Lead Photo: Members of the National Strike Committee are seen after the not successful meeting with the Colombian President, Ivan Duque Marquez at the Palace of Nariño in Bogota, Colombia on May 10, 2021. Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Members of the National Strike Committee are seen after the not successful meeting with the Colombian President, Ivan Duque Marquez at the Palace of Nariño in Bogota, Colombia on May 10, 2021. Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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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 FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech company’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use in children as young as 12 to 15. According to FDA officials, collected data showed that the vaccine was safe, and that the response to the vaccine was better than among 18- to 25-year-olds. This is the first vaccine to get authorization in ages younger than 16. [WaPo]
National Latinx civil rights groups say a large to-do list still awaits the Biden administration despite some “tangible benefits” to the community from its first 100 days. UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino advocacy group, praised the “direct-to-the-pocket provisions” to Latinos in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Janet Murguía, president of UnidosUS, said the group has begun what it calls a “Latino Inclusion Tracker,” essentially a report card that will be monitoring Biden’s fulfillment of campaign promises. The tracker will release a first installment Monday. [NBC]
On Monday (May 11), a meeting between Colombian protest leaders and President Ivan Duque ended with little signs of progress regarding the ongoing protests fueled by outrage at a now-canceled tax plan. Protests erupted on April 28 and more than 20 people have died. The demands of protesters now include action to tackle police brutality, as well as the withdrawal of a “long-debated health reform.” [Reuters]
As Cancún tourism remains strong and steadily increasing, surrounding cities have reinstated coronavirus restrictions in response to the recent rise in confirmed cases. According to Skyscanner, Cancún is often ranked as a top destination. The main airport, Cancún International, reported more than 692,000 passenger arrivals in March–a number that exceeds its March 2019 traffic by 5%. Last week, Gov. Carlos Joaquín said that in the municipality of Benito Juárez, where Cancún is located, cases increased 65%. [WaPo]
AOC recently shared a series of “day in the life” video clips about a vaccine event in New York. The videos intended to raise awareness of a “vaccine party bus” making its way through the Bronx. AOC explained the new mobile initiative aims to encourage on-site vaccination, emphasizing that vaccinations should be easy and accessible. [Independent]
