Cuba's Neighbourhood Committees Lose Impetus
Nearly everyone is part of the communal surveillance network, but members admit that people don’t turn up for events any more.
Cuban Street Traders Pay Off Officials to Survive
Informal “fines” form part of wider pattern of state corruption.
Havana Street Party Ends in Fistfight
Alcohol and shortage of “ideological fervour” ruin festivities staged by neighbourhood watch body.
Dengue Outbreak Tests Havana Hospitals
Parents remove children from unsanitary wards as staff struggle to cope.
Sanitary Towel Shortage in Cuba
Availability of basic items limited by cumbersome state rationing and distribution system.
Is Colombia Ready for Peace?
Agreement to hold talks is important, but fighting continues and there is massive distrust between government and rebel guerrillas.
Dengue Fever Spreads to Another Cuban Province
Medical students drafted in to help with health checks in Cienfuegos.
Sewage Troubles in Havana
Cuban capital’s drainage systems badly need repairs.
Threat to Independent Cuban News Agency
Detained journalist says security service men promised to “eliminate” Hablemos Press.
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Global Voices: Latin America & the Caribbean
Highlights from IWPR’s Consortium to Support Independent Journalism in Latin America (CAPIR).
An investigation by ContraCorriente, one of the investigative units IWPR supports in Honduras, revealed abuses including robbery, torture and kidnappings allegedly inflicted on citizens by police officers. The investigation also addressed how the state of emergency, in place since 2022, has allowed these abuses to occur with impunity. The authorities deny responsibility, claiming that organised criminal groups are using replica uniforms to pose as police officers.
A transnational publication by the investigative units of Plaza Pública and Criterio media revealed the huge extent of Asian cigarette smuggling in northern Central America. In addition to the health problems and millions of dollars lost to tax evasion, this also finances organised crime trafficking of drugs, weapons and humans. The investigation highlighted the failure of institutional efforts to stop this problem, aggravated by the complicity of officials who help falsify documents.
A story by the IWPR beneficiaries Guardiana and La Nube media outlets revealed the unauthorised sale of "medical preparations" to treat mental illnesses such as depression in a market in Cochabamba, one of Bolivia's largest cities. The story showed how products were marketed without information about their ingredients, including unlicensed natural remedies from Peru and Brazil. In response, the Cochabamba department of health announced it would increase the number of police operatives in the market where these products are sold.
Editor's Picks
Ukraine Justice: “Reporting the Story is Just the Start”
Journalists need training and support to properly cover war crimes trials.
Ugandan Women Pay the Price of Exploitation
Activists warn that vulnerable domestic workers risk abuse, often returning with serious health conditions.
Harsh Victory at Position X
Commitment, sacrifice and luck secured a vital early win in the south-eastern campaign, but can Ukrainian forces press on?
Behind the Wheel in a Macho City
Some women face Adana's male-dominated traffic chaos for a living.
Life in the Shadows for Armenia’s Transgender Community
Recent murder highlights widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTI people.
Interview: The War on Disinformation
Open source intelligence (OSINT) can provide facts – but impatient, angry audiences often prefer opinions.