During the last four months, Haiti experienced violent political uprising, a shocking reemergence of an ex dictator, dubious recount of fraudulent votes and a historic debate between candidates Mirlande Manigat and Martelly ahead of their run off elections on March 20. However, none of these events generated as much excitement in Haiti as the second […]
Fifteen (15) – in years, the prison sentence handed down to American citizen Alan Gross on Saturday by a Cuban court. Prosecutors swayed the court with an argument that in distributing satellite phones in Havana, Gross was plotting to destroy the revolution, working on a “subversive” program paid for by the United States that aimed […]
Former first lady and presidential candidate Mirlande Manigat has written several books over her professional career, including her 2002 publication, Etre Femme in Haiti Hier et Aujourdhui that explored the evolution of women in Haitian society throughout its history. Her counterpart, Michel Martelly, spent the latter half of his 49 years writing an interesting chapter of […]
President Calderon arrives today on a two-day trip to Washington. The Mexican president will meet with President Obama, Speaker John Boehner, and members of the U.S. business leaders. Though it is a snap visit, it could prove pivotal. Shannon O’Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations wrote over the weekend, “It will, assuredly, be a […]
While the world revels in a plethora of technological marvels and is potentially at the dawn of another paradigm shift with social media and touch screen technologies, Some Haitians still believe cholera epidemics has a direct relationship with the malfeasance of voodoo priests. Scores of medical personnel, scholars and researchers working in Haiti were caught […]
STRATFOR recently released a report challenging the oft-invoked statistic that 90% of firearms seized in Mexico come from the U.S. To be clear, the statistic is derived from a 2008 GAO report compiled on data reported to the ATF. Of the roughly 30,000 weapons seized in Mexico, information was reported to the ATF on only […]
According to US Census data, Miami is home to the largest Cuban community outside of the island nation; the New York metropolitan area is in second place, with a population of over 141,000 Cubans. So New York City’s embrace of Cuban culture is no surprise, but the city’s ability to put on the upcoming “¡Sí […]
Around midnight on February 2 Manuel Farfan Carriola was slain on his way home from work. His four bodyguards were also killed, and several police officers were wounded in a gunfight with the assailants. Early blame for the murder of Carriola, a retired general and recently appointed police chief of Nuevo Laredo, is going to […]
Last Friday US Border Patrol observed Mexican smugglers using a catapult to hurl pot from across a small part of the Sonora Desert that included the international border with Arizona. USBP contacted their Mexican colleagues who promptly broke up the operation. In all, law enforcement seized 35 pounds in marijuana, a 10-foot tall catapult, and […]
The President’s annual State of the Union Address traditionally focuses largely on domestic issues, and this year’s was no exception. But every speech the Executive gives is carefully crafted to touch upon a wide range of issues and, to some extent, to gracefully address contentious issues that are the source of party divisions. Although Cuba […]
I had the privilege on Friday of attending a Pacific Council on International Policy luncheon discussion with US Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, a thoughtful and intelligent State Department appointee who holds the position of Hillary Clinton’s top deputy. In the discussion a guest asked the Deputy Secretary an interesting question: why did […]
The government of President Rene Preval and its Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) prevented many candidates, political parties from taking part in the Nov. 28 Haitian elections, including philanthropist Wyclef Jean, and popular party Fanmi Lavalas of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Ironically, his administration seems currently engaged in a desperate battle for survival, some last grand stand to keep his […]
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