Culture

Unfortunately, despite what consumers are told, Fair Trade coffee is neither the best coffee nor the fairest priced coffee in Honduras...

By Arondo Holmes
While I sit listening to my coffee roaster sing its song... like 100 maracas in unison, I ponder the fate of my coffee business and, more importantly, the future of coffee growers in Honduras (including myself). For those who do not know, coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world next to oil. Few people know how significantly coffee affects our lives. Coffee in developing nations like Honduras is akin to oil in that prices for this crop have the power to make or break the lives of millions of farmers, including about 100,000 families in Honduras alone. (6/29/10)

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By Antonio di Iorio
Honduras' national soccer team turned in its strongest performance in the World Cup, playing Switzerland to a 0-0 draw today and earning one point for its effort. With the tie, both Honduras and Switzerland are eliminated from the tournament, while fellow Group H division teams from Chile and Spain advance to the second round. Honduras, which entered the World Cup without perhaps its best offensive threat, Carlo Costly, who was sidelined with a leg injury, failed to score a goal in any of its three matches, including losses of 1-0 and 2-0 to Chile and Spain respectively. Honduras was also without veteran playmaker and free-kick specialist Julio César "Rambo" de León, who was injured during the final practice session before the opening match against Chile. Despite its depleted starting line-up and facing vastly more talented and technically superior teams, the Honduran squad played with unusual resilience and dogged determination, salvaging the draw against the Swiss and ending the tournament on a relative up note for Honduras. (6/25/10) (photo of Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares making a save courtesy EPA)

By Antonio di Iorio
Despite its loses to Chile and Spain on June 16 and June 21 respectively, the Honduran national soccer squad still has a shot at advancing to the second round of the World Cup. Honduras is in last place within its Group H division, behind Chile, Spain, and Switzerland. It has no wins and no points. But if Honduras manages to beat Switzerland on June 25 by a margin of five goals and Chile defeats Spain that same day and holds the Spanish team to no goals, then Honduras would advance to the round of sixteen. Honduras, Spain, and Switzerland would each have a record of 1 win and 2 losses, but Honduras would win out due to a higher goal count. Given Switzerland's tough defense which shut out an extremely talented and discplined Spanish team, Honduras would need a miracle to score so many goals against the Swiss. Nonetheless, a slight chance remains for the Honduran team, adding an element of relevance to the match and thus an incentive for the Catrachos. (6/22/10)

By Antonio di Iorio
The Honduran national soccer team suffered its second defeat at the World Cup in South Africa on Monday, losing to Spain 2-0. Honduras was outclassed by a vastly more talented opponent and was fortunate that the score was not more lopsided. Spain missed numerous scoring opportunities, including a penalty kick by forward David Villa at the 61st minute. Honduran coach, Reinaldo Rueda, acknowledged that Spain was a "far superior team" and that it could have been worse for his squad, noting that "when a match opens up [with an early score] Spain becomes extremely confident and is able to take full advantage of its techically perfect passing skills". Honduras' loss to Spain and its 1-0 loss to Chile on June 16 leave it with no points and in sole posession of last place within its Group H division. Chile is first place with a record of 2 wins and 0 losses, giving it a total of 6 points. Spain is in second with 1 win and 1 loss, with a total of 3 points. Switzerland is in third with 1 win and 1 loss, with a total of 3 points. Spain is ahead by virtue of one more goals scored. Honduras plays Switzerland on June 25 for what will likely be its last match of the tournament. (6/22/10) (photo of Reinaldo Rueda courtesy Internet)

By Antonio di Iorio
Honduras' national soccer team lost its opening Group H World Cup match to Chile this morning 1-0 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa. The score was not indicative of how thoroughly Chile dominated the game. Honduras displayed virtually no offense and played in a style that often seemed confused and always disjointed. Most of the match was played on Honduras' side of the field. The lone goal was scored by Jean Beausejour at the 34th minute. The only bright spot for the Catrachos was the solid performance by veteran goalie Noel Valladares. Honduras next plays Spain on June 21 and Switzerland on June 25. Chile's win is its the first in World Cup play since 1962, when it hosted the tournament and came in third. Brazil won the World Cup that year, beating Czechoslovakia 3–1. (6/16/10)

