Jan 27th 2010 Tegucigalpa
In the capital Tegucigalpa, buses and private cars surround the stadium as political party members, congressmen, international delegates, and mayors enter to attend the inauguration of the recently declared president of Honduras, Porfirio Lobo Sosa.  Despite the high attendance close to 20,000, the stadium stands unfilled.  Outside on Boulevard Fuerza Armadas -passing under the bridges inscribed with political graffiti – over 200,000 Honduran teachers, small business owners, lawyers, youth, farmers, and many other employed and unemployed people march 5 kilometers across the city.  They are protesting what they see as corruption and an illegitimate government. The simultaneous [...]

In Porto Alegro (and 70 other cities in Brazil) the government has instated what is called Participative Budgets. Citizens decide how to spend the budget of received tax dollars under the title “New Investment.” In Porto Alegro this makes up about 13% of the total city budget and the citizens can use it for community projects they deem most important (education, sewer, recreation…etc). Holding assembly meetings (that often hold over 1,000 people), creating neighborhood delegations, and conducting discussions with city councils; the people of these cities propose an allocation…