They are working on their latest project whose goal is to call attention to the problem of urban violence throughout Latin America. As part of this project, the group announced this week that they will record the music video for the single “La bala” (The Bullet) in Mexico and also is reportedly seeking a director for a planned documentary on street violence. More ambitiously, however, the duo reportedly plans to perform at a unique venue: a Guatemalan prison. (via The Latin Americanist)
Think Progress reports that the GOP, in a party-line 22-20 vote, supported an amendment to defund the Organization for American States (OAS).
According to the Associated Press, Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) reasoned, “Let’s engage our allies and friends, but let’s not continue to support an organization that’s perpetuating some countries’ ability to destroy democracies.”
ThinkProgress points out that the OAS has actually been pretty critical of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and that Cuba is still not able to join the organization.
What strikes me the most though is that Mack’s conservative (and mostly Republican) brethren had no problem spending millions of dollars supporting dictatorships in Latin America during most of the last century. Chavez certainly has some serious issues with democracy, but, thus far, he is no Augusto Pinochet or even an Efrain Rios Montt — ruthless dictators that Republican leaders enthusiastically propped up with millions of taxpayer dollars.
In the grand scheme of things, the funding (about $48 million) is hardly a dent in the U.S. budget. However, ThinkProgress notes that it does account for about half of OAS’ budget, so this move will undoubtedly affect hemispheric relations.
And meanwhile, the irony in all of this is that another American “foe” — China — is eagerly filling just about every hole the U.S. decides to leave behind in Latin America.
Yesterday, as I waited in a five hour line to register with the Brazilian federal police as my 30-day student visa stipulates, the Brazilian international students coordinator from the university where I’m taking classes explained that there is no accountability in Brazil.
In fact, the word “accountability” does not even exist in the Portuguese language.
According to at least two Portuguese dictionaries I’ve consulted with, he’s right. They both translate “accountability” into “responsabilidade” — or “responsibility.” The difference between the two words is subtle, but important. This blogger explains:
Responsibility is something that you take yourself. Accountability is what others require of you. Or, as Christopher Avery says: “If you have a manager and aren’t clear about what you are held accountable for, you might want to take responsibility for finding out.”
I believe both rulers and leaders are needed in any organization. Rulers deal with accountability. They identify the people to be held accountable for results.
Granted, accountability in any government bureaucracy is often inefficient, ineffective, and complicated. But when the word itself doesn’t even exist, you know for sure it’s going be an extra long day at Sao Paulo’s federal police office.
“A robber in the city of Sao Paulo tried to hold up Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer ‘armed’ with a toy pistol, the weekly Veja magazine said on Saturday.”
