by Alex Meneses Miyashita

Janet Murguía

Seven Latina professionals were honored for their accomplishments by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute during its Latina Leaders Celebration Oct. 2.

The event was one of several that were part of the CHCl’s 2007 Hispanic Heritage Month-related activities held in Washington, D.C. from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3.

Activities included a two-day public policy conference hosted by Congressional Hispanic Caucus members, a comedy night featuring Carlos Mencia and an awards gala Oct. 3.

Among this year’s CHCI Latina leaders were award-winning actress América Ferrera, well known for her role as Betty Suárez in hit television comedy Ugly Betty.

Ferrera plays a shy but determined first generation young Latina who is employed at a fashion magazine and makes her way up the career ladder through hard work.

“I feel very honored and somehow very undeserving” of this award, Ferrera said.

The awards have been presented to successful, ground-breaking Latinas for the past five years by Rep. Hilda Solis (D=Calif.), who serves as the event’s honorary co-host.

“I’m happy that we had one of the premier young up-and-coming stars in the community, who spoke so very humbly, but also people who have been working for many years who don’t always get the pat on the back for doing all the hard work they do on behalf of the Latino community,” Solis told Weekly Report.

Other awardees included: Ivelisse Estrada, senior vice president of corporate and community relations for Univisión Communications Inc.

Aida Giachello, executive director of the Midwest Latino Health Research’Training and PolicyCenteratthe Universityof Illinois, Chicago.

­Carmela Lacayo, president and CEO of the California-based Asociación Nacional Pro Personas Mayores.

Gloria Molina, member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

by Ali Tabatabai

Nurses on a three-day strike in front of St. Lukes Hospital

On the second day of their strike, nurses gathered outside of St. Luke’s hospital on Thursday to protest what they call a reduction of services in lower income areas.

The California Nurse’s Association (CNA) accused the Sutter Health network of shifting vital medical services away from hospitals such as St. Luke’s to more affluent neighborhoods.

“Sutter should show more respect for both the communities it serves and its caregivers, not abandon them,” said Zenei Cortez, member of the CNA council of presidents.

Kevin McCormack, spokesperson for St. Luke’s said the claim was a distraction from Sutter’s new contract agreement with it nurses and that CNA was using the event as a tactic to get more nurses to join their union.

McCormack added that St. Luke’s has offered its nursing staff a 25.5 percent pay raise in the new contract.

Strikes and lockouts are expected to continue throughout the week at several Bay Area hospitals within the Sutter network.

by the El Reportero’s news services

Óscar Arias

The government-led “Yes” campaign narrowly won the referendum on the free trade agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the US (CAFTA-DR) on 7 October. The margin was fewer than 50,000 on a decent turnout of around 60 percent of the electorate.

President Oscar Arias, who was elected in 2005 promising to ratify the deal signed in 2004, recognized the strength of the opposition with a conciliatory speech when the result was declared. Leaders of the “No” campaign, however, challenged the vote and demanded a recount. International observers said there were no obvious problems with the vote.

Calderón goes off-piste

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa is becoming unpredictable. On economic policy, he has confounded orthodox neoliberals by not only introducing, but extending, price controls. On foreign policy, he is shifting Mexico away from the US and closer to Latin America. Within Latin America, Mexico is seeking a rapprochement with Venezuela and Cuba.

No one’s backyard

Left-right: Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Venezuela Hugo Chávez, and Bolivia Evo Morales

The high profile welcome received by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to Bolivia and Venezuela was a conscious rebuff to the foreign policy goals of George Bush and Tony Blair.

This is part of a long-term trend, as Latin America has moved to the left and become increasingly disenchanted with the broad thrust of western policy-making in recent years. Indeed many of the sentiments expressed by its more radical governments are also shared by those of its moderates and underline the increasing loss of influence that Washington is suffering in what it used to consider as its “own backyard”.

Brazil last week pointedly supported Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy and opposed the imposition of sanctions on Burma’s military dictatorship.

While the Iranian president’s visit to Bolivia was intended to signify the opening of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Iran has already established relations with Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina among others. Brazil’s foreign minister, Celso Amorim, recently visited Iran and, during a joint press conference with President Bush at Camp David, Lula publicly defended Iran as “an important trade partner” with whom Brazil has “no political divergence”. Rejecting US calls to shun the Iranian regime, Lula insisted, “we will continue to work together on what is in our national interest.”

