Latest news with #Spanish-American
Qatar Tribune
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Venezuelan Embassy in Qatar celebrates 124th anniversary of independence
Ashraf Siddiqui The Venezuelan Embassy in Qatar marked the 124th anniversary of the nation's independence with a ceremonial reception held at the Sheraton Grand Doha Hotel. Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela HE Carlos José Mata Figuero paid his gratitude to His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and government of Qatar for their solidarity and continued support for Venezuela's right to peace and self-determination. Present on the occasion were HE Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Social Development and Family; HE Mohammed bin Ali Bin Mohammed Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and information technology; He Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, Director of Department of protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; He Jassim Mohammed Al-Asmakh, Directorof the Department of American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; He Jean-Marie Francois, Ambassador of the Republic of Haiti to Qatar - Dean of the Group of Latin America and Caribbean countries in Qatar (Grulac); Ambassadors and distinguished guests. He conveyed warm and fraternal greetings on behalf of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, HE Nicolás Maduro Moros, Vice President HE Dr Delcy Rodríguez, and Foreign Minister HE Yván Gil. The event commemorated Venezuela's historic declaration of independence on July 5, 1811, and paid tribute to the legacy of the country's liberator, Simón Bolívar. The ambassador highlighted the enduring significance of July 5 as a patriotic day for Venezuelans, symbolizing unity, sovereignty, and peace. He reflected on the historic events of 1811, when Venezuela's first Congress debated independence under pressure from the Patriotic Society, led by influential figures such as Francisco de Miranda and a young Simón Bolívar. Bolívar's pivotal speech in favor of independence ultimately helped pave the way for Venezuela to become the first Spanish-American colony to declare itself free. He recalled the immense sacrifices made during the 11-year War of Independence, during which Venezuela lost nearly half of its population. Simón Bolívar, the Liberator, led military campaigns spanning over 6,500 kilometers—ten times the distance traveled by Hannibal, three times that of Napoleon, and twice as much as Alexander the Great—leaving behind a legacy of liberation rather than conquest. The ambassador emphasized that Venezuela was born as a sovereign republic and continues to uphold the principles of democracy, equality, and peaceful coexistence with other nations. He reiterated the country's longstanding position in defense of international law and sovereign equality. Quoting President Maduro, the ambassador underscored that Venezuela remains 'irrevocably free and sovereign' despite enduring more than 1,000 unilateral coercive measures. He noted that the Venezuelan people continue to resist modern forms of colonialism and economic pressure through resilience and national effort. In a global context, the ambassador reiterated Venezuela's call for a Summit for Peace and Against War, an initiative proposed by President Maduro. He urged international cooperation through multilateral platforms such as the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council, BRICS, and with key participation from the Global South, China, and Russia.
Metro
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
'Gripping' Spanish thriller with Stanley Tucci quietly added to free platform
A 'distinctive' series about a diplomat hunting down a team of treasure hunters to recover their spoils is now streaming for free in the UK. First hitting screens in 2021, La Fortuna is a Spanish-American adventure drama television miniseries. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, the series marked the acclaimed filmmakers first foray into small screen productions. Based on the 2018 graphic novel El tesoro del Cisne Negro by Paco Roca and Guillermo Corral, the six-parter was also based on an incredible true story. In 1804 the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes was sunk by the British Navy off the south coast of Portugal during the Battle of Cap Santa Maria. Over two centuries later, in 2007, the Florida-based company Odysseus Marine Exploration reported having discovered a shipwreck, later revealed to be the Senora. