South American
November 7th, 2011
Written by Laura Monroe in Feature Stories, Latest News with 1 Comment
When the Spanish first arrived in Venezuela in the late fifteenth century, indigenous people belonging to three main ethnolinguistic groups inhabited the region: the Cariban, Arawak, and Chibcha. Today, Venezuela is composed primarily of mestizos (mixed races), with a very small pure Indian population, a notable populace of Caucasians (mostly from Europe), as well as Africans. Through 1990, the...
October 28th, 2011
Written by Amy OLoughlin in "Sticky Wicket" Questions with 1 Comment
Dear Sticky Wicket,Why is there such a close relationship between Cuba and Venezuela? Is it because they are both under the rule of communist dictators?~Geopolitical Watcher from GeorgiaDear Geopolitical Watcher,Before answering, we must clarify the question. Cuba has been a totalitarian communist state since 1959 when Fidel Castro took power from Dictator Fulgencio Batista. Venezuela is a not a...
October 13th, 2011
Written by Wendy Innes in The Welcoming Table with 0 Comments
The cuisine of Venezuela could be called a lesson in migration and conquest. The country’s culinary influences include Europe, Africa, and the native Indian population, such as Pasticho, the Venezuelan form of Lasagna.Like many other places in the world, Venezuelan cuisine is regional, with the western region consuming goat, rabbit, cheeses, plantains with local tribal and Columbian influences....
October 5th, 2011
Written by Rita Rizzo in Setting It Straight with 0 Comments
As it is with most who achieve greatness, Simon Bolivar’s life was marked by soaring successes and heavy losses. According to biographer Scott S. Smith, Bolivar is one of the most powerful figures in the world’s political history, yet his name, barely known outside of the six nations he liberated, is still celebrated and beloved.After the deaths of his wealthy parents in childhood, an uncle...
