Cuba & Venezuela: Issues of Free Speech and Democratization (Lp4112014)

Issues of democratization in Venezuela and Cuba provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The controversy over whether the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) overstepped its proper functions by sponsoring a secret communications program in Cuba provides one of this week's debatable topics. Latin Pulse also interviews one of the key leaders of Venezuela's protest movement and debates whether that movement represents free speech or an anti-democratic method to seize power. This week's commentary reviews a landmark case of lesbian rights in Chile and how that might be applied to an upcoming case in the Dominican Republic. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Phil Brenner of American University; and Rodrigo Diamanti of El Mundo Sin Mordaza. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and Associate Producer: Megan Ekhaml. The photo is by Torsten Bangerter via Flickr, using a Creative Commons license: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tbangerter/13553513954/sizes/z/in/photolist-mDFiv5-kmX6x5-kruvGF-kmS1i6-kmQP4g-kmrZaV-kSgJLy-kSgGyC-kSeYcM-kSeZSv-kSgM8Y-ku18eU-ktXEVg-6ausJ5-6ausnd-6auqhS-6aqihV-6aur8A-6auqDA-6auru3-6aqiuc-6aqhkr-6ausx7-6aqjDx-6aut9G-6aqgt4-6ausWE-6auquj-6aqi9c-6aurFo-6aqh9i-6aurj9-kRoDFA-kRoPUw-kRmN6g-kRp5ud-kRn5Ce-kRnzuR-kRnHr2-kRmLwV-kRnph6-kRoF8d-kRp4s3-kRmKnk-kRnUQV-kRn4xi-kRmVFr-kRnKs6-kRn2Sp-kRnr2Z-kRnAJK/ “Latin Pulse” is produced at American University’s School of Communication. This program is sponsored by the university’s Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS), in association with Link TV. http://www.american.edu/soc/ http://www.american.edu/clals/latin-pulse.cfm