the Argentine Navy carried out a challenging rescue tow for a Chilean supply vessel that had lost power off Livingston Island
the newly-established Maritime Rescue Coordination Center at Argentina's base on Dundee Island received a distress call from the Chilean supply vessel Betanzos
The Betanzos had lost propulsion and gone adrift north of Livingston Island
The Argentine Navy dispatched the icebreaker ARA Bahia Agradable to assist
and the Argentine vessel was on scene by the early hours of the next morning.
the Agradable approached Betanzos and rigged a tow
Agradable towed the smaller vessel for 130 nautical miles
passing icebergs in low visibility conditions
Betanzos was delivered safely to a sheltered anchorage in Discovery Bay
Greenwich Island; her 19 passengers were transferred to the Chilean base on King George Island
Agradable resumed her seasonal Antarctic patrol
part of Argentina's contribution to regional SAR duties and Antarctic base support.
Andrea joins the Audio team as an associate producer on “Matter of Opinion.” Read more in this note from Jordana Hochman
I’m delighted to share that we’re welcoming Andrea Betanzos to the Matter of Opinion team as an associate producer
She’ll help support the whole team to make sure that week in and week out we stay organized and prepared for each episode
Andrea was most recently an associate producer for “The Problem With Jon Stewart Podcast.” Prior to that
she was part of the inaugural team that developed Self magazine’s “Checking In” podcast and trained in audio production at the Transom Storytelling Workshop
Andrea worked with nonprofit organizations
Radio Ambulante and the Lower Eastside Girls Club
She is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a bachelor of fine arts in film and television
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Yoandri Betanzos achieved multiple successes in world competitions as a representative of the Cuban athletics team in triple jump
When Teddy Tamgho jumped 17.90 in the final of the World Indoor Championships in Doha 2010
Yoandri Betanzos tried to get back into a competition that he thought he had won
he thought he was the champion and the three jumps of the young Frenchman turned his plans upside down
With 17.69 he would have reigned in many previous events
He knew that it was his last chance to try to shake off that curse of finishing second or third
overwhelmed and half bewildered by the indoor world record of a lanky Frenchman trained by a Cuban named Iván Pedroso
took a few controlled breaths and got ready to run
he entrusted himself to those divine powers that always denied him the highest place on the podium
a cold January morning makes him remember that and other times
He still has that thorn in his side from Doha
But he also has the pride of being the triple jumper from the island with the most world medals wearing the Cuban national team jersey
despite so many limits that surround the history of Cuban athletics
Betanzos does not forget the times they tried to eliminate him
nor the lack of respect after he was no longer on the national team
Today he is a coach in India and aspires to become one of the best in the world
He still has a competitive craving and wants with all his might that Olympic medal that eluded him as an athlete
because his mother never stopped practicing athletics during her pregnancy
“She trained for nine months; she didn’t tell anyone
they took her to the hospital and there she gave birth
the doctor said that I had gotten inside a rib and that was why she did not miscarry,” he says
Although as a child he wanted to be a boxer like his father
the path to the king of sports was paved by chance
At the age of four he moved to Ciego de Ávila and at seven he tried his luck in the ring
while alternating with the activities of country life: hills
one of the competitors was missing and he asked me if I wanted to go
I said yes and it turns out that I won the provincial without knowing anything
I was asking how the competition was in each event
because my father was a coach at the EIDE sports school
but when I tried they told me that I had to leave athletics and then come back for boxing
he remembers a lot about the support of his father
who learned from the indiscipline of the past and tried to make his son always go down the right path
He also doesn’t forget the stages of the EIDE and ESPA sports schools
spaces where he had to grow and assimilate life in a totally different context than the one he was used to
I started in fourth grade and there were classrooms for up to twelve graders
At first I even cried when I had to be at school the whole week
because the older ones were always on top of the little ones
the EIDE in Ciego Ávila didn’t have many training conditions
I was training on a soccer field and my coach at the time
we covered it with some sand and sawdust and we jumped there
We had to walk a long way to get to a track with all those implements
the hurdles…more or less two kilometers carrying all that stuff; carry it and bring it back….”
