Surfeando el Tambor en vivo Plaza de las Artes

Homenaje al Maestro Luis Quesada

22/05/2022

Mendoza - Argentina

El avileño venció en un ciclo de partidas rápidas contra los otros dos favoritos, Omar Almeida y Carlos Albornoz

Exposición “Máscaras, una nueva realidad”, Colectiva

Exposición “Máscaras, una nueva realidad”, Colectiva

Exposición Máscaras la nueva realidad Colectiva 11.11.2020 Galería Raúl Corrales Berenice Abbott apuntó: “La fotografía es el medio adecuado para recrear el ahora, el mundo vivo de nuestros días”, tan es así que una amplia representación de fotógrafos – noveles y de mediana carrera— aprovechando la complicidad que siempre trae consigo el Noviembre Fotográfico combinan sus estilos y técnicas…

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Mi crítica del concierto de Oniria anoche en el Alcázar de Sevilla.

Palacio Municipal de Miraflores, Lima, Peru: The Municipal Palace of Miraflores is the current headquarters of the municipal corporation of the Lima district of Miraflores in Peru. It is located at number 400 Larco Avenue, in front of Miraflores Central Park. It was declared a national monument in 1999. The building, the work of the Peruvian architect Luis Miró Quesada Garland, was inaugurated on July 28, 1944. Wikipedia

JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ QUESADA

"Memoria viva"

El 12/12/1977 caía asesinado Javier Fernández Quesada. Los hechos fueron ampliamente documentados. Se estableció una comisión de investigación, pero el crimen quedó impune.

En el aniversario del asesinato del estudiante Javier Fernández Quesada, los sindicatos, Alternativa SOC, CGT, Federación Sindical Canaria, Intersindical Canaria, Cobas, Sindicato Unificado de Guaguas y Asamblea 7 Islas Sanidad recordamos aquellos hechos como parte de la memoria colectiva que conforman la historia de la lucha de la clase obrera canaria.

El 12 de diciembre de 1977 estaba convocada una huelga laboral de sectores en lucha en Tenerife a la que se había sumado el estudiantado de la Universidad de La Laguna que paraliza la actividad académica y se suma a piquetes y a la movilización en la calle. Era un momento de auge de las luchas obreras y populares. Transportes de Tenerife, S.L, propiedad de Leoncio Oramas, estaba en

huelga desde el 13 de octubre, a la que se unieron el sector obrero de Tabacos y Frío (Frigoríficos) La movilización estaba convocada por la Confederación Canaria de Trabajadores (CCT), la ATTyD,

la FASOU (más tarde CANC actualmente INTERSINDICAL CANARIA) el Sindicato Obrero Canario (SOC), (incorporado también a la actualidad en las siglas de IC)  agrupados en la Asamblea de Sectores en Lucha, que convocó huelga general de solidaridad el 12 de diciembre.

Eran los tiempos de los Pactos de la Moncloa suscritos por las direcciones estatales de CCOO y UGT, mediante los que se imponía la moderación salarial frente a la alta inflación, firmando acuerdos salariales muy por debajo de la subida oficial del IPC. Los sectores en lucha y los sindicatos que impulsaban la lucha se habían desmarcado de los referidos Pactos de la Moncloa y luchaban por la recuperación del poder adquisitivo de los salarios.

En aquel 12 de diciembre de 1977 irrumpía disparando en el campus central de la Universidad de La Laguna una veintena de guardias civiles, que realizaron hasta 200 disparos en todas las direcciones. Uno de los disparos abatió al estudiante de Biológicas, Javier Fernández Quesada quien se encontraba en el pórtico del centro docente, muriendo en el acto, tras atravesarle un proyectil en el corazón. Este crimen de estado del que ahora se conmemora el 46 aniversario, quedó en la más absoluta impunidad y del que fueron directos responsables políticos Rodolfo Martín Villa, ministro del Interior de la UCD y Luis Mardones Sevilla, gobernador Civil de Tenerife y luego diputado de Coalición Canaria y su portavoz en el Congreso. Los testimonios sobre los hechos fueron numerosos. El documental “Quesada, la verdad del silencio” presentado estos días nos rememora e informa a fondo sobre aquellos hechos.

