Las Notis is a daily news column that gets you up to speed on the political, media + other going ons in Latin America and the diaspora—all in one quick digest.
Here’s your glimpse at what’s going on today:
- The Democratic National Convention kicked off last night and included speeches from Bernie Sanders and Michelle Obama. The former First Lady spoke directly about Donal Trump, saying, “Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.” Donald Trump responded to the speech with a multi-part Twitter rant this morning.
- While Michelle Obama’s speech was one of the DNC’s highlights so far, some advocates took issue with the overall lack of Latino representation in the lineup. The three Latinos who have a primetime slot in the event include AOC, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. Julián Castro, a keynote speaker in 2012, will speak on a panel. [USA Today]
- According to a poll conducted by SOMOS US, UnidosUS, and Latino Decisions released just before the DNC, 66% of Latinos who are registered to vote said they will support Joe Biden’s campaign, compared to 24% who said they’d support Trump’s reelection. The same poll showed 70% of Latinos give Trump’s handling of the coronavirus low ratings. [NBC Latino]
- Brazil’s Vice President Hamilton Mourão defended the government’s management of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 100,000 in his country. He said the problem is due to a “lack of discipline” among Brazilians who have not adapted to social distancing measures. [BBC]
- Cuba has reintroduced the dollar into its economy to lessen the cash crisis brought on by the pandemic. For the first time in decades, Cubans with access to dollars can shop at specially designated stores that have products they can’t access elsewhere, all as part of a government effort to increase foreign currency and supply. [Guardian]
- Panama is slowly reopening businesses and places of worship for the first time in five months on Monday. Some restrictions still apply; hair salons and barbershops can operate by appointment only and at 50% of their capacity. Read more of our coverage here.
- Mexican climber Viridiana Álvarez Chávez broke a Guinness World Record for climbing three of the world’s highest mountains—Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga—in less than two years. She officially holds the title for “the fastest ascent of the top three highest mountains with supplementary oxygen (female),” and also became the first Latina to climb K2. [Mitu]
- On another peak, Jessie Reyez made history by singing both the U.S. and Canadian national anthems while kneeling on Toronto’s 553.3 meter CN Tower as part of the 2020 NBA playoffs. She wore a mask that honored the memory of Breonna Taylor. [Complex]