Argentina’s Tonolec Experiments With Tradition
When Charo Bogarín and Diego Pérez formed the electronica duo that would become Tonolec in 2000, the music they created had little to do with the cultural heritage of their native Argentina. But when the worst economic crisis in the country’s history hit the following year, that began to change. On a self-described mission to … Read more
How Luzmila Carpio Became Quechua’s Global Music Ambassador
Luzmila Carpio is a woman of many talents. She is a champion of indigenous rights, considered a cultural princess (or Ñusta) in her native Bolivia, and was the country’s ambassador to France from 2006 to 2010. She’s also one of the most important figures in Latin American music of the last 50 years, responsible for … Read more
Indigenous Imagery in the Art of Mariana Castillo Deball
In the late 1970s, the makers of an American antipsychotic drug called Stelazine were looking for a way to market their product to consumers in magazines and medical journals. The campaign they settled on featured indigenous masks and headdresses from Africa and Canada alongside slogans like, “Lift the mask of schizophrenic withdrawal.” For a version … Read more
10 Things to Do: Buenos Aires
Argentina’s capital, synonymous with steak and tango, has been a tourist hotspot for more than a decade. But there is another city just off the beaten path — and it’s the combination of Buenos Aires’ thriving art scene, legendary nightlife, and friendly locals that keeps visitors coming back. 1. Sip on reds and whites. Visit local wine … Read more
Film Review: Tempest
“We know you haven’t done anything, but someone has to pay,” Miriam Carbajal recalls hearing from a court-appointed attorney before being put in jail. What started as a normal day at work turns into a five-month nightmare for Carbajal, one of the central characters in Tempest, an emotionally charged Mexican documentary by Salvadoran-born cinematographer Tatiana … Read more
Olha o Picolé
The Brazilian street vendors’ call “Olha o picolé!” (“Look at the Popsicle”) will evoke memories of steamy days for anyone who grew up in Brazil. But the picolé, once considered a cheap alternative to ice cream, has gone upscale. Now sold at shopping malls and even French restaurants, the picolé has become a favorite of … Read more
Bolivia’s Fiesta de las Ñatitas
Praying to a shrine featuring a real human skull may seem macabre to some. But since pre-Columbian times, inhabitants of what is now the Bolivian Altiplano have made the veneration of human skulls a central element of their spiritual life. The tradition continues to this day with an annual celebration on November 8 called Fiesta … Read more
Book Review: Open for Business
It can be difficult to document a historic moment while it’s still unfolding, but Richard E. Feinberg has taken to the task with his book, Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy. In exploring how President Barack Obama’s opening to Cuba “fits squarely within a broader theme of his foreign policy,” Feinberg has provided … Read more
Book Review: Multiple Choice
The literature of Alejandro Zambra is one of both movement and repose. On one hand, his work — reflected in titles such as Ways of Going Home, Bahía Inútil and Mudanza — brings to mind an expert in packing bags, works of few pages that speak to a traveler who knows in advance that the weight he carries will … Read more
Book Review: The Salvador Option
Despite decades of military support and millions in development aid, for many Americans El Salvador remains a caricature, caught somewhere between an episode of Gangland and the milieu of sex, alcohol and jungle violence portrayed in Oliver Stone’s 1986 film, Salvador. Those Americans who do spare a thought for the tiny country are prone to … Read more
Ciro? Serra? 10 Candidates Who Could Become Brazil’s Next President
This article is adapted from AQ’s most recent issue, “Fixing Brazil.” To receive the print edition at home, subscribe here. Leia em português MARINA SILVA, 58, FORMER ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER Why she might win: Current frontrunner combines anti-establishment cred with a centrist economic platform. Clear anti-corruption message. Inspiring life story. Can appeal to wealthy, poor and … Read more
Why Trade Is Key to Brazil’s Economic Recovery
This article is adapted from AQ’s most recent issue, “Fixing Brazil.” To receive the print edition at home, subscribe here. Foreign trade will play an important role in Brazil’s economic recovery. With the cooling of internal demand, the international market is critical for revitalizing national industry — a central element of job and income creation. The importance … Read more
AQ Top 5 Politicians Under 40: Patricia de Ceballos
This article is adapted from AQ’s most recent issue, “Fixing Brazil.” To see the rest of our Top 5, click here. Leer en español Patricia de Ceballos could have simmered in anger after her husband, Daniel Ceballos, the mayor of the Venezuelan city of San Cristóbal, was jailed following nationwide demonstrations in February 2014. But, … Read more
AQ Top 5 Politicians Under 40: Eduardo Leite
This article is adapted from AQ’s most recent issue, “Fixing Brazil.” To see the rest of our Top 5, click here. Leer en español When Eduardo Leite ran for mayor of the small city of Pelotas in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the son of university professors did not have much of a … Read more
AQ Top 5 Politicians Under 40: Soledad Chapetón
The first female mayor of El Alto is as multifaceted and dynamic as the city she serves.