I read that in the lower categories you broke a Sotomayor record…
What did you feel when they finally changed you to the triple jump
In the end I understood that it wasn’t where I should be
and that was even though I was better than Víctor Moya at that time
what happened was that coach Luis Alberto Pinillo told my teacher that there wasn’t much of a future for me because of my height
told Osmani how to train me in the triple jump and promised to take me to the national team
he would be linked to that discipline until the day he retired
motivated by a conversation he overheard between his father and Ricardo Ponce
who was conservative about Betanzos’ chances of beating athletes who had already been training for a year
The mere doubt offended him and he broke his barriers to defeat them all
in a youth competition he surpassed 16.80 and later he found himself training alongside legends such as Yoelbi Quesada
“In the national team the competition was tough
There was a time when Yoelbi took fifth place in a competition
but the one I looked up to the most was Yoelbi
I think I already knew that he was finishing and I was just breaking through
I also looked up to Urrutia and Yoel García a lot
One since I started as a kid and he taught me everything from the competitive attitude to how to make a girl fall in love with me
That is Osmani García; he was very important at that stage
and Ponce in what came after; we have always been together
I continued working with him even before I left for India
From Santo Domingo to Doha: years of medals and something more
Just when David Giralt was opening the way for himself
Betanzos was suspended for a year due to an indiscipline that he prefers not to reveal
the challenge was to win the gold medal at the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games
life smiled on me at the Pan American Games first and then at the World Championships in Paris
because the Achilles tendon was the one for the jump
fall and then take off again,” he recalls and affirms that he was an athlete who was never affected by pre-competition predictions
because it is based on things that happened or could happen: you can have 17.90; but tomorrow you have to repeat it with me there
What he remembers most about his first world medal in Paris is how motivated he was
And the fact is that human beings are often moved more by necessity than by dreams
Life is not one of those stories that always ends well
one of those films that when the credits roll
brings tears to the eyes of even the most robust being
when you started new and went on tour you earned ten dollars a day
so if you had a Pan American result you earned 20 or 25
When I won my gold in Santo Domingo I said: ‘Wow
I already have 20.’ That was what motivated me
because there was a lack of everything and it was necessary to help the family
When I went to the World Championships and won the silver
I thought: ‘I already have 30,’” he smiles
and although you want to see it in another way
there are very few who practice sport just for love.”
he lived through one of the most disappointing moments of his career
marked by a precedent that is swept under the carpets of the National Athletics Commission
In Athens 2004 he finished in fourth place
the closest he would get to an Olympic medal
not a speed jump with any of the triple jumpers
who for me is an animal: the guy had surgery on his tibia
he came back weighing about ninety-something kilos
he jumped fifteen meters in the Cuba Cup and out of respect they took him for the tour
He went down to 80 kilos and jumped 17.05; I never thought he would do that
In that competition I put my foot down wrong way and my ankle got a little sore
but the trainer who would take two of the three who would attend was going to the Olympic Games
because I had to recover and the president of the Nationals Institute of Sports
had advised that they should leave me alone
but they suggested that if I didn’t compete and the others jumped more than me
I jumped 17.18 and they took me out on a stretcher
I knew that I could only do one jump and not foul.”
although in the qualifying round in Athens he suffered again after marking 17.53 in the first attempt: “I was doing very well
doctor Álvarez Cambras said: “He can make a jump
he’ll jump the second if he has his feet on the ground and the third take him out
“In the first jump I fouled and inside me I thought that I had to score no matter what in the second
It wasn’t an attempt where I went all out; I had to make sure
I got a swollen ankle and in the last jump the Russian took the bronze from me by a centimeter
I went for the last opportunity; but I stayed at 17.24
but life…,” he says and remains in suspense for a few seconds that revive the thorn of Athens and an Olympic medal that he could have achieved
you got the bronze indoors in Budapest 2004
In which of these events did you see yourself closest to gold
there was Olsson with more than 17.80 and I really didn’t get there
I saw myself with more possibilities in Helsinki and in Moscow
I came and did a record jump; more than eighteen meters
I saw that I went over the mark and they gave me a foul
but those who were directing us were not into the competition
put it on the board and they took a good mark from me
There is a lot of talk and criticism about you for not winning a gold or an Olympic medal
but there is hardly any talk about the gold medals in the world finals in Monaco 2005 and Stuttgart 2006
where you beat the best jumpers in the world
but almost none of my results are taken into account
after the Central American gold in Cartagena 2006
Betanzos won the bronze in the Pan American Games in Rio
but a back injury kept him away from the activity completely
but there are things that only psychologists can solve
When they did the MRI and told me I had a grade 2 herniated disc
I couldn’t reach 16 meters and I could become disabled.”
