Controversy over anti-union violence in Colombia has colleges banning Coca-Cola
It’s early monday morning, but Ray Rogers has the full attention of some 70 students in a Rutgers University classroom. For nearly half an hour, the 61-year-old labor activist rails against Coca-Cola Co. (KO ), taking the beverage giant to task for allegedly turning a blind eye as eight employees of Coke bottlers in Colombia were killed and scores more were threatened or jailed on trumped-up terrorism charges over the past decade.
A long-running land dispute between local residents and a foreign-owned nickel mine in Guatemala exploded in violence over the weekend, leaving one man dead and thirteen others injured, police said on Monday.
The latest trouble broke out on Sunday when a fight broke out between security guards and local residents protesting their expulsion from the property of the mothballed mine, which is owned by the CGN subsidiary of Canada’s HudBay Minerals (HBM.TO).
Police said one man was killed and another eight were wounded by gunfire. Five security guards were wounded by machetes and several buildings at the mine were damaged in the fighting, CGN said.
A spokeswoman for CGN said the company’s security guards did not carry live ammunition and were forbidden from using their weapons.
Police reported that their barracks were raided during the disturbance and three AK-47’s were stolen.
HudBay acquired the mine, which originally opened in 1977, last year, said earlier this month it would consider reopening the mine if nickel prices continue to improve. The mine has been shut since the ‘eighties and could cost up to $1 billion to reopen.
The mine’s previous owner faced extensive opposition to its plans to reopen the mine earlier this decade due to the land dispute. Local residents burned down a hospital and community relations office in 2004 in protest when plans to reopen the facility were announced.
Founded in 1971, the no-frills, quick-serve chain expects to have up to three stores locally by the end of 2010 dishing up its marinated, grilled or pressure-fried (and less greasy) chicken, beans, rice and rice pudding. Each store comes equipped with a salsa bar. For signature drinks, Pollo Campero pours up Salvadoran and Mexican horchata, tamarindo and maranon. The company has 53 stores in the United States after growing via franchising since 2002, but plans 40 more company-owned ones within 18 months.
“We’re looking for locations close to large Central American neighborhoods,” said Jim Plante of Clearwater, director of East Coast licensing. “We put a store near a large Nicaraguan population in Boston, and it’s doing $180,000 a week.”
Licuados are a Latin American handmade blended beverage similar to smoothies, made with milk, fruit, and usually ice. They are also sometimes called “preparados”.
Licuados and other fresh fruit juice drinks are ubiquitous throughout Mexico.They are sold by street vendors, and in special licuado shops, restaurants, and fruiterias (restaurants specializing in fresh fruit).
As you travel around Guatemala you find Licuado shops all around the country. Guatemala uses fresh fruit, since this is a country that produces some the best fruit in the world. Star fruit, Papya, Pineapple, and Banana are four of the main licuado drinks served around the country. These drinks are so refreshing and tasty. When you want something fruity, cold, and smooth next time you are walking around Antigua, stop in and visit one of a hundred eating establihments around Antigua for a fresh refreshing real fruit Licuado.
Papaya
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Life in Guatemala is quite complex. It offers such beauty in so many different ways. One of the ways that Guatemalans show their beauty is through their colorful artwork on their chicken buses. Chicken buses are one of the most used modes of transportation in Guatemala. You may ask, how did they get their name chicken bus? Well the name came from the fact that rural Guatemalans’ transport their chickens, other small farm animals and their vegetables to market by old American school busses that are redone and painted elaborate colors.
Travel by chicken bus is quite the adventure. They are not at all comfortable to ride on, the suspension is very stiff and usually no air conditioning. They travel very slow going uphill (which most of Guatemala is mountainous) and going downhill is very fast. Hopefully the bus you are riding on has good brakes. Most of the buses run at overfull capacity and usually one or two people hanging on the back of the bus for a free ride. No real laws in Guatemala for the chicken bus.
I would recommend not riding a chicken bus in or out of Guatemala City (The Capitol) and I do not recommend riding one around Guatemala City either. Chicken bus riding is not safe in Guatemala City or the surrounding communities. The safest place I would recommend riding on a chicken bus is around Antigua. I have personally road on chicken buses around Antigua and the surrounding communities. I have never felt unsafe and the cost is extremely reasonable. From stop to stop it was around one to two quetzal. Don’t get hooked by the gringo tax, keep an eye on what everyone else is paying and do the same.
No trip to Guatemala is complete until you have walked in the shoes of a true Guatemalan and rode on a chicken bus.
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Escuela Integrada
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of the children in Guatemala. Every dollar you give go's to Escuela Integrada.
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are sold by street vendors, and in special 
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