The sultry Latin American beat

Venezuela Libre

"JURO!" Loving me some Juan Guaidó! Believing for a Free Venezuela.

J. Balvin, Jeon, Anitta - Machika

music video: becky g: mayores

The sensual, sultry energy of Latin America. Come visit!

venezuela on my mind

For weeks, Venezuelans have been flocking by the busload to San Antonio del Tachira, a border town of some 62,000 residents, fleeing as President Nicolas Maduro consolidates autocratic power. The Simon Bolivar International Bridge is the avenue for an outpouring unprecedented in the history of this oil-rich nation. Crowds stream toward the bridge, attended by street hawkers selling juice, fried pastries and bus tickets and men who ferry their meager possessions to a new life. According to Colombia’s migration authority, the number of foreigners entering Cucuta, the first major city across the bridge, more than doubled this summer. Over 50,000 came in August, up from 22,700 in June. The numbers don’t reflect dual nationals returning to their homeland, or thousands simply crossing into Colombia without passing official checkpoints.

- Bloomberg

mi gente

My people. The delicious, sultry energy of Latin America. Come visit!

video: "despacito" - luis fonsi feat. daddy yankee

This song is the biggest hit at the moment in Latin America. The video gives a taste of latin barrio culture.

video: daddy yankee: shaky shaky

The delicious energy and smoldering sensuality of Latin America.

laughing to not cry

Latinos are poking fun at the uncertainty many face in the new United States of Trump.

Translation: "That natural look so they don't confuse you with an illegal"

Translation: "What Trump doesn't know is that we're already building a Troyan Piñata to cross that wall..."

Financial remittances from family members living either legally or illegally in the United States are a vital economic lifeline for family members many immigrants leave behind. In the case of Honduras, for example, remittances from abroad represent nearly 20% of the country's GNP. This yearly inflow of hard currency (US$3.7 billion in 2015 according to the above chart) boosts the country's economy, creates local jobs, and greatly aids in social stability (resulting in fewer people finding themselves with the desperate need to leave in order to seek better opportunities in North America).

be present

("Don't ruin your present because of a past that has no future.")

video: la gozadera (featuring marc anthony)

This video speaks to the sexy, joyful, smoldering energy that is typical of Latin Americans.

latinos are happy people

For the first time in a decade, the top 10 happiest countries in the world are all in Latin America, according to the 2014 Gallup Here are the 10 happiest countries, listed with their positive experience index scores:Ÿ

• Paraguay, 89 
• Colombia, 84 
• Ecuador, 84 
• Guatemala, 84 
• Honduras, 82 
• Panama, 82 
• Venezuela, 82 
• Costa Rica, 81 
• El Salvador, 81 
• Nicaragua, 81 

-  livescience.com

black widow watch

Argentina is to renationalise YPF, its biggest oil company, ousting the Spanish group Repsol as majority shareholder and prompting a furious row with Madrid. In a move likely to have significant investor and diplomatic fallout, Cristina Fernández, Argentina’s president, sent a bill to Congress on Monday to put 51 per cent of YPF in state hands.
[...]
Following an emergency government meeting, Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Madrid was considering measures against Argentina, which would be announced in the coming days. “This has broken the cordial climate that existed between Spain and Argentina,” he said. “Spain had worked with Argentina during its hardest hours.”

- Financial Times

She can't have the Falkland Islands, but damnit she's going to grab something. Many Hondurans are not big fans of Ms. Fernández. She staunchly supported Hugo Chavez's nefarious efforts to take control of our country in 2009. The objective of this ALBA project was to give to Chavez complete control of the northbound narcotics air trafficking routes. (This speaks volumes about Ms. Fernandez's moral character, doesn't it?)

It's interesting how, unable to get the Americans and Canadians to support Argentina's baseless, hysterical claim on "Las Malvinas," she dramatically stormed out of the recent Summit of the Americas (kind of high school behavior, don't you think, Cristina?). Surely she knew going in to the summit the North Americans were not going to jump on her silly "Malvinas" bandwagon. Something is not right with this one. I'm sure Hillary's her match, though (Mrs. Clinton celebrates after kicking some Buenos Aires butt in Cartagena.)

Photo: Proceso Digital. I know the arrogant, image-conscious señora presidenta hates this unflattering photograph. All the more reason to use it. In the immortal words of Gregg Talbert, one of my most cunning and vicious (in "the good way") Louisiana friends, "She's evil and must be destroyed!"

aunque te quites

Lo que es para ti, aunque te quites; lo que no, aunque te pongas.

- Latin American Saying

Wordy English translation: What is for you - IS for you - even if you get out of its way; what is not for you - IS NOT for you - even if you put yourself in its path.

folkloric latin wisdom

El que no gozó aqui y al cielo no vá, lo joden aqui y lo recontrajoden allá.

- a Latin-American saying (one of several the Catholic Church probably hates)

It roughly translates: The one who didn't enjoy life here and then doesn't go to heaven, gets f_cked here and, furthermore, gets super-ref_cked there.

After all, who knows how picky the bouncer at the supposed "Pearly Gates" will be? What if the cigarettes you had behind the shed at 12 are a deal-breaker? Makes one think, doesn't it? This idea may help explain why latinos are -- in general -- such warm, relaxed, happy, expressive, dance-y, touch-ey, feel-ey, joyful, sexy people.

With globalization and the sharing of cultural norms, perhaps this "latin energy" is something the rest of the world could adopt from us.

Hat tip: Nicolás.