I was thinking of retiring and in 2009 I said: “I’m going to start from scratch
that I’m nobody.” I did everything consciously
I didn’t do the technical part just for the sake of it
I incorporated new things; I didn’t do strengthening and I added it in the afternoons
I went with the idea of getting a world record
because I was in a fight with the commissioner and I needed to prove things
In the qualification I made two backward fouls
and in the last one I took off a meter from the board
but I was left behind; that’s the way the cookie crumbles
In several interviews you have spoken of cheating and moves that were made at the national team level
I don’t know if it’s because of their character
but they have to accept them because they are good
I was one of those who weren’t very popular
They always tried to overshadow me and even now
but of the Cuban triple jumpers I am the one with the most world medals
They have always wanted to minimize my results
There was a year that I had a very hard time
It was the time when Esteban Brises was the team manager
One way or another they always made me jump and win
In the preparation for the 2010 World Indoor Championships
Alexis Copello and I were in the process of elimination
if they are competing in the end.” There was an event and they told me that I had not been invited
I said: “Did they not invite me or did they not propose me
who has always gotten along very well with me and at that time was the manager
there is a competition right here in Spain
Sotomayor told me that I was going to England
I remember that I came second behind Christian Olsson
Afterwards I was in a call center calling home and next to me Sotomayor was talking to Brises
I don’t think it was something directly against me
Afterwards it was a bit more personal because I also positioned myself in favor of my coach
Something similar happened in the 2008 pre-Olympics: the last competition
there were three of us qualified for Beijing and after the last jump they held a competition at the Marrero stadium; Copello had not reached 17 meters all year
the other one had not either and there they were
My chance for the Games was given to Copello and Tosca’s was given to Héctor Dairon
They told me: “They are leaving for the Olympics
we will bring them back.” I thought: “Stop messing with me
where’s the money for that.” I don’t underestimate the quality of my colleagues; but they had not done it all year and on the last occasion they managed it
despite so many similar stories coming to light
Here in Cuba the national championship doesn’t define anything
if you don’t win or you’re among the top two or those who qualify to go to the competition
I understand that we don’t have enough population to do that
but at that time triple jump had six or seven athletes on par
The national championship had to define something
That’s why people said that the triple jumpers jumped well here and didn’t do the same in the main competition
If you spend the whole year eliminating yourself here
when you get to the event you’ve already given away your best jumps
At the World Indoor Championships in Doha in 2010
something similar to what happened in Athens happens to you…
But the competition is not won until it is over
the commissioner didn’t even congratulate me
We met at a barbershop and he made a joke: “Hey
Congratulate the man who is in a good mood,” and I said: “No
this is the fifth world medal I’ve won.” He didn’t even know
Where do you place yourself in the history of Cuban triple jump
I’m talking about those who did the whole race in Cuba
Yoel is a world indoor champion and Olympic silver medalist; Yoelbi has Olympic bronze and is also a world champion
but I am the one who has the most world medals competing only for Cuba
because for me he is among the two or three best in the world of all time
He did not jump more because they treated him badly and did not give him the importance they should have given him
Betanzos had the satisfaction of winning his third Pan American medal
and he attended his second Olympic Games in London
although not in the way he would have wished
His retirement was lurking in the form of rumors
fueled by decisions that went beyond his own wishes
I was on holiday and they didn’t tell me directly
‘Betanzos is going to be retired’ was the comment that was made
give me the opportunity to try and let me be the one to decide
It wasn’t feasible for the next Olympic cycle
“I found out through rumors and then they announced it
because the list of those who had been cut out reached my province
They call it retirement out of respect for the results one has had
I have not been given any retirement,” he said
as he had to face the challenges of a life outside of active sport
I was on the street; I had to produce and I could not be in sports all day
I took my car and worked as a taxi driver at night
How did the possibility of training in India come about
He told me that they were looking for a jumping coach: “Do you speak English?” he asked me
stayed in my shop and after about 15 days they sent me the ticket and presented me with the contract
My athletes already have good marks; although they still lack the psychological part of believing it
Physically and technically they are doing very well
Would you have liked to compete for another country
It is said that during your active days you got offers…
When you are a good athlete and you have results
people come up to you and talk to you a lot
But I am a very family-oriented person and at that time I couldn’t stand being away
