Venezuelans go to the polls on this month, and much of the world will be watching to see the outcome of the race between controversial incumbent President Hugo Chavez, and leading opposition candidate Manual Rosales. Independent producer Maria Martin of Graciasvida Productions was in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas recently and she prepared this sound essay.

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The communist island of Cuba is observing the 80th birthday of Fidel Castro on December 2nd. Actually, Castro turned 80 in August, but the official celebration was pushed back to allow the ailing leader to recuperate from serious health problems. But his birthday and recent health problems caught the attention of artist Daniel Edwards. Edwards may have raised more than a few cross-cultural eyebrows with his racy sculptures of Hillary Clinton, Britney Spears giving birth on a bearskin rug, and Suri Cruise’s first “bronzed baby poop.” But when the artist dubbed “shock sculptor extraordinaire” announced plans to unveil a gilded head of Castro in New York’s Central Park in November, it sent a shockwave from Miami’s airwaves---and literally, stopped the salsa. Latino USA’s Carole King reports.

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Many Latin American dancers have found their way into some of the most prestigious ballet companies in the United States. The Boston Ballet has more than twenty young and promising Latino dancers in the ranks. Reporter Ruxandra Guidi attended a recent performance and caught up with two of them.

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Commentator Rosa Maria Santana is a first generation Mexican-American. In this country, she’s used to being called “a Mexican.” When she was overseas recently, she was called “the American.” It was a stereotype that she didn’t really expect.

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