Summit of the Americas, or Summit of the USA?
The ninth Summit of the Americas, held between June 6th and 10th, has proven to be little more than a US-led farce. This year’s summit, held in Los Angeles, excluded Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua from attendance, while warmly welcoming Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Also in attendance was President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, who criticised Cuba and Venezuela for their supposed “authoritarian tendencies”
Remembering Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo (1907 – 1954) was born in the early 20th century in an era of global political upheaval, revolutionary uprisings and world war. In turn, the artist´s native country was not immune to such instability and in 1910 Mexico was plunged into revolution. Kahlo´s childhood was set against a backdrop of armed rebellion against the suppression of the peasant classes, calls for land reforms and nationalisation of resources.
89 politicians in Mexico murdered leading up to midterm elections
At least 89 Mexican politicians have been murdered in the last 200 days, 35 of which were candidates for the midterm elections. There has also been over 700 attacks, according to security consultancy firm Etellekt, including threats, beatings and kidnappings.
Feminist protesters clash in Mexico City
Women marching on International Women’s Day (8 March 2021) clashed with police at barricades surrounding the National Palace in Mexico City, where officers fired pepper spray after the protesters attempted to tear down a metal wall. The three meter high metal wall was erected to protect the National Palace but the protesters have turned it into a memorial for women killed simply because of their gender. The government said that the wall was put up there to protect the palace from “vandalism”.
