Papst in Mexiko begeistert empfangen - Kritik an Kuba
REUTERS DEUTSCHLAND: Leon/Havana - Bei seinem Besuch in Mexiko ist Papst Benedikt XVI. ein begeisterter Empfang bereitet worden.

In dem katholisch geprägten Land säumten Gläubige die 35 Kilometer lange Strecke durch die zentral gelegene Stadt Leon, wo das Kirchenoberhaupt mit Präsident Felipe Calderon zusammentraf. Bei seinem ersten offiziellen Besuch in dem mittelamerikanischen Land prangerte der Papst die Gewalt der Drogenbanden an und sprach mit Betroffenen der Auseinandersetzungen, denen in fünf Jahren rund 50.000 Menschen zum Opfer fielen. Mit Spannung wird der Besuch in Kuba ab Montag erwartet. Den herrschenden Kommunismus kritisierte der Papst als nicht mehr zeitgemäß, bot aber gleichzeitig die Hilfe der Kirche an.

Mit Blick auf den mexikanischen Drogenkrieg sagte der Papst: "Wir müssen alles tun, dieses zerstörerische Böse zu bekämpfen, das sich gegen die Menschheit und die Jugend richtet." Die Kirche müsse "das Böse entlarven und die Vergötterung des Geldes demaskieren". Benedikt empfing in einer Privataudienz acht Betroffene, darunter Verwandte eines getöteten Soldaten und ein Entführungsopfer. » | Reuters | Sonntag, 25. März 2012

Who's on the Plane with the Pope?

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Pope Says Communism Does Not Work in Cuba

REUTERS.COM: Pope Benedict said on Friday communism no longer works in Cuba and that the Roman Catholic Church was ready to help the island find new ways of moving forward without "trauma."

Speaking on the plane taking him from Rome for a five-day trip to Mexico and Cuba, the pope told reporters: "Today it is evident that Marxist ideology in the way it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality.

Responding to a question about his visit to the island, a communist bastion off the coast of the United States for more than 50 years, Benedict added: "In this way we can no longer respond and build a society. New models must be found with patience and in a constructive way."

Benedict offered the help of the Church in achieving a peaceful transition on the island, saying the process required patience but also "much decisiveness."

"We want to help in a spirit of dialogue to avoid traumas and to help move forward a society which is fraternal and just, which is what we desire for the whole world," the pope added.

His comments drew a cautious response from Cuba's government. » | Philip Pullella | ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE | Friday, March 23, 2012

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Pope Begins Mexican Journey
March 23 - Pope Benedict uses a walking stick for the first time as he departs for Mexico where residents are eagerly awaiting his arrival. Sunita Rappai reports.

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Inside Story: Is Latin America Losing Its faith?
As Pope Benedict XVI makes his first-ever visit to the region we ask what are the challenges facing the Catholic church.

Santorum Criticizes Obama For Daughter Malia’s Mexico Vacation

abc NEWS: Rick Santorum criticized President Obama during a radio interview Tuesday for reportedly allowing his daughter, Malia, to go on a spring break trip to Mexico in an area of the country which Santorum believed had been placed on a warning list for American tourists by the State Department.

“What I would say is that the president’s actions should reflect what his administration is saying,” Santorum told Glen Beck, according to the Blaze. “If the administration is saying that it’s not safe to have people down there, then just because you can send 25 Secret Service agents doesn’t mean you should do it. You should set an example. I think that’s what presidents do. They set an example. And when the government is saying this is not safe, then you don’t set the example by sending your kids down there.” » | Tuesday, March 20, 2012


The Web gets cleansed: Malia Obama in Mexico story scrubbed! »

Earthquake Rocks Mexico's Pacific Coast
THE GUARDIAN: Quake near south-western resort of Acapulco shakes buildings and halts traffic in Mexico City

A major earthquake of 7.6 magnitude has struck Mexico's Pacific coast, 120 miles east of the resort of Acapulco.

The US Geological Survey located the epicentre of the quake at 15 miles east of Ometepec, in Guerrero state, at a depth of 10.9 miles.

The quake was felt just after midday in Mexico City, where buildings shook and office workers fled into the street, according to a witnesses. Mobile phones were down and traffic ground to a halt in the capital in the moments after the shock.