Lula also defended Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful means at the UN general assembly, while some other Latin American leaders went further.

Nicaragua’s president, Daniel Ortega, asked rhetorically: “Even if they want nuclear power for purposes that are not peaceful, with what right does [the US] question it?” (Guardian Unlimited)­

by Alex Meneses Miyashita

Janet Murguía

Only four presidential candidates—all Democrats— showed up at a forum sponsored by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Oct. 3 during its annual Hispanic Heritage Month activities in Washington’ D.C., spurring 5criticism from some Latino leaders at the event.

“It’s a mistake for the other candidates not to have been here’ Janet Murguía’ president of the National Council of La Raza, told Weekly Report. “It’s a missed opportunity.”

All Democrat and Republican candidates were invited to participate, according to the CHCI. This includes eight Democrats and ten Republicans.

The quartet of Democratic candidates who spoke at CHCl’s 2007 public policy conference included Sen. Joe Biden (Del.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.), former Sen. Mike Gravel (Alaska) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio).

Democratic leaders at the event sharply criticized the absence of Republican candidates, stressing it was not the first time that they failed to address members of the Latino community.

“Republicans have been completely absent and I think that is an insult to our community’~ Sen. Robert Menéndez (D-N.J.) told a group of reporters in Spanish. ¢¢lf they… have rejected the opportunities to communicate with our community why they should be the president of the United States, I think the people will reject them in November of next year.~Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) also chided them’ noting that all of the Republican candidates, except for Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.), refused to attend the National Association of Elected and Appointed Officials conference in Orlando in June. “This is a very clear message to the Latino community that the Republican candidates in particular do not value the Latino community and are not interested in trying tc have R diRlQ9Ue’’’She told Weekly Report.

Other recent instances in which Republican candidates have not participated in a public forum addressing issues of concern to Latinos and communities of color include a debate on PBS end another sponsored by Univisión with instant translation.

The Republican National Committee rejected the notion that the party is not interested in reaching out to Hispanics and earning their vote.

“That s just a political campaign that the Democrats want to do,” Hessy Fernandez, the director of Hispanic communications with the RNC, told Weekly Report.

Fernandez emphasized it was “ironic” that Democrats went on to criticize Republican candidates when only four of their candidates showed up at a forum put together by a “Democrat” organization.

“This organization tends to serve the interests of the Democratic Party,” she said.

The CHCh chaired by Democratic Rep. Joe Baca (Calif.), defines itself as a nonprofit nonpartisan organization.

But its 13 policy sessions were hosted by members of the all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Roybel-Allard said there were probably “very valid” reasons as to why four of the eight Democratic candidates failed to confirm their presence at the forum.

“It was probably a result of the (legislative schedule) conflict we have here in Washington’” she said, adding that Democratic candidates “have made an effort to show up at other events that have been put on by the Latino community.”

New Mexico GQV. Bill Richardson (D)’ the only Latino running for president, was among the absentees.

Campaign spokesperson Tom Reynolds confirmed to Weekly Report they had a prior scheduling in Nevada.

Richardson also missed the CHCl’s gala the evening of Oct. 3, an event he was confirmed to attend, because of “plane malfunctions,” Reynolds said.

An Associated Press article on Richardson’s campaign stop in Boulder City’ Nevada stated the governor “is hoping for a strong showing in Nevada, scheduled to hold the second caucus in the nation Jan. 19.”

One report had Obama’s camp excusing his absence to celebrate his wedding anniversary at home, but he made campaign stops in IOWR that day. The RNC’s Fernandez maintained the GOP candidates “ere putting forth a positive agenda that benefits Latinos,” and criticized in particular Clinton’s universal health plan as e proposal that Hispanics “don’t want.”

Clinton, the leading presidential candidate among Democrats and Republicans according to recent polls, was the only candidate at the forum who received a standing ovation from CHCI conference attendees, which to~ taled more than 600 at the forum.

“This was an opportunity for her to talk to the Latino community that really has been very supportive of her,” Fabiola Rodríguez Ciampoli, director of Hispanic communications for Clinton’s campaign, told Weekly Report. “It was definitely an invitation we could not have missed.”
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