Javier Fernández Quesada es un símbolo tanto del estudiantado como del movimiento obrero canario que lo han mantenido en su recuerdo. Hoy a 46 años del asesinato de Javier, seguimos reivindicando su memoria y aquella jornada en la que el estudiantado se unió a la lucha obrera.

Y decir que cada Primero de Mayo desde hace muchos años, la Federación de Transporte de Intersindical Canaria le hace un sencillo pero emotivo homenaje al Estudiante Javier Fernández Quesada, en el parque que lleva su nombre ( lo luchamos en el Ayuntamiento de La Laguna estando CC y conseguimos que ese parque llevará su nombre y donde se colocó un sencillo monolito), asi mismo,  también en el hall de la Universidad de La Laguna donde existen placas conmemorativas.

                 Canarias, a 11 de diciembre de 2023

Ni olvido, ni perdón, justicia y reparación. La lucha sigue.

A man and woman from Columbia have pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges after engaging in a crime spree targeting Hispanic people.

Gabriel Brunson, 20, and Sierra Fletcher, 33, both of Columbia, targeted people they identified as Mexican and Hispanic, sometimes tracking victims to their homes before robbing them at gunpoint, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to hate crimes for their involvement in a Jan. 22, 2021, armed robbery when they followed victims from a grocery store and restaurant to their home before robbing them at gunpoint, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina. The pair stole cash and a cellphone.

“These defendants targeted Hispanic victims for violent acts of armed robbery because of their race, national origin and perceived vulnerability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person should have to fear for their lives or property because of their race or national origin.”

The plea agreement, announced Thursday, was filed on Aug. 17. Fletcher, known as “Yella Flow” according to court records, also admitted to being involved in several other robberies on Jan. 30, 2021, including a carjacking and a home invasion of other Hispanic victims, according to prosecutors.

Brunson and Fletcher were also charged with conspiracy, federal robbery charges and carrying firearms in connection with those crimes.

“These were not crimes of opportunity. The defendants systematically robbed at gunpoint people whom they identified as Mexican or Hispanic,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.

There is no law punishing hate crimes in South Carolina. As a result, it falls to federal prosecutors to charge cases that target victims because of identifies such as race, gender or sexual identity.

“Prosecuting civil rights crimes is a priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Federal law recognizes that crimes targeting people of a particular race or national origin is particularly egregious, and we stand ready to enforce the national hate crimes law here in South Carolina.”

The plea agreements require both defendants to pay restitution. Sentencing in federal court does not take place immediately after the plea. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence based on federal sentencing guidelines and a presentence report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office along with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Garner and Brook Andrews for the District of South Carolina and trial attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

Fletcher was represented by Andrew B. Farley. Brunson was represented by Aimee J. Zmroczek.

Last Saturday's mass shooting at Club Q, an LBGTQ-friendly bar in Colorado Springs, Colorado, came as a shock, but not a surprise, to people who monitor extremism. Meanwhile, Twitter – days after restoring extremists to its pages – banned the account of an anti-fascist pro-gun collective that has been protecting similar LGBTQ events from those who mean them harm. And in Hawaii, two Native Hawaiian men are convicted of hate crimes for a racially motivated attack on a white man.

It's the week in extremism:

EXPERTS FORESAW CLUB Q ATTACK

The mass shooting at Club Q, a longtime haven for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs, came after more than a year and a half of escalating rhetoric against the LGBTQ community from the far-right. The attack, in which five people were killed and 17 injured, follows a longstanding pattern, where the country's extremist far-right fringe latches on to hysterical coverage from conservative media and politicians against a minority group, often with fatal consequences.

MORE: Club Q attack no surprise for extremism experts who saw decades-old pattern

• “Any community that is considered a threat to the way of life of the population is then targeted as a group to be stopped,” Marilyn Mayo, a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism told USA TODAY. “That, in turn, leads people to marginalize that group and then act.”

