Weekly Roundup: Brazil's Gun Ownership, Mexico's Achilles' Heel, and Chile's Women Entrepreneurs

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Maduro Channels Chávez as Venezuelan Campaigns Officially Begin

Venezuela’s presidential campaigns officially began on April 2, in accordance with National Electoral Council rules. Interim President Nicolás Maduro continues to lead the polls, though one survey released April 1 puts opposition candidate Henrique Capriles just 7 points behind. Late President Hugo Chávez’s successor has mentioned the deceased leader nearly 6,000 times since March 5, according to website Maduro Dice (Maduro Says). The election takes place on April 14.

After the Venezuelan Election: The Future of Petrocaribe

World Politics Review looks at the future of Petrocaribe, Venezuela’s preferential oil agreements with 17 Caribbean and Central American countries. Interim President Nicolás Maduro says he will continue the program in the short term. “But given Venezuela’s deepening economic crisis, it would be unwise to bet on Maduro’s generosity, or the country’s financial capacity, in the long term,” says the article.

Infographic: Demographic Breakdown of Hispanic Communities

Hispanically Speaking News takes the pulse of Latino demographics in the United States, exploring education levels, employment rates, and more. The infographic explores such facts as which community has the lowest average unemployment rate (Peruvian Americans at 6.4 percent), which has the highest average salary (Argentine Americans at $30,300), and which community has the highest foreign-born population (Venezuelan Americans at 75 percent).

Peña Nieto in Fence-Mending Trip to China

The Mexican president traveled to China this week to forge stronger economic ties. Financial Times notes that the tour follows somewhat chilly relations in recent years. “Mexico was the last holdout country in China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, a fact not lost on Chinese officials at the time,” says the article. “And former President Felipe Calderón’s 2011 meeting—in Mexico’s presidential palace, no less—with the Dalai Lama insulted Beijing.” Enrique Peña Nieto’s trip runs from April 4 to 10 and includes stops in Hong Kong and Japan.

Mexico’s Financial Sector: On the Upswing?
 
The New York Times’ DealBook blog looks at the “the strong revival of the nation’s financial services sector” in the wake of the $4.13 billion public stock offering of Banco Santander’s Mexican subsidiary. The article notes that the “current atmosphere is not without risks”—such as security concerns and low wages. But it also heralds positive signs for the sector, marked by growth in a number of areas: Mexican pension funds, initial public offerings, the credit market, and the return of foreign manufacturers.

Childhood Poverty: Mexico’s “Achilles’ Heel”
 
A UNICEF report found that over half of Mexico’s children live in poverty. “In a country known for its economic growth and financial integration, inequity remains an Achilles’ heel,” reports UNICEF, which says 53.8 percent of Mexican children live in poverty and 14 percent below the age of five are stunted. The survey was conducted between 2008 and 2010.

Guatemala’s Migration Challenges

The Migration Policy Institute takes a look at migration patterns in Guatemala, comparing the civil war period to after 1996. Since the war, the majority of Guatemalan migration to Mexico and the United States has been labor-related. The effects of social violence and recent environmental disasters, such as hurricanes, also spurred migration. Though men traditionally made up the majority of migrants, women are increasingly making the trek north due to high unemployment rates. More children have also become migrants, seeking work, trying to find their parents, or escaping from gang violence. In the first half of 2012, 98 percent of unaccompanied minors apprehended in the United States hailed from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

Study: Brazilian Gun Ownership Plummets

A study released this week by Brazil’s Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea) shows that gun sales dropped 40 percent since the country’s landmark gun control law was signed in December 2003. From 2003 through 2009, the number of families that owned guns fell from 57,000 to 37,000. Another Ipea study this week found that a 1 percent increase in the number of guns in the country raises the homicide rate by 2 percent. Learn more about Brazil’s gun control laws in an AS/COA Online explainer.

Mandatory Military Service in Peru Faces Backlash

Peru’s government is facing criticism of last week’s announcement that the country will now require military service for all 18- to 25-year-old men, who can opt out by paying a $700 fine. Minister of Defense Pedro Cateriano said at a press conference on Thursday that the law of military service was actually passed in 2008 during former President Alan Garcia’s administration, though that leader chose not to put it into practice. On April 1, a group of opposition congressmen introduced a bill to reinstate voluntary military service, saying the current rule discriminates against the poor.

Uruguayan Senate Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

On Tuesday, Uruguay’s Senate approved a bill to legalize gay marriage, though the bill now returns to the lower house of Congress. President José Mujica says he supports the initiative, which if passed would make Uruguay the second country in Latin America (after Argentina) to sanction same-sex marriage. The bill also allows gay and straight couples to decide the order of surnames for their children.

Growing Innovation: Colombia’s Patents

Colombia’s Committee of Economic Analysis of the Chamber of Commerce Network released a study this week on innovation, showing that 1,334 patents were requested in the past five years. Though on a global level, most patent requests deal with electronics, 72 percent of Colombia’s patents came from the mechanical engineering sector. The study also showed investment in innovation and technology as a percent of GDP rose by 30 percent from 2006 to 2011.

Chile’s Women Entrepreneurs in Focus

An infographic on Chile’s Women 2.0 site uses data from the Chilean Entrepreneurs Association to give an overview of female entrepreneurs in the South American country. Around 31 percent of Chilean entrepreneurs are women, and 59 percent of women entrepreneurs say they started their business out of necessity. The majority of female entrepreneurs—six in 10—run a business in the informal sector.

Ecuador Opens World’s First Ecological Airport

The Galapagos Islands of Ecuador inaugurated the world’s first eco-friendly airport late last month. The $24 million project uses solar energy, water recycling, and wind power to operate. The new building is situated to capture wind flows in order to regulate indoor temperatures without the use of air conditioning.

The “Barrio Advantage”—Latino Pride May Aid Health

PRI’s The World looks at why some Latino neighborhoods in the United States have better health indicators despite higher poverty rates. One explanation stems from traditional Hispanic foods, which can be healthier than processed foods. Another points to extended family members living close to one another, providing tips about where to access health care. Other studies found that people comfortable with their socioeconomic status tend to have stronger immune systems while women who felt ethnic pride demonstrated health resilience.