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The crew recovered almost 500,000 silver and gold coins from the wreck before transporting them to the United States. But soon after the Spanish government kickstarted a legal battle over what it considered to be illegal looting, with the coins estimated to be worth around $500,000 (£368,000). In the TV show, the story focuses on Alex Ventura (Álvaro Mel), a young diplomat who ends up spearheading efforts to recover the underwater shipwreck of La Fortuna, seized off the coast of Gibraltar by Frank Wild (Stanley Tucci), a treasure hunter. It was teased of the show: 'La Fortuna was known to be carrying gold gathered all over South America to fund the Spanish war effort. Wild and his crew claim to have found it by chance. Now the Spanish government wants it back.' The series also stars Ana Polvorosa as Lucía Vallarta, a civil servant and T'Nia Miller as Susan McLean, a lawyer collaborating with Frank. At the time reviews of the series were mixed from critics and viewers, but many did share they were drawn in by the unique premise. 'There is no puzzle to solve in La Fortuna, no hidden messages, and that relative straightforwardness coupled with the actors' clinic put on by Tucci and Peters is enough to make La Fortuna worth retrieving from the depths of streaming,' Vulture wrote in its review. 'La Fortuna's distinctive story, combined with the standout performances from Tucci and Peters, make the show one we want to stick with,' Decider shared. 'It's a very topical, hot-button issue that the series addresses, intelligently and not without acknowledging that its central controversy has two sides — even if director and co-writer Alejandro Amenábar makes clear which side he's on,' the Wall Street Journal added. Deadline explained the show as 'a strange, soupy hybrid of courtroom drama, Indiana Jones fantasies and an Iberian version of The Office'. Meanwhile fans said it was a 'breath of fresh air worth binging', a 'masterpiece' and even 'the best Spanish series ever'. Speaking to Empire in 2022, Stanley spoke about being drawn to his character, who is described in the first episode as a 'pirate'. What drew you to your character in La Fortuna****, who is actually described in the first episode 'I mean, that's what drew me to him, that he's really complicated,' he said. 'He seems to be one thing, but turns out to be another thing. He's a very complex guy, and those are always great roles to play.' More Trending In real life, a U.S. federal court and a panel from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the Spanish claim to the contents of La Fortuna. However, they were not returned until 2013, when a court ordered Odyssey Marine to return the coins, which totalled 14.5 tonnes. They are now held in the National Museum of Subaquatic Archaeology in Cartagena (Murcia) for cataloguing, study and permanent display. La Fortuna is streaming on ITVX. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: The 7 best 'explosive' Australian thrillers free to watch in UK MORE: Star of iconic ITV sitcom addresses claim she's 'living from couch to couch' MORE: 'Engrossing' ITV thriller from the creator of Line of Duty confirms comeback
Axios
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Trump moves to restore Confederate names on 3 Va. Army bases
President Trump announced this week that he wants to restore the original names of seven Army bases, including three in Virginia, that once honored Confederate leaders. Why it matters: A federal law bans U.S. military bases from being named after Confederates. But the Trump administration is working around it by designating the bases after other people with the same names or initials. Catch up quick: Trump vetoed that bill in 2020 but was overridden in a bipartisan vote from Congress. Then in 2023, Virginia's Fort Lee became Fort Gregg-Adams, named after two Black officers — including the first Black woman in the Women's Army Corps and a three-star general. Fort A.P. Hill, named after the same A.P. Hill who once had a Richmond statue dedicated to him, became Fort Walker, after the Army's first female surgeon. Fort Pickett was redesignated as Fort Barfoot, the first Army base in the U.S. to be named after a Native American soldier. By the numbers: The cost of renaming nine bases honoring Confederates was estimated to total nearly $40 million, per the Military Times. To change the names of the three Virginia bases: at least $4.7 million, per a congressional report estimate. Zoom in: It's unclear how much it'll cost to change them back, but here's who they're technically named after now, per the Army: Fort Lee won't be honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who had the largest Confederate monument in the country before its 2021 removal in Richmond. Instead, it'll be named after Pvt. Fitz Lee, a Black soldier from Dinwiddie who fought in the Spanish-American war. Fort A.P. Hill is now named after Pvt. Bruce Anderson, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Lt. Col. Edward Hill.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Coqui frogs belong in Puerto Rico. Killing them is colonization.