• While the motive of the attack had still not been outlined by authorities Thursday, the alleged assailant had previously told their family they "wanted to be the next mass shooter," according to arrest documents from an incident last year.

• According to the suspect's attorneys, the suspect identifies as nonbinary and uses "they" and "them" as pronouns. Experts said that should make no difference in whether the incident is charged as a hate crime.

TWITTER BANS ACCOUNT CALLING FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE TO ARM THEMSELVES

A lot has been going on on Twitter. Former President Donald Trump's account was reinstated and, members of the Proud Boys have flooded the platform seemingly without challenge. Every day seems to bring a new controversy.

And while new owner Elon Musk has made waves by reinstating accounts that had previously been suspended, there's at least one longtime account that was newly suspended Tuesday: the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club.

The group has made headlines for appearing, while armed, to stand guard at LGBTQ events in Texas because those events have been increasingly threatened by far-right extremists. But a tweet after the Club Q shooting apparently led Twitter to shutter the group's account.

• The gun club gained national headlines this summer when members showed up, dressed all in black and bearing pride flags and ribbons, to protect an all-ages drag brunch in Roanoke, Texas.

• On Twitter, a backup account for the club shared a screenshot showing the tweets the main account was suspended for. One reads "Every queer a riflethem," an apparent urging for LGBTQ people to arm themselves in defense of attacks, and perhaps a play on the Marine Corps catchphrase "Every Marine a rifleman" – but with inclusive pronouns.

• The tweet violates Twitter's rules against hateful conduct, according to the company response posted by the group. The tweet was posted two days after the attack on Club Q.

• As of Thursday, the account was still suspended.

HATE CRIME CONVICTION IN HAWAII

Two men of Native Hawaiian descent were convicted of hate crimes in a 2014 attack on a white man in the remote village of Kahakuloa on the island of Maui, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. The attack occurred after Christopher Kunzelman was attacked while working on a house he had just purchased in the village.

• “The defendants in this case committed a gruesome attack on the victim because of his race,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division said in a statement. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will work to bring to justice anyone who uses threats and violence to intimidate any individual because of racial bias.”

• A jury found the men guilty last week. Sentencing in the case will be on March 2, 2023. The charge on which the two men were convicted carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

FAN EXPO Chicago Celebrates 50 Years Of All Things Fandom With The World’s Greatest Comic Creators

Fifty years ago, fandom was changed forever when Nostalgia ‘72 took over the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Illinois, creating the first space in the midwest for fans to gather and celebrate comics. Now known as FAN EXPO Chicago, the convention will return for its biggest show yet - bringing an incredible round-up of legendary celebrities, comic creators, voice actors and cosplayers to the Windy City from July 7 to July 10.

To celebrate the golden anniversary, FAN EXPO Chicago has assembled an incredible roster of superstar comic artists and writers, headlined by legends Brian Michael Bendis (writer, creator of “Naomi”), Geoff Johns (writer, creator of “Stargirl”), Joe Quesada (CCO, Marvel Entertainment) Greg Capullo (“Batman”), Marc Silvestri (celebrating 30 years of Image Comics), Kevin Smith (“Daredevil”), Leinil Francis Yu (“X-Men”), Jorge Molina (“Batman”) and dozens of others.

In 1972, Chicago collectibles dealer and local school teacher Nancy Warner made history when she united 2,000 of Chicago’s biggest comic fans in the midwest’s first ever comic and collectibles convention. Beginning as a space by and for comic collectors, and expanding to include exhibits, attractions and celebrities from all walks of fandom, what is now known as FAN EXPO Chicago is gearing up for its biggest year ever - while paying homage to the traditional comic culture that started it all.

“While the phrase ‘comic con’ continues to grow in popularity with convention groups throughout the world, it sometimes feels like those groups have left the actual comics in the dust,” said Andrew Moyes, vice president of FAN EXPO HQ. “Fandom culture is more than just blockbuster movies - it’s a deep loyalty to and appreciation of the classics and a celebration of the everlasting impact those comics, characters and creators have had on each of us. At FAN EXPO Chicago, we’re working to take the fan experience to new levels, while also staying true to the root of who we - and our guests - are.”

