LATINO LOOP for the week of February 3, 2012

	Mexico's ambassador to Venezuela was the victim of an "express kidnapping" this week in Caracas. Ambassador Carlos Pujalte and his wife were kidnapped from their car around midnight on Monday and released a few hours later just before dawn.
	A 6.3 earthquake shook the coast of Peru, south of Lima, last week injuring over 100 people, destroying 125 homes and damaging 581 buildings. An 8.0 earthquake hit the same area (in the Ica region) back in 2007, killing more than 500 people and injuring 200,000.
	Hugo Chavez announced that he will consider nationalizing banks that refuse to finance government agricultural projects. By law the banks are required to devote at least 10% of their lending to government development projects.
	Shakira received the French cultural honour of Chevalier, De L'Order des Arts et des Lettres in France this week and also took hom the NRJ Music Award of honour.
	According to recent reports, Argentina's La Nacion is in talks to acquire ImpreMedia, publisher of New York's "El Diario La Prensa" and Los Angeles' "La Opinion".
	Doctors in Peru will operate on 3-year-old Isbac Pacunda, who carries the remains of a partially formed twin fetus in his stomach, in a case known as fetus-in-fetu.
	CNN en Español anchor Patricia Janiot is celebrating 20 years with the network this week. Janiot joined CNN in 1992 as anchor of "Noticiero CNN Internacional".
	An estimated 16,000 Venezuelan women and 20,000 Brazilian women have the PIP French-made faulty silicone breast implants.
	Pastor Jose Carmo Jr., his wife and daughter were among five church members killed in the deadly pileup on Florida Interstate 75 that killed a total of 10 people. Pastor Arao Amazonas was spared after deciding to stay in Florida an extra day and drive back to Atlanta the next morning.
	National Latino Broadcasting announced that it will provide coverage of the upcoming elections and current political issues on its SiriusXM channels Cristina Radio and En Vivo. "From Washington Al Mundo" and "Power Play" will both air on Cristina Radio.
	Pitbull will be honored with BMI's President's Award at the BMI Latin Awards on March 30th in Las Vegas.
	Don Omar's video for "Danza Kuduro" has surpassed 300 million views on Youtube/VEVO.
	According to new data from the Pew Hispanic Center, 54% of Latinos believe that the economic downturn that began in 2007 has been harder on them than on other groups in America. 59% of Hispanics report that someone in their household has been out of work in the past year and 75% reported that their personal finances are in "only fair" or "poor" shape.
	Thaddeus Jimenez was awarded $25 million in damages after spending 16 years in prison wrongfully convicted of murder. Jimenez was convicted in Chicago as a teenager and spent nearly half of his life in prison.
	Mexican authorities captured Enrique Elizondo Flores in northern Mexico this week. Elizondo Flores, a member of the Zetas, confessed to the murder of at least 75 people.
	American Airlines announced that it will add flights five days a week between Miami and Barcelona starting April 3rd and increasing to daily flights on June 14th.
	"Safe House" starring Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds and Ruben Blades, opens in theaters on February 10th.
	ASCAP will award Marc Anthony the Founder's Award at the ASCAP Latin Awards on March 20th in Beverly Hills.
	Mexico is the world's #2 producer of child pornography and child porn is the country's #2 illegal business after drug trafficking, generating $42 billion annually, according to Rosi Orozco, Chairwoman of the Special Committee to Fight Human Trafficking.
	Chilean director Andres Wood's "Violeta se fue a los cielos" ("Violeta Went to Heaven") won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival. Chile also took home the World Cinema Screenwriting Award: Dramatic for "Young & Wild" written by Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutierrez and Pedro Peirano. Chilean director Dominga Sotomayor's "Late to Die" was awarded the Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award.
	Telemundo's new novela "Relaciones Peligrosas" features the theme song "Solo Por Amor" by Camila member Samuel "Samo" Parra.
	Slacker Radios expanded its Spanish-language offerings with the launch of four new stations "Memorias", "Puro Norte", "Romantica" and "Salsa".
	Hispanicize 2012 will take place April 11-13th in Miami and will feature 25 blogger sessions divided into blogger to brand panels, entrepreneurship sessions and blogger professional development workshops/trainings.
	Verizon HopeLine and the Verizon Foundation donated $100,000 to Casa de Esperanza, an organization focused on preventing domestic abuse against Latinas.
	East Haven, CT police chief Len Gallo retired from his position this week amidst a federal investigation into civil rights violations against Latinos. East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo is also under pressure from Latino groups to resign after quipping that he "might have tacos" to do something for the city's Hispanic community.
	Clear Channel Media, Entertainment Chicago and ESPN Deportes Radio have launched 97.5 ESPN Deportes in Chicago this week. The station is Chicago's first commercial FM radio station devoted to continuous Spanish-language sports coverage.
	Communications agency Cohn & Wolfe has launched INFUSE, a Latino and multicultural communications division that will be headed by Kerri Allen. Allen currently sits on the Executive Board of the Hispanic Public Relations Association and was formerly Chair of PRSA's Multicultural Communication Section. Allen was previously Director of Public Relations at marketing agency Revolucion.
	Police found $1.9 million in cash in the luggage of Veracruz state Finance Secretary Tomas Ruiz as he disembarked a plane in the home state of Presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto. Ruiz claims that the money was an urgent payment for a company that promotes festivals in the state.
	Ida Chacon has joined Latinum as VP of Marketing and Commercial Solutions. She was previously Multicultural Marketing Capabilities Manager at Procter & Gamble.
	Maya Publishing Group has named Jusmir Gonzalez as Editorial Director of TVnotas USA. Gonzalez was previously Deputy Editor at the magazine.
	"Act of Valor" inspired by true events and starring Roselyn Sanchez and Nestor Serrano alongside Active Duty Navy SEALs, opens in theaters on February 24th.

Latino Loop

LATINO LOOP for the week of February 3, 2012