Groups of people gathered at the city's Angel of Independence monument after hundreds of workers were evacuated from office buildings. Some said they had never felt such a strong earthquake. » | Agencies | Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Witness - The Deadliest Beat
Two working days with two Mexican newspapers reveal the deadly beat that journalists tread when reporting on Mexico's violent drugs war

Listening Post - Pakistan: The Most Dangerous Place to Report From
On Listening Post this week: Another journalist is murdered in Pakistan and the primary suspect is not an extremist group. It is the security forces. And sexism on Italian TV

Mexico's Indigenous Minority Converting to Islam
Compared to other countries in Latin America with sizeable Muslim communities, Mexico's Muslim population is tiny.



In southern Mexico, the indigenous Mayan population is a minority.

But another minority is being created within that group, as more and more Mayans convert from Catholicism.



In Chiapas, Frank Contreras takes a look at how Islam is gaining a foothold in the region.

Mexico's Indigenous Minority Converting to Islam

Drogenpolitik: Mexikos Ex-Präsident fordert Legalisierung von Drogen
ZEIT ONLINE: Vicente Fox will der Rauschgiftmafia das Handwerk legen. Die Lösung: Den Drogenkrieg beenden und den Konsum legalisieren. Der Haken: Die USA müssten mitziehen. M. Schmidt

Will Drogen in Mexiko legalisieren: Der ehemalige Präsident des Landes, Vicente Fox. Photo: Welt Online
Bestialische Morde, schrecklich zugerichtete Leichen, mehr als 28.000 Tote in dreieinhalb Jahren: Der Drogenkrieg in Mexiko hat ein hierzulande kaum vorstellbares Maß an Gewalt und Grausamkeit erreicht. Die Kriminalität schwächt den Staat, die geschwächte Regierung stärkt die Killer. Deshalb fordert der frühere Präsident Vicente Fox jetzt eine Legalisierung von Rauschgift. Sein Argument: Nur so lasse sich die wirtschaftliche Macht der Drogenkartelle brechen. "Wir sollten überlegen, die Produktion, den Vertrieb und den Verkauf von Drogen zu legalisieren", schrieb Fox in seinem Blog – und unterläuft damit die regierungsamtliche Strategie seines Nachfolgers und christdemokratischen Parteifreundes, Präsident Felipe Calderon. >>> Von Michael Schmidt | Dienstag, 10. August 2010

Free Mexico Honeymoon for First Argentine Gay Newly-weds
BBC: Mexico City has offered a free honeymoon to the first gay couple to marry in Argentina under a new law.

The couple would have all expenses paid in the Mexican capital and in the beach resort of Cancun, the city's tourism secretary, Alejandro Rojas, said.

On Thursday, Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage.

Mexico City also allows gay couples to wed.

The city government would pay the air fares for the newly-wed couple and is seeking sponsorship from hotels and restaurants to finance the rest of the honeymoon, Mr Rojas said.

The offer was "a recognition of tolerance, but first and foremost a way to promote gay tourism in Mexico". >>> | Friday, July 16, 2010

La Gay Pride attire des milliers de personnes
20 MINUTES: Des milliers de personnes ont participé samedi à la Gay Pride à Mexico, saluant la décision historique prise par la capitale il y a six mois d'autoriser le mariage homosexuel.

Durant trois heures, une foule en liesse, à bord de chars colorés ou à pied, a descendu l'avenue de la Réforme, principale artère de Mexico, avant de se rassembler devant le Palais des Beaux-Arts, dans la partie plus ancienne de la ville.

«Nous sommes ici pour célébrer le fait que nous sommes dans une ville qui ne fait pas de discrimination ou ne pratique pas le mépris mais respecte les homosexuels, qui nous permet de nous marier, de travailler et de nous tenir la main dans la rue», a déclaré à l'AFP Orlando Garcia, en marchant main dans la main avec son compagnon.