Other standout creators attending include Zeb Wells (“Amazing Spider-Man"), Jock (“Batman: One Dark Knight”), Steve McNiven (“Star Wars”), Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (legendary artist, “Batman vs Hulk”), Dike Ruan (“Shang-Chi”), Michael Golden (legendary artist, "Batman,” “Daredevil”), David Mack (“Kabuki,” “Jessica Jones”, Ben Templesmith (“Wormwood,” “30 Days of Night” and Tony Harris (“Starman,” Ex Machina”). See the full creator list and keep an eye out for more additions at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago/comic-creators/.

Comic fans will particularly revel in the special Comic Guest VIP packages just announced featuring Heroes in the Windy City, Jock, Silvestri, McNiven and more. See the full list at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago/comic-guest-special-event-packages.

In addition, superstar celebrities will reunite, including “the Hobbits” of the iconic Lord of the Rings trilogy (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd), Stargirl’s Brec Bassinger, The Book Of Boba Fett’s Ming-Na Wen and stars from The Mandalorian, Jay and Silent Bob, Clerks, Cobra Kai, Star Trek, as well as a stacked roster of voice actors includes Futurama’s Billy West, Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Ashley Eckstein and the hottest leads from My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer. With additional guests and attractions representing dozens of the greatest franchises across genres and decades, the massive lineup will create the ultimate playground for fans of comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming and more.

FAN EXPO Chicago will host attractions for fans of all ages and fandoms, including panels, autograph sessions, photo-ops and meet-and-greets and retailers and artists from all over the world selling unique merchandise, artwork, memorabilia, comic books and collectables. Exclusives for FAN EXPO Chicago include DC Batman #251 Special Chicago Edition, 50th Fan Expo Chicago exclusive/limited edition: bag, t-shirt, pin and many others.

FAN EXPO Chicago will take place from July 7 until July 10 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The show will be open from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets start at $22 and can be purchased at www.fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago/buy-tickets/. For more information and to stay up-to-date on new guests and attractions, visit www.fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago.

Los Programas Sociales son Base de Nuestra Campaña: Claudia Sheinbaum

“La derecha está derrotada, porque sin programas sociales, ellos trunfarían y hoy son lo principal que no dejaremos de dar”, dijo Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, candidata a la presidencia de la república, en su visita a Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí. Sheinbaum Pardo citó al ex presidente Vicente Fox Quesada por mencionar que acabarían los programas sociales con Xochitl Gálvez y hoy todas las pensiones…

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Angel Quesada de Onyze "El próximo halving del bitcoin puede suponer un menor impacto en el mercado que en ocasiones anteriores"

Ángel Luis Quesada, CEO y Co-fundador de Onyze, ofrece las perspectivas del custodio de activos digitales sobre el bitcoin y el mercado de los activos digitales de cara al segundo trimestre. Apunta la posibilidad de que “rompamos todas las barreras vistas hasta ahora, incluso llegando a superar los 100 mil dólares de valoración”; A su juicio, a la tendencia alcista actual cabe “sumarle la…

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EL AVANCE, la columna #AMediaSemana

EL AVANCE, la columna #AMediaSemana 14/02/24 *Transporte, difícil situación *Estanzuela, preocupante *Nuvia Mayorga, en entredicho *STyPSH, vació de autoridad *CAM 5 Tulancingo, conflictos *Luis Noble, la opulencia

*Transporte, difícil situación *Estanzuela, preocupante *Nuvia Mayorga, en entredicho *STyPSH, vació de autoridad *CAM 5 Tulancingo, conflictos * Luis Noble, la opulencia Mientras la alcaldesa Susana Ángeles Quesada está más preocupada por buscar una nueva posición política que en gobernar y ante la incapacidad de las autoridades para garantizar la seguridad de choferes y usuarios, hoy se…

