Weekly Roundup: Latin American Must Reads This Week – Brazil's Internet Law, Hagel's LatAm Visit, Bogota's Mayor Reinstated

Brazil's "Internet Bill of Rights" becomes a reality. On April 22, the Brazilian Senate passed landmark Internet legislation known as “Marco Civil,” which was signed by President Dilma Rousseff a day later during the NETMundial digital governance conference in São Paulo. First drafted in 2009—but made a fast-track bill in the wake of a scandal uncovering U.S. National Security Agency surveillance of Brazil and the president—the legislation will go into effect in June. Its most-discussed principle covers net neutrality and forbids Internet service providers and the government from restricting users’ access to content or internet-based services. Companies can no longer sell “preferential access” to websites, nor interfere with how consumers use the internet. Tim Berners-Lee, credited as an inventor of the World Wide Web, commended the legislation last month, saying: “[T]he draft bill reflects the Internet as it should be: an open, neutral, and decentralized network, in which users are the engine for collaboration and innovation.”

Learn more about Brazil's Internet legislation by reading an AS/COA Online explainer.

Mexican Internet-rights defenders take to Twitter in droves. This week, protesters not only took to the streets, but also to Twitter in protest of the sections covering the Internet in the country’s telecommunications reform. The hashtag #EPNvsInternet topped Twitter trends globally as they raised concerns that the legislation's wording would limit freedom of expression online. The Mexican Senate scrapped and altered parts of the law covering the Internet, then, late this week, put the entire legislation on the backburner to prioritize other reforms. 

Report: Latin America losing ground on "Internet readiness." A new World Economic Forum report on global information technology warns that connectivity issues and a weak innovation system hinder Latin America's competitive potential. "[M]ost countries in Latin America are Internet users, but are not using the Internet to create new ways of doing business, or new applications to use existing technology for more efficient uses," writes The Miami Herald's Andres Oppenheimer.

US defense secretary makes first LatAm trip as Pentagon chief. On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel embarked on a three-day trip to Mexico and Guatemala. Also this week, the U.S. government authorized the sale of 18 Black Hawk helicopters to Mexico. 

TIME names LatAm's most influential leaders. Chile’s Michele Bachelet, Venezuela’s Nicholás Maduro, and Uruguay’s José Mujica are part of Time magazine’s 2014 list of 100 most influential people. While Mujica is recognized for pioneering marijuana legalization and Bachelet was praised as a “women’s rights champion,” the magazine says Venezuela’s ability to escape current political turmoil "depends on whether [Maduro] can step out of the shadow of his pugnacious predecessor and compromise with his opponents.”

Bachelet makes good on electoral reform campaign promise. On Wednesday, Chile’s president sent Congress an electoral reform bill to add more legislative seats and implement gender quotas. The proposal comes just after approval of a constitutional amendment granting Chilean expats the right to vote. ​

Chile's pent-up seismic stress. Seismologists feared a huge earthquake would hit northern Chile because the area sits on the intersection of two geological plates creating built up-energy. But the 8.2 magnitude tremor on April 1 was smaller than expected, leaving a lot of unreleased stress and confused scientists. Researchers are prepping for the next quake by deploying new instruments throughout the region to capture data.

Bogota mayor gets job back…for now. On April 23, President Juan Manuel Santos placed ousted Mayor Gustavo Petro back in his former post after a court verdict ruled in Petro’s favor and gave Santos 48 hours to reinstate him. Still, Santos announced on April 25 that he intends to challenge the decision.

Environmentalists face danger in Latin America. Central and South America are considered deadly zones for people fighting for the environment. A report released by UK-based NGO Global Witness shows that Brazil leads with the highest number of "dead friends of the Earth," with 448 people killed since 2002. Within Latin America, Honduras, Peru, and Colombia follow in the rankings.

Costa Rica's next prez just says no to drug legalization. During the Guatemala stop on his Central American tour this week, President-elect Luis Guillermo Solís said he does not see drug legalization in the cards for Costa Rica during his administration. Solís met with Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina, a vocal supporter of the debate for drug policy reform.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights presents latest report. The IACHR released its 2013 Annual Report on April 23. This year's report includes a look at topics such as the dissemination of ideas, freedom of expression, security, and social inequality in Cuba, Honduras, and Venezuela.

Netflix’s first Spanish-language series coming next year. Netflix sets its sights on Latino audiences with the production of its first Spanish-language series, slated for 2015. The 13-episode series will be based off the popular Mexican movie Nosotros los Nobles.

Panama's forgotten Scottish colony. Locally known as Puerto Escoces, Scotland's failed seventeenth-century settlement is reminder of the "perils of independence," say critics of the separatist Scottish National Party. On September 18, Scotland will hold a vote on independence, writes Reuters.