La municipalité de Mexico, dominée par la gauche, a approuvé le 21 décembre le mariage homosexuel et ouvert la voie à l'adoption par des couples homosexuels. >>> ats | Dimanche 27 Juin 2010

Homophobia-related Murders Double in Mexico
ADVOCATE.COM: Despite a government sponsored tolerance campaign and marriage equality in Mexico City, the average number of killings of gays and lesbians per year in Mexico has nearly doubled since 1995, a report released Thursday claims. >>> Kenneth Harvey | Friday, May 14, 2010

7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes California

L'Amérique latine célèbre ses premiers mariages gays
Une cérémonie collective a été organisée jeudi dans l'Hôtel de ville de Mexico pour l'union de quatre couples gays. Photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Quatre couples homosexuels ont prêté serment jeudi à Mexico. La capitale mexicaine avait légalisé en décembre dernier le mariage homosexuel.

La scène est inédite. Deux femmes sont devenues jeudi à Mexico les premières homosexuelles à se marier en Amérique latine. Une union rendue possible par la légalisation du mariage gay, votée en décembre dernier dans la capitale mexicaine.

Un autre couple féminin et deux masculins se sont unis quelques minutes plus tard, lors d'une cérémonie collective organisée dans l'Hôtel de ville de la capitale et retransmise à la télévision. Ils avaient pris pour témoin le maire de Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, une des principales figures de la gauche. Un parti minoritaire dans ce pays administré par le président conservateur Felipe Calderon.

«Je vous déclare unis légitimement par le mariage, avec tous les droits et prérogatives que le mariage impose, je vous souhaite beaucoup, beaucoup de bonheur», a annoncé le juge qui a officialisé les unions. Ces premiers couples homosexuels «constituent maintenant une famille reconnue par la loi», grâce à une révision de la législation «soucieuse des valeurs de tolérance, de respect et d'égalité», a ajouté le magistrat. >>> Par Marion Brunet | Vendredi 12 Mars 2010

Gay Marriage Law Comes into Effect in Mexico City
BBC: A law allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry comes into effect on Thursday in Mexico City.

The law, which was passed by the city's local assembly in December, gives gay people full marital rights, including the right to adopt.

Several gay couples are now expected to register to get married as early as next week.

Mexico City is one of the first capitals in Latin America to fully recognise gay marriages.

Judith Vazquez and partner Lol-kin Castaneda hope to become one of the first couples to marry under the new law.

"It's the end of our fight and the beginning of life in freedom in Mexico City," Ms Vazquez told the BBC.

"This is a great, historic moment for the whole of society in Mexico City," added Ms Castaneda. >>> | Thursday, March 04, 2010

Gay Marriage Puts Mexico City at Center of Debate
THE NEW YORK TIMES: MEXICO CITY — Angela Alfarache and Ivonne Cervantes met at a party 16 years ago and have been a couple ever since, filling their lives with books and writing and friends. After their daughter, Constanza, was born six years ago, they became a family.

Mexican law never saw it that way. Only Constanza’s biological mother — the pair will not say which one gave birth to her because, as they explain, they are both her mothers — is her legal parent. The law does not recognize the other mother.

In a few weeks, that will change. A new Mexico City law goes into effect March 4 that will allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children, propelling the city to the forefront of the global gay rights movement.

“We want society to change its chip that says there is only one kind of family,” said Ms. Alfarache.

But fierce opposition erupted almost as soon as the law was passed on Dec. 22. In his final homily of the year in Mexico City, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera said, “Today the family is under attack in its essence by the equivalence of homosexual unions with marriage between a man and a woman.” Roman Catholic groups asked the conservative federal government to intervene.

President Felipe Calderón said the Constitution defined marriage as between a man and a woman, although legal experts disagree. His attorney general filed a challenge before the Supreme Court, arguing that the law violates a constitutional clause protecting the family. >>> Elisabeth Malkin | Saturday, February 06, 2010

Mexico City Lawmakers Approve Gay Marriage Bill


YOU TUBE: Watch Reuters video: Mexico City legalises gay marriage >>> | Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Head of Russian Orthodox Church Condemns Discrimination against Gays
PINK NEWS: The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has said that although homosexuality is still a sin, gay people must not be discriminated against.

Kirill met with Thorbjorn Jagland, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, a pan-European human rights body.

According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, he told Jagland: "We respect the person's free choice, including in sex relations."

Although he reiterated that the majority of religions saw homosexuality as a sin and gay marriage could not be allowed, he added: "Those who commit a sin must not be punished… And we have repeatedly spoken out against discriminating people for their nontraditional sexual orientation." >>> Jessica Geen | Wednesday, December 23, 2009