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Elizabeth Hernandez - Convicted - $200M Healthcare Fraud

Nurse Practitioner Elizabeth Hernandez, Convicted of $200M Health Care Fraud Scheme (STL.News) A federal jury in Miami convicted a Florida nurse practitioner yesterday for her role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting more than $200 million in false and fraudulent claims for expensive genetic testing and medical equipment that the Medicare beneficiaries did not need. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Elizabeth Hernandez, 45, of Homestead, signed thousands of orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces and genetic tests, resulting in fraudulent Medicare billings in excess of $200 million.  As part of the scheme, telemarketing companies would contact Medicare beneficiaries to convince them to request orthotic braces and genetic tests and then send pre-filled orders for these products to Hernandez, who signed them, attesting that she had examined or treated the patients.  In reality, she had never spoken with many of the patients.  In 2020, Hernandez ordered more cancer genetic tests for Medicare beneficiaries than any other provider in the nation, including oncologists and geneticists.  She then billed Medicare as though she were conducting complex office visits with these patients and routinely billed more than 24 hours of “office visits” in a single day.  Hernandez personally pocketed approximately $1.6 million in the scheme, which she used to purchase expensive cars, jewelry, home renovations, and travel. The jury convicted Hernandez of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in addition to four counts of health care fraud and three counts of making false statements relating to health care matters.  She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14.  She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison on each healthcare fraud count, and five years in prison on each false statement count.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated this case. Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie and Assistant Chief Kate Payerle of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat healthcare fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program.  Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion.  In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in healthcare fraud schemes.  More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit. SOURCE: US Department of Justice Read the full article

