Weight Watcher: Chavez takes on obesity

A sizable man himself, some might argue that Hugo Chavez is an unlikely ambassador for lean living. However, few topics escape the president's attention, and his own considerable girth has not prevented him from commenting on Venezuela's expanding waistbands.  

The average Venezuelan has risen from to . And obesity is a growing trend across Latin America in general. Unlike Asian countries, where the indigenous diet of fresh vegetables and little meat is threatened by American imports of fizzy drinks, processed meat and fast food chains, the Latin American problem is ostensibly a double-edged sword. 

Favourite snacks across the continent include deep-fried delicacies such as chinceron (pork fat), double fried enchilladas, empenandas and other carb-heavy creations. Add to this the increasing Americanisation of national pallettes -

Mexican Human Rights Worker in London

Last weekend I went to see Mexican human rights defender, Tita Radilla, speak at the Frontline Club in London. Her father, a popular mayor and folk singer, was disappeared during the Guerra Sucia (Dirty War) of the 1960s and 70s.  

Her struggle centres around La Cuidad de Servicios (The City of Services), a compound used for detaining and torturing left-wing opponents of the Government. Tita is certain that the body of her father and many others are buried in the vicinity of La Cuidad, and she is nearing the end of a lengthly battle to bring the Mexican Government to justice. Despite constant death threats she has succeeded in bringing the case to the Inter-American Court - hopefully they will not ignore the overwhelming evidence on their side.

Tita and her comrades have been supported by Peace Brigades International, an organisation that sends impartial observers from the international community to help keep human rights defenders from being harmed.