Quechua Poetry

(Versión en español debajo) 

A recent edition of the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio carried an article about a Quechua-language poetry competition sponsored by the Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal. It is truly noteworthy for a well-known university in Peru to support the preservation of the Quechua language in this way—and, indirectly, to support social integration.

I took the opportunity to contact the organizer directly in order to find out more about the competition. I asked him whether information is available on the university’s website. His response was, “No, you can only find it on Face.” Assuming he was referring to Facebook, I looked there. Nothing!

I can imagine what the university is trying to achieve with this competition. And it is terrific that El Comercio has called attention to it. But without an adequate promotional effort behind it, the Quechua poetry competition cannot achieve its full potential.

En una edición reciente del diario El Comercio encontré un artículo sobre un concurso de poesía en idioma Quechua auspiciada por la Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal. Que una universidad tan conocida en el Perú este patrocinando la preservación del idioma Quechua de esta manera y, que indirectamente, promueve ayuda a la integración social; es verdaderamente digno de notarse.

Tomé la oportunidad de contactarme directamente con el organizador de manera que pueda tener más información sobre el concurso. Pregunté si es que tal información para el concurso estaba en la página Web de la universidad. La respuesta fue, “No, pero lo puedes encontrar en el Face”. Asumiendo que él interlocutor se refería a Facebook, busque allí y no encontré nada.

Imagino lo que la Universidad intenta lograr con tal concurso, y es magnífico que El Comercio lo haya publicado. Pero, sin un esfuerzo de promoción adecuada para impulsar lo, el concurso de poesía Quechua no alcanzará su pleno potencial.

Down With Maduro

Down with Maduro!

Once again, international organizations like the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Union of South American Nations (USAN) have failed to mediate successfully in a grave crisis affecting the region.

The days of Mr. Maduro’s reign are clearly numbered. But in the meantime, the worsening social and economic instability in Venezuela threatens to destroy all chances of building a more united South America and a more cohesive Latin America. The OAS and USAN both lack the teeth either to enforce or even really to influence the chaotic situation in Venezuela. To make matters worse, oil has bought the silence of many Latin American nations—think, for example, of Colombia and Panama, neither of which would dare to call for a debate about the current situation in that oil-rich nation. Those who dare to speak out against Maduro are treated as enemies of Venezuela.

Venezuela continues to have all the necessary ingredients to become a powerful, well-educated, and peaceful nation. It can become the example and the darling of a new South America. But to achieve that, Maduro and his poor imitations of Chavista policies will have to go.