Ex-Puerto Rico Mayor Gets 3+ Years Behind Bars! 😱

Puerto Rico's Former Mayor: From Contract Awards to Cash Stacks So, picture this: Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, the former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, has just been sentenced to a thrilling three years and one month in the slammer. Why, you ask? Well, apparently he was getting all tangled up in a bribery extravaganza! 🎩💰 From 2021 until 2022, this guy Vargas-Rodriguez was the big cheese in Humacao, strutting around as the mayor and the ultimate top dog in the government scene. But wait for it… he decided to add some spice to his job description by diving headfirst into a bribery conspiracy! Yep, you heard that right. He was like, "Hey, two businessmen, if you slide me some cash, I'll slide you some sweet municipal contracts." Can you imagine? The Justice Department must've been flabbergasted! 🕵️‍♂️ So, what kind of contracts are we talking about here? Oh, just your everyday glamorous waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services (because who doesn't dream of paving the way to success?), and even debris removal! It's like he was hosting a municipal contract garage sale, and cash was the currency of choice.💸 Now, brace yourself, because Vargas-Rodriguez wasn't playing for peanuts. He raked in a jaw-dropping $27,000 in cold, hard cash bribes between January and July of 2021. And all he had to do was sprinkle a little contract magic in return. Not a bad deal, right? 💼✨ But that's not all, folks! Hold onto your hats, because while Vargas-Rodriguez was dancing his bribery dance, there was a Puerto Rico Legislator named Maria Milagros Charbonier indicted for a spectacular combo of theft, bribery, and fraud. It's like a corruption fiesta up in here! 🎉 And guess who came to the party to announce the sentence for Vargas-Rodriguez? None other than Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, Assistant Director Luis Quesada, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez. They probably needed a red carpet just to fit all those names! 🎬🎤 The FBI San Juan Field Office was on the case, busting open this corruption piñata. And the cherry on top? This whole ordeal was part of the Department of Justice's ongoing efforts to clean up the act of municipal officials who can't seem to resist the allure of corruption. 🕵️‍♀️🚫 But wait, there's more! In addition to Vargas-Rodriguez's escapades, there's been a whole parade of other officials and contractors getting caught with their hands in the bribery cookie jar. It's like a wild carnival of corruption down there in Puerto Rico! 🎪🍪 Oh, and don't even get me started on Angel Perez Otero, the former mayor of Guaynabo, who was caught accepting cash payments in cars and under restaurant tables. It's like a crime thriller meets a foodie adventure! 🚗🍽️ And hey, guess what? Even former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez wasn't left out of the party. She got her own dose of bribery charges for her campaign financing shenanigans. It's like everyone's trying to snag a golden ticket to the "Bribery Scandal Hall of Fame"! 🎟️🏛️ So, to sum it up, Puerto Rico's got it all: bribery bonanzas, cash-stuffed contracts, and a cast of characters that could give a telenovela a run for its money. And through it all, reporter Danielle Wallace was there to capture the madness. You go, Danielle! 📸🎥# Puerto Rico's Former Mayor: From Contract Awards to Cash Stacks So, picture this: Reinaldo Vargas-Rodriguez, the former mayor of the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, has just been sentenced to a thrilling three years and one month in the slammer. Why, you ask? Well, apparently he was getting all tangled up in a bribery extravaganza! 🎩💰 From 2021 until 2022, this guy Vargas-Rodriguez was the big cheese in Humacao, strutting around as the mayor and the ultimate top dog in the government scene. But wait for it… he decided to add some spice to his job description by diving headfirst into a bribery conspiracy! Yep, you heard that right. He was like, "Hey, two businessmen, if you slide me some cash, I'll slide you some sweet municipal contracts." Can you imagine? The Justice Department must've been flabbergasted! 🕵️‍♂️ So, what kind of contracts are we talking about here? Oh, just your everyday glamorous waste disposal services, asphalt and paving services (because who doesn't dream of paving the way to success?), and even debris removal! It's like he was hosting a municipal contract garage sale, and cash was the currency of choice.💸 Now, brace yourself, because Vargas-Rodriguez wasn't playing for peanuts. He raked in a jaw-dropping $27,000 in cold, hard cash bribes between January and July of 2021. And all he had to do was sprinkle a little contract magic in return. Not a bad deal, right? 💼✨ But that's not all, folks! Hold onto your hats, because while Vargas-Rodriguez was dancing his bribery dance, there was a Puerto Rico Legislator named Maria Milagros Charbonier indicted for a spectacular combo of theft, bribery, and fraud. It's like a corruption fiesta up in here! 🎉 And guess who came to the party to announce the sentence for Vargas-Rodriguez? None other than Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, Assistant Director Luis Quesada, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez. They probably needed a red carpet just to fit all those names! 🎬🎤 The FBI San Juan Field Office was on the case, busting open this corruption piñata. And the cherry on top? This whole ordeal was part of the Department of Justice's ongoing efforts to clean up the act of municipal officials who can't seem to resist the allure of corruption. 🕵️‍♀️🚫 But wait, there's more! In addition to Vargas-Rodriguez's escapades, there's been a whole parade of other officials and contractors getting caught with their hands in the bribery cookie jar. It's like a wild carnival of corruption down there in Puerto Rico! 🎪🍪 Oh, and don't even get me started on Angel Perez Otero, the former mayor of Guaynabo, who was caught accepting cash payments in cars and under restaurant tables. It's like a crime thriller meets a foodie adventure! 🚗🍽️ And hey, guess what? Even former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez wasn't left out of the party. She got her own dose of bribery charges for her campaign financing shenanigans. It's like everyone's trying to snag a golden ticket to the "Bribery Scandal Hall of Fame"! 🎟️🏛️ So, to sum it up, Puerto Rico's got it all: bribery bonanzas, cash-stuffed contracts, and a cast of characters that could give a telenovela a run for its money. And through it all, reporter Danielle Wallace was there to capture the madness. You go, Danielle! 📸🎥 Read the full article

