buried mirror: latest reflections

The number of dead from a landslide near Aquil Grande in Alta Verapaz in Guatemala has risen to 37; that number does not count an equal number of missing persons. A previous slide had hit the same road on December 14, killing two people, and barricades were put up to keep people away from the [...]

Police in Bavaria have confiscated an estimated $100 million worth of Mayan, Aztec and Incan treasures. A resident of Costa Rica purports to own the objects, which were transported to Germany without proper permits. It’s unclear how they came to be in his possession. The Local: Germany’s News in English reports According to the Munich-based [...]

The Tabasco flooding is the worst in fifty years. Despite governmental action that put the U.S. Katrina response to shame there have been many casualties, and heavy destruction. Amid heavy rains, President Felipe Calderon ordered in thousands of soldiers, marines, pilots and federal police on Oct. 29, two days before the most damaging flooding hit. [...]

Casa Azteca is another of my favorite Mesoamerica-related sites. It is quite a thorough and up-to-date source of news and commentary, especially on archeaological subjects. As a bonus, Casa Azteca lists upcoming events in different sites around the country. In general I’m not that fond of Live Journal as a platform; nonetheless, but Casa Azteca [...]

The clip below is a trailer for Estrellas de la Línea, a film about sex workers in Guatemala City who organized themselves as a football (soccer) team. Guatemala City has become a nightmarish places, and it goes without saying that these women’s lives must be very difficult. The full story is at The Global Game.

Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing is on the road in Guatemala. Her post from yesterday is a good summing up of the current tone there.