzalez has the details.
MEXICO'S "INDIAN LAW" - Mexico's Supreme Court began hearings this week called for by more than 300 indigenous communities. These communities dispute the legality of the process through which Congress approved the Indigenous Rights and Culture Law. Some recent decisions suggest the Supreme Court is acting more independently. For this reason, there is hope that the next decision on the Indigenous Law will mark a historic moment in the decentralization of power in Mexico. Raul Silva explains.
May 17th | Listen to the program
WELFARE REFORM - The House of Representatives approved a proposed legislation package this week that re-authorizes the welfare reforms of 1996. The proposal increases the number of hours welfare recipients are required to work in order to get benefits to forty hours a week. Another provision of the proposal requires that by 2007 states have 70% of beneficiaries working. But critics argue that this proposed legislation does not provide the resources needed to make it a reality, and that legal immigrants would still be unable to receive most of the benefits. Patricia Guadalupe reports.
A MILLION SIGNATURES - Workers, community organization members and elected officials launched a campaign in New York this week in support of the legalization of undocumented immigrants. The goal of this national campaign is to submit to President Bush and to Congress one million signatures calling for swift reform of immigration laws. The campaign's objective, as correspondent Marco Vinicio Gonzalez explains, is to turn in the signatures before November's elections.
JUAN BAÑUELOS - El Traje Que Vesti Mañana (The Suit I Wore Tomorrow) is the title of the most recent book by Mexican poet Juan Bañuelos. The vision of the world by the indigenous people of his native Chiapas has left a deep impression in the work of Juan Bañuelos. Correspondent Raul Silva spoke with Bañuelos about the poet's recent work and about the way his poetry incorporates the geography and culture of Chiapas.
May 24th | Listen to the program
CUBAN EMBARGO - President George W. Bush announced this week that he is planning to maintain trade and travel restrictions to Cuba. In speeches coinciding with Cuba’s 100th Independence Day, Bush pledged to continue the policy of sanctions against Cuba. He also announced less restrictions for humanitarian aid and more aid for dissident groups in Cuba. While his speeches were welcomed by Cuban exiles, in Congress a growing group of legislators urge for changes to the forty-year-old embargo policy. Patricia Guadalupe files the report.
SOCORRO MISSION - Socorro Mission is part of Texas’ historic missions route. The ravages of time and neglect had threatened the old building. Recently, residents of the area have come together to preserve this historic monument. Contributor Kent Paterson prepared a feature report. Guadalupe Carrasco tells the story.
LA GEOGRAFATURA - Mexican musician and composer, Arturo Cipriano, celebrates thirty years performing jazz and folk rhythms. For the occasion, Cipriano released a CD entitled La Geografatura, inspired in Latin American rhythms with African roots. The recording was produced in conjunction with the group Mitote Jazz. Mexico City correspondent Raul Silva brings soundbites of the new release.
May 31st | Listen to the program
IMMIGRANT DRIVER LICENSES - Getting a driver license has become an important struggle for thousands of immigrants across the U.S. In many states, licenses have long been denied to immigrants without a Social Security number. But in the wake of Sept. 11th, efforts have been mounted in all fifty states to toughen laws that grant driver licenses to immigrants in the process of legalizing their status. Michele Waslin, author of a recent report by the National Council of La Raza about immigrants and the requisites they face to obtain a license, maintains that denying licenses to immigrants does not increase national security, but, rather, may actually foment abuse.
MIGRANTS AND HIV - The tasks facing health professionals who work with Latinos affected by AIDS, which have always been difficult, have now become even more complicated. Facing a growing shortage of funds, many health organizations have had to rethink the way they operate. One alternative is to strengthen the exchange between health professionals in Mexico. Correspondent Raul Silva discussed this alternative with representatives from clinics that serve Latinos in the U.S. who participated in a recent exchange.
LUMINOUS CROSSES - Thousands of visitors have been descending upon the town of Indio, California and other towns in the Coachella Valley since last February. They are there to witness what many there consider a miracle: the apparition of luminous crosses on the windows of some humble homes. Noticiero Latino contributor Ana Lilia Barraza to the town of Thermal, where she found diverse explanations of the meaning and the origin of these lights that have inspired the religious devotion of many.