Voices without Votes » Guatemala

Stolen Vidas : Some Guatemalan Babies in the U.S. Were Stolen From Their Mamis

Aggregated from: VivirLatino — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:12:11 +0000

About a year ago, we wrote about some of the problems and attempts at solutions surrounding adoptions of Guatemalan children. Even after the passing a new law that imposed stricter standards on international adoptions, at least one baby, destined for the arms of a U.S family was been proven to have been stolen from her birth mother.
From the BBC:

Ana Escobar reported her daughter Esther Sulamita stolen last year and during her search saw the baby with a US woman who was adopting her.
The baby had a false birth certificate but DNA tests proved the parentage and Esther is now back with Ms Escobar.

Via / Citizen Orange and BBC News

Police Officer Found Not Guilty of Killing Homeless Guatemalan Immigrant

Aggregated from: VivirLatino — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:58:09 +0000

It has been well over a year since Rene Perez, a homeless immigrant from Guatemala was found dead. George Bubaris, a former police officer in the area was accused of second-degree manslaughter, unlawful imprisonment and official misconduct and was found not guilty.

There was evidence of a pattern and practice of immigrant deaths in the area that pointed to law enforcement. Mt. Kisco is an upscale neighborhood with a new influx of immigrants, the perfect breeding ground for racial violence.

The county medical examiner had ruled the death a homicide, saying that the man, Rene Javier Perez, had died of internal abdominal injuries. Prosecutors said that Mr. Bubaris had inflicted those injuries by punching Mr. Perez.

The prosecution, Mr. Quinn said, also contended that Mr. Perez’s injuries were sustained within the two hours before his death. “We introduced evidence to show that the injuries were inflicted 6 to 36 hours before” he died, Mr. Quinn said.

Just as important, he said, was the fact that the defense established that the injuries were “equally consistent with a fall” as with a beating. Mr. Bubaris, 31, who resigned from the Police Department after he was charged, originally came under suspicion because he was the last person seen with Mr. Perez.

Mr. Perez, 42, was homeless, had a history of alcoholism and a long arrest record for petty crimes, according to medical and court records.

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U.S. Navy Humanitarian Mission in Latin America a Smokescreen for New Buildup in Region

Aggregated from: VivirLatino — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:00:44 +0000

I have a healthy cynicism when it comes to the U.S. military, so when this morning I read that the U.S. Navy was sending a warship it used in the Iraq War in 2006 filled with Navy doctors, nurses, dentists, medical technicians, veterinarians and Seabee construction sailors to Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru for a mission called Continuing Promise 2008, a humanitarian mission, you'll pardon me if I laughed a little.
The mission is supposed to change Latina America's stereotypes of the U.S.

"It's amazing sometimes the misperceptions that people have of America and the American people," said the Boxer's skipper, Capt. Matt McCloskey. "They think of America as 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' or 'Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.'
"This is a chance to show them the real America and the real Americans, trying to be good neighbors."

Except that this one ship comes at the same time the U.S. Navy has decided to set reestablish an entire fleet in the region, and not for a humanitarian mission.

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