To my five year old mind, Borikén, also known as Puerto Rico, was more than just an island in the Caribbean. It was the magical place where my Titi Evelyn and her husband George resided. In 2004, my parents took my brother and me on a trip to the island's southern coast, and Titi Evelyn made sure to educate our young minds on all things Boriqua. Throughout our vacation to the city of Ponce, I indulged in way too many quenepas and too much freshly made paella, and I was lulled to sleep by the chirps of tiny frogs. To me, it was a place of love, history and most importantly, coquis. In May, a tourist on Reddit expressed that he overheard a couple talking about buying an insect repellant to get rid of these precious endangered frogs while he was in Puerto Rico. He wanted to know where he could do the same. As expected, locals and descendants of La Isla del Encanto erupted on social media at the thought of harming these frogs that are no bigger than a bottle cap. It seems like a minor thing, but this discussion about protecting the island's coquis shines a light on the issue of outsiders continuing to try and mute or control Puerto Rico. More: Everyone's vacationing in Puerto Rico. Can the island handle it? Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory on December 10, 1898, after the end of the Spanish-American war. Oddly enough, although it is a U.S. territory and its residents are considered Americans, Puerto Ricans are still treated like second class citizens, without many of the rights of those on the mainland. Residents who reside on the island cannot vote in presidential elections. The government can also, at any time, exclude or limit Puerto Ricans from access to federally funded programs such as Medicare, Supplemental Security Income and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Since its occupation, many natives and allies have fought for the right of Puerto Rico to be an independent country. But as with many American movements, specifically those pertaining to indigenous and minority populations, a law was passed to criminalize those who fought. In 1948, the passage of La Ley de la Mordaza, or Law 53, made it illegal to display or own the Puerto Rican flag, sing patriotic songs or discuss independence. The light blue Puerto Rican flag associated with an independent Puerto Rico was created when the island was under Spanish colonial rule. However, the dark blue flag that is commonly used today was adopted in 1952 and is used by the federal government. Law 53 was repealed in 1953, and pushes for freedom have continued since then. Most notably, in 1974, political activist and author Angela Davis joined other Black leaders at Madison Square Garden in New York City to speak at the Puerto Rican Independence Rally. Opinion: Trump's deportations emboldened GOP. But they're going after kids, not criminals 'Imperialism says Puerto Rico is a small country, and it needs the United States — it doesn't have the wherewithal to support itself without the United States,' she said. 'They said the same thing about another small island — I'm talking about Cuba.' The current presidential administration has continuously attempted to mock Puerto Rico and its resilient people. In 2017, when Hurricane Maria decimated areas of the island and resulted in the death of nearly 3,000 people, President Donald Trump responded by withholding approximately $20 billion in hurricane relief funds. Miles Taylor, Trump's former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, told MSNBC that in 2018, the President wanted to 'swap Greenland for Puerto Rico because Puerto Rico was dirty and the people were poor." Later, during a rally for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe joked, 'there's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it's called Puerto Rico.' Opinion: 'Kill Tony's' Puerto Rico joke was the real garbage Fast forward to today, and many non-Puerto Ricans, including YouTube influencer Logan Paul, have been leveraging Act 60 to buy property on the island. In a YouTube video released in February 2021, Paul expressed that one of the main reasons for his move was to take advantage of this tax break offered specifically to non-citizens. "It's getting crazy here in California, paying taxes,' he said. 'In Puerto Rico, you're motivated to do more and make more money because of the implications that come with it.' But there's a problem. Influencers like Paul are driving up housing costs, which, in turn, forces natives out of their home. As a result, they are aiding in the destruction of the country's very soul, just for their comfortability. In an interview with Time Magazine, rapper Bad Bunny, one of the most famous Boriquas, addressed the issues the island continues to face at the hands of foreigners. 'Politically and historically, they know nothing about Puerto Rico, nor are they interested in knowing,' he said. 