By Antonio di Iorio
The coach of Honduras' national soccer squad, Reinaldo Rueda, confirmed today that starting forward David Suazo will not play in his team's first-round World Cup match agains Chile tomorrow. Mr. Suazo suffered a minor injury to his right leg in a warm up match against Romania last week and has not fully recovered. Meanwhile, midfielder Julio Cesar “Rambo” de León will miss the entire World Cup due to a several muscle injury to his right leg suffered during yesterday's final team practice. Mr. León will be replaced by Jerry Palacios. Honduras arrived in South Africa already missing another star forward, Carlo Costly, who fractured his right foot last month in a Romanian league match. Most of the responsibility for Honduras' offense will fall to veteran striker Carlos Pavón, supported by midfielder Wilson Palacios. Meanwhile, Chile is awaiting a late fitness test to determine whether star striker Humberto Suazo will start on Wednesday. Mr. Suazo has been recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in a match against Israel on May 30. (6/15/10) (photo of David Suazo courtesy Internet)

By Antonio di Iorio
The Honduran national soccer team arrived today in Johannesburg, South Africa after three weeks of training and warm-up matches in Austria in preparation for its initial World Cup contest against Chile on June 16, followed by Spain on June 21 and Switzerland on June 25. The squad played "friendly" matches against teams from Belarussia (2-2), Azerbaijan (0-0), and Romania (0-3). Despite Honduras' 0-1-2 record in Austria, Honduran fans remain optimistic about their team's chances at the World Cup. Although Honduras is considered to be the underdog within its Group H division, it is a veteran squad consisting of numerous players who are members of teams in Europe and are thus familiar with the European styles of play. This experience will prove particularly crucial against reigning European champion Spain, which is coming off a 6-0 drubbing of Poland in a recent exhibition match. (6/9/10) (photo of team captain Amado Guevara courtesy Internet)

By Antonio di Iorio
Honduras' national soccer squad will play its opening World Cup match on June 16 in the city of Nelspruit against the national team from Chile. Honduras and Chile are among a field of 32 nations that will have teams playing in the 19th World Cup in South Africa scheduled to take place during June 11 to July 11. They, along with teams from Spain and Switzerland, will play in Group H of the tournament's first round. Each team will play three matches. The two teams with the best records will advance to the second round. The last and only time Honduras played in a World Cup was in 1982 in Spain. The team ended its first round with a record of no wins, one loss (Yugoslavia), and two ties (Spain and Northern Ireland). Honduras did not advance to the round of sixteen, but was widely viewed as having made a good showing on the strength of its 1-1 tie against host-country Spain on June 16, 1982. (6/8/10)

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Women do not merely constitute a major demographic presence. They represent the very kernel around which human development must take shape. Thus, strategies for improving the status and role of women in society must be linked to measures designed to empower them.

By W. E. Gutman
Central American publications shamelessly depict women as sex objects. Blamed in part for an increase in rapes, such portrayal is a reflection of how women are regarded by a consumer society. This characterization also echoes women’s own sense of self-worth. Tragically, the media tolerate, support and even encourage a sexist stance -- for profit. Money also animates a thriving pornographic trade, an amalgam of words and pictures in which women are treated as expendable merchandise in sexually explicit situations that are degrading and abusive. Because the essential features of pornography are domination, degradation, violation, and objectification interwoven with coitus, women are robbed of their personality and stripped of their humanity. (5/12/10)

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... the media continue to have a condescending “welfare” approach toward women. Dramatic and titillating, topics such as abortion, prostitution, rape and pornography get all the press. Little is said about health, and parenting, almost nothing about the inalienable rights of women and the obligations of the State to ensure their well-being... and less than nothing about sex education and family planning.

By W. E. Gutman
In a region exhausted by corruption, political chicanery, poverty and spousal and sexual abuse, why should women look to the media for help? Are not health care, economic independence, reproductive rights and education far more pressing issues? The answer is that while the media have fostered attitudes and role expectations that thwart the advancement of Central American women, they have the power to set new standards that can help women express their views, promote equality and advance their position in a society to which they contribute but over which they have neither control nor influence. (5/3/10)

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