[evoz] Save the date: Cafe Simpatico - Sep 29
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- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
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presents
Cafe Simpatico
Friday, September 29, 2023
Paul Phillips Hall at Fernwood Community Association 1923 Fernwood Road Doors open at 7:00 PM: Program at 7:30 PM
Join us in September for the first Cafe of the fall season.
The Guatemalan Election
Samuel Perez de Leon teaches economics, development, and Global affairs at Pearson College. Dr. Perez will tell us how his 30 year-old son, Samuel Perez Alvarez co-founded the tiny Semilla (Seed) party, which unexpectedly gained a clear majority in the election runoff on August 28th. Bernardo Arevelo de Leon, the son of Guatemala’s first democratically President Juan Jose Arevelo, defeated former First Lady Sandra Torres, to become President. He is the son of Guatemala's first elected President, Juan Jose Arevelo, a social democrat. Semilla’s stated aim of fighting corruption has led to official harassment - police raided their offices, and a judge tried to knock them off
the ballot. The U.S. and European countries are concerned because Semilla won’t be officially inaugurated until January 2024. Anything can happen during these months because the country is run by what is known as
“The Pacto De Corruptos’ (Covenant of the corrupt.) The recent assassination of Ecuadorian Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was also campaigning against corruption... provides a cautionary tale for Guatemala.
Judy Jackson was the first woman Director/Producer to be hired by “The Fifth Estate.” Since that time she has made over 100 documentaries about human rights and social justice which have been broadcast by the CBC, CTV, TVO, Vision TV, and Knowledge in Canada; by the BBC,
ITV and Channel 4 in England; and on the Discovery Channel and A&E in the U.S. She has won
more than 60 international awards. Her documentaries have also led to change. For example: “They Shoot Children, Don’t They?” about policemen shooting street children in Guatemala City led to international outrage and the conviction and imprisonment of four policemen. (BBC)
“Stephen Lewis: The Man Who Couldn’t Sleep.” A Trilogy of films about his amazing work as HIV/AIDs envoy to Africa raised over $1million for ‘The Stephen Lewis Foundation” (CBC ‘The Nature of Things.” “War In The Mind” about a treatment program at UBC for soldiers returning from war with PTSD and suicidal thoughts, raised $11/2 million to treat more soldiers. (TVO and Knowledge) “Where Can We Live In Peace” has thus far raised $41,000 US for a sanctuary where migrants
who have lost limbs because of accidents when travelling through Mexico on freight trains can recover and refocus their lives. www.Judyfilms.com
Everyone is welcome! Refreshments including Fair Trade Nicaraguan coffee. Come see old friends, meet new people, and show your support for Latin America. Donations welcome.
Sponsored by Central America Support Committee (CASC)
www.victoriacasc.org https://www.facebook.com/vcasc/