#LosJuegos | Porfirio Alejandro, ojos omnipresentes

Álvaro Ramírez Velasco | @Alvaro_Rmz_V Le faltaron 14 días a Porfirio Alejandro Muñoz Ledo y Lazo de la Vega para cumplir 90 años de edad. Ha muerto la tarde del domingo 9 de julio a los 89 y su cumpleaños sería el 23 de este mes. Hay que decir, con admiración, que aprovechó cada día como protagonista de su época, la que miró con ojos omnipresentes. El gran parlamentario, uno de los mejores de toda la historia del país, militó formal o informalmente en cinco partidos (PRI, PRD, PARM, PT y Morena). Presidió dos de ellos (PRI y PRD). Participó en la fundación de dos (PRD y Morena). Fue precandidato presidencial en 1976, con el priismo; luego abanderado a la Presidencia del PARM (2000), posición a la que declinó para acompañar el triunfo de Vicente Fox Quesada, que ganó con una alianza del PAN y el PVEM. El currículum de Porfirio Alejandro es interminable. Fue cinco veces legislador (tres, diputado federal; una, senador y una constituyente de la Ciudad de México). Con una vigencia en la vida pública de casi 70 años, el maestro de generaciones de políticos convivió, con distintas cercanías y tonalidades en la relación, con ocho presidentes de la república. Porfirio no se limitó a ver y a construir, con su participación, la historia contemporánea del país, sino que se empeñó y consiguió ser protagonista en los momentos cruciales de la nación. Lo mismo festejó y ofreció un discurso en el Ángel de la Independencia, al lado de Vicente Fox, tras el primer triunfo para la alternancia, luego de ocho décadas de priato, que fue el encargado de pasar la Banda Presidencial del priista Enrique Peña Nieto al actual mandatario Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Muchos años antes, soñó y fue contendiente serio a la sucesión —en 1976— de Luis Echeverría Álvarez, quien finalmente, en los rituales y códigos del priato, se inclinó por su amigo José Guillermo Abel López Portillo y Pacheco. En la LVII Legislatura de la Cámara de Diputados (1997-2000), fue el primer presidente de oposición de la Mesa Directiva. El priato hegemónico, al que una vez había pertenecido, se estaba derrumbando y sus manos, con las de otros opositores, empujaban las profundas grietas, para lograr, en el año 2000, la primera alternancia. Porfirio Alejandro era festivo y, a pesar de haber ordenado, entonces, que los reporteros que cubrían las actividades del Palacio Legislativo de San Lázaro, ya no podían andar entre las curules durante las sesiones plenarias, tuvo una buena relación con la prensa. Los periodistas fueron limitados a un palco, conocido entonces como el “corral de la ignominia”; una vez que se había hecho sonar la campana, todos para allá. El también diplomático estaba en plenitud física en esos años. Tenía en ese momento apenas 64 años y la lucidez, que lo acompañó hasta el último día de su vida, brillaba deslumbrante. Las entrevistas colectivas eran cotidianas con él durante el año que fue presidente de la Cámara Baja y luego cuando continuó como coordinador parlamentario del Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD). Bastaba una convocatoria para subir con grabadoras y cámaras al Cuarto Piso del Edificio B, para escuchar lo que Porfirio Muñoz Ledo (como ha sido siempre aludido) tenía que decir o revelar. Era contundente, como había sido docto en la conducción de las sesiones de aquella LVII Legislatura, tanto como lo fue cuando presidió el primer año de la llegada de Morena como mayoría parlamentaria, en 2018. En aquellos años era común recibir en el estómago o entre las costillas los codazos del jefe parlamentario perredista, si la emoción reporteril llevaba a una proximidad incómoda para él. El franco aroma vespertino escocés era también, en esa época, consuetudinario en él. En una de las últimas entrevistas que dio para el sitio de Adela Micha, Porfirio disfruta la charla también con un whisky. Buen bebedor, buena madera y nunca en público perdió la galanura del político glamoroso. Se fue así, genio y figura, aquel hombre que en 1976 compró el terreno que estaba detrás de su casa, porque el entonces presidente Echeverría, en una visita, le había dicho que su domicilio era “muy pequeño para recibir contingentes”. Él había creído que era la señal de que sería destapado. No fue así y la Presidencia fue un logro, tal vez el único, que le faltó a Porfirio Alejandro y a su mirada desde la histórica altura. Read the full article