'Tourists come here to enjoy the beautiful places, and then they leave and they don't have to deal with the problems that Puerto Ricans have to deal with day-to-day.' In 'Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii', a song from his latest album, 'DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS', the artist spoke to Puerto Rican natives' fear of American statehood. They don't want the United States to strip the country of its unique culture and traditions, as it did with Hawaii. History shows there is reason to worry. The U.S. government has long tried to force territories and states to assimilate. In Hawaii, the native language was banned from school instruction in 1896 and was only recognized as one of two official languages nearly 80 years later, in 1978. Puerto Rico and its people have continued to fight, yet a new round of visitors are attempting to mute them on their own soil. Colonization can come in many forms, and killing a protected animal in an attempt to mute the soundtrack of a country is one of them. Artists, activists and historians such as Djali Brown-Cepeda, who founded a digital archive called Nueva Yorkinos, are doing the work of educating the masses on the cultures and people of the island. But it's up to all of us to listen. The Puerto Rico I love is rapidly changing, but the presence of those tiny green and brown frogs remains. They were here before us, and maybe, one day, we'll be blessed with hearing them serenade us in a free Borikén. My Titi Evelyn passed before seeing a free Puerto Rico, but hopefully my generation will be able to say they did. Gabrielle Chenault covers Williamson County for The Tennessean. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism with a minor in political science from Hampton University and a master's degree in race/social justice reporting from the University of Southern California. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Killing Puerto Rican coqui frogs reinforces colonization | Opinion
NZ Herald
11-06-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Wreck with $35b of treasure ‘confirmed' as Spanish galleon, says researchers
Gold and silver coins, pearls and gems, claimed to be worth as much as $35 billion in current prices, were aboard the San Jose. Coins found on the wreck are under investigation in Colombia. Photo / ARC-DIMAR via Antiquity The ship's sinking dented the Spanish effort in the war, which ended with Britain gaining Gibraltar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Academics in Colombia now claim to have confirmed that the wreck found in 2015 is the San Jose. Using underwater drones, they photographed cargo scattered on and around the wreckage. Analysis of the images found silver coins, minted in 1707 with the hallmarks of the mint at Lima, Peru, among the debris. Other finds included Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and inscriptions on cannons that dated to 1665. The finds suggest the wreckage is of a ship that sank in the early 18th century. 'This body of evidence substantiates the identification of the wreck as the San Jose galleon, a hypothesis that has been put forward since its initial discovery in 2015,' the academics said. Analysis of images found silver coins among the wreckage. Photo / ARC-DIMAR via Antiquity. 'The finding of cobs [Spanish-American dollars] created in 1707 at the Lima Mint points to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century. The San Jose Galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics. 'This find presents a rare opportunity to explore an underwater archaeological site and deepen our understanding of colonial maritime trade and routes.' The analysis will likely deepen a battle over the legal ownership of the wreckage. Claims have been made by Colombia, Spain, Peru, indigenous communities in the area, descendants of miners who dug up the treasure, and Glocca Morra, the treasure-hunting firm, which says it found the wreck as far back as 1981. Glocca Morra's new owners, Sea Search Armada, insist that the galleon was found within a mile or two of the co-ordinates of its 1981 discovery. The company, which is claiming almost $18b, is also challenging a 2020 law that deemed everything on the ship was Colombian Government property. The researchers added: 'Coins are crucial artefacts for dating and understanding material culture, particularly in shipwreck contexts. 'Hand-struck, irregularly shaped coins – known as cobs in English and macuquinas in Spanish – served as the primary currency in the Americas for more than two centuries.' An 8-escudos cob of 1707, based on high-resolution in situ photographs from the 2022 archaeological campaign. Photo / Antiquity The findings follow previous carbon-dating analysis of the wreckage that indicated it was approximately 300 years old. The ship's cargo will not be recovered from the seafloor until the wreckage is 'fully characterised' using 'non-invasive surveys'. With the galleon lying several hundred metres below the surface, it is too deep for human exploration. The study is published in the journal Antiquity.
