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Uruguay

Society

Life Lessons In Portunhol, South America's Border Language

Portunhol is a hybrid language spoken on the borders of Portuguese-speaking Brazil and its Spanish-speaking neighbors. The author's time learning it was a reminder that language is so much more than just a means of communicating.

-Essay-

I had the opportunity to live in Brazil recently, and I arrived knowing no Portuguese. As a native Spanish speaker, I initially tried to communicate just by modifying Spanish words. I would change the accent and add a different ending to words to sound more Portuguese. It only worked sometimes, but at least my efforts amused the locals and were appreciated.

It turns out, I had no idea I was in fact speaking Portunhol, a Spanish-Portuguese hybrid that is spoken along the border between Brazil and many Spanish-speaking countries. It combines the two languages to create something unique and entertaining.

Portunhol — or Portuñol to Spanish speakers — is a potent symbol of Latin America's incredible diversity and richness of language and culture. The borders between Latin American countries look firmly set on maps, but in reality, they are frequently fluid. Languages spoken in one country can influence and blend with those spoken in neighboring ones.

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The Latin American Left Is Back, But More Fractured Than Ever

The Left is constantly being hailed as the resurgent power in Latin America. But there is no unified Left in the region. The "movement" is diverse — and its divisions are growing.

-Analysis-

LIMA — Lula da Silva's reelection to the presidency in Brazil is the 25th consecutive democratic election in Latin America in which the ruling party has lost power. There appears to be general discontent with ruling parties, caused partly by external factors: the world's worst pandemic in a century, the worst recession since the 1990s, and sharpest inflation rate in 40 years.

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Green Colonialism: The New Face Of Environmental Hypocrisy

If you hated greenwashing, you'll be appalled by green colonialism.

PARIS — From renewable energy solutions to recycling innovations, everyone is busy touting their so-called "green" credentials. But as we've seen with the term "greenwashing," the vocabulary of the environmental movement can be turned around quite sharply on any would-be hypocrites. Among those accused lately of exploiting the banner of ecology (while actually causing it harm) comes another term: "green colonialism."

Around the world, echoing political and territorial colonialism of the past, there is a growing number of examples of countries and companies crossing borders to make the same mistakes that got us into this perilous situation in the first place: mismanagement of land, destruction of ecosystems in the name of "progress," and a general disrespect for the quality of life for indigenous communities.

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A Rumination On Excellence (Or Why Mediocrity Often Wins)

A Latin American consultant argues that excellence is an end unto itself, something that often gets lost in the pursuit of business

-Essay-

MONTEVIDEO — I have since long been obsessed with the idea of excellence. What is it really? Is it a choice or a destination? Is it something anyone can achieve? Is it the same to be excellent as to be the best? Is it possible to transform a mediocre organization into one of bonafide excellence?

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blog

Uruguay President vs. Big Tobacco

MONTEVIDEO — While other world leaders used their slot at this week's United Nations General Assembly to argue over Syria or the global economy, Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez had smoke on his mind.

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Smarter Cities
Pablo Correa

After Legalizing Marijuana, Uruguay Now Ready To Save The Planet

Uruguay shows again why it is one of the world's most progressive countries, with the government's recent pledge to aim to use only clean energy in the future.

There is always some piece of surprising news from Uruguay. The South American continent's smallest state, with barely 3.2 million residents, is not just great at football but it's living standards are comparable to developed states. And with sensitive issues such as drugs, it has decided to stop fussing and opt for progressive policies like liberalizing marijuana.

We can add another, even more impressive accomplishment to the list. Uruguay is implementing a veritable energy revolution. The sun that shines between the blue and white on its flag is taking on new significance because the country is on the verge of obtaining all of its energy from renewable sources — and investing 3% of its GDP to this end. About 40% of this clean energy is already coming from wind, solar and biomass.

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EL ESPECTADOR
Camilo Segura Alvarez

Uruguay, Big Pharma And The Global Marijuana Market

Foreign interests are eyeing Uruguay's recent legalization of cannabis use in its territory. Will big pharmaceutical firms be allowed to move in on this huge business opportunity?

After Uruguay's new law last year that legalized the consumption and production of marijuana, government laboratories and authorities from Canada, Chile and Israel contacted their Uruguayan counterparts about the possibility of purchasing cannabis for medicinal use.

Though the recent law permits the sale, research and consumption of cannabis, it does not yet stipulate any regulations for exportation or investment by the world's large pharmaceutical firms. Still, some expect the government of President José Múgica to eventually open a global market for marijuana, with the potential of turning Uruguay into a new center of biotechnology research around the effects of the drug.

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Geopolitics

Uruguayan President Calls Kirchner "Old Bat" And Her Husband "Cross-Eyed"

EL OBSERVADOR (Uruguay), LA NACION (Argentina)

Worldcrunch

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CLARIN
Guillermo Pellegrino

Uruguay Debates Whether To Clean Dictonary Of Racist Expressions

MONTEVIDEO – Racism and racist expressions are often ingrained in society. In Uruguay, they are also written in the dictionary.

Last month, Vice-Minister of Culture and Education Oscar Gomez urged the Uruguayan Academy of Letters to remove racist and offensive expressions from the Dictionary of Uruguayan Spanish. It is part of a campaign launched on Jan. 22 called “Let’s Erase Racism from our Language,” sponsored by the Afro-Uruguayan Culture Institute.

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Sources

The Second Latin American Nation Is Set To Ok Gay Marriage

EL PAIS (Uruguay) CLARIN (Argentina)

MONTEVIDEO - The past year has been a momentous one for supporters of gay marriage. And 2013 looks like it may begin with at least one more country -- and the second ever in Latin America -- to legalize same-sex marriage.

Last week, the lower house of Uruguay’s legislature approved a bill legalizing same sex marriage, El Pais reports. The bill will now move to the Senate for approval and then to the desk of President Jose Mujica, who plans to sign the bill in the beginning of 2013, Clarin reports.

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