you had to defect and there weren’t the possibilities for contracts that there are now
and even now I don’t see it as a possibility
What did you feel when you saw an Olympic final where the three medalists were Cuban
because really all three were made here and
it’s not that they were made there or anything
it’s a pride and they showed it: the Cuban school of triple jump is the best in the world
What aspects should Cuba improve in terms of procedures and conditions for talents
Jordan and Pichardo have another motivation from the economic point of view; they have peace of mind
In all places the bosses put pressure on you
Here if you do badly you don’t participate in competitions abroad anymore
You have to make the athletes feel relaxed
Let them compete as if they were in any competition
I was under more pressure in a competition here than outside
How can they throw me out like that after so many results
Even the bosses passed by and didn’t even look at you
One day I went to school and asked for it at the office
asked for gasoline and they gave it to him
I told him: “Did you see how the story goes
Just wait till you’re at the end so you can see.” Exactly
he went to get on a bus from a competition and they got him off
leave sport and dedicate myself to the business world
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The race for dominance of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry is redefining the global geopolitical order
Whoever can master this rapidly changing technology will have an unprecedented level of economic control
and will govern new employment on a vast scale
we are currently in the midst of the “fourth industrial revolution”
the Asia-Pacific region (especially China) and the European Union (EU)
each is following a different model for developing this technology
China is the country making the most investment in AI, with expected investments of over $38 billion by 2027
investment is primarily driven by the state
though there are also many private technological platforms in the sector
and this grants the state access to a huge field of experimentation: over 700 million internet users
Many US platforms are barred from the Chinese market
and the country boasts a much higher number of STEM (science
mathematics) graduates than other countries: almost 3.6 million in 2020
Trailing far behind, the only EU countries that feature in the top 10 countries by number of STEM graduates are France and Germany
In August 2023, the Chinese government issued a formal statement of “concern” in response to a US government order prohibiting investment in Chinese semiconductors and microelectronics
The US claims the limits were put in place are because these sectors play a key role in developing advanced military, intelligence, surveillance and computing capabilities. While the private sector is the driving force behind the current technological revolution in the US, a significant amount of research funding is provided by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
the US Department of Defense agency responsible for developing new military technologies
The largest companies in the AI sector are US-based
They have a virtual monopoly on the current development of the technology
and are global leaders in terms of stock market value
These macro-companies are beginning to have influence and impacts at state level. Microsoft has recently returned to the top of the global stock market after increasing its stock value by more than 50% in 12 months
becoming the first company to surpass the $3 trillion valuation
As of 13 February 2024
Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco is the only non-technology company in the top seven largest companies in the world
The hegemony of these large companies means they can attract talent, and they are expanding into other territories, especially European countries. However, last year’s HAI Artificial Intelligence Index Report shows a striking decline in their attractiveness: a noticeable drop in hiring international students in both the US and Canada
These big tech companies wield indisputable amounts power
They have access to massive amounts of data (protecting privacy and limiting data leakage with legislation is increasingly complex)
global political influence (not just in the US) and an unbeatable public image that allows them to lead innovation
These businesses dictate the direction of research and innovation worldwide
and they dominate cutting edge AI research
as well as the basic technology that is crucial in strengthening a country’s technological independence and sovereignty
this “frontier” research was led by academia
and it is here that Europe still has a relevant role to play
In Europe the situation is mixed, with strong state support in some member states, mainly France and Germany, and a significant number of startups, especially in the UK. However, none of the world’s top technology companies are European
and the continent also lacks the large entrepreneurial platforms of the US and China
In Europe there is a relative aversion to risk. Another significant factor is talent drain, as many European graduates move away for better opportunities. But Europe does have one major advantage, as it is home to a significant number of top 100 research insitutions – just as many as the US
This is mirrored in the ranking of the most prestigious universities in AI research, where the US leads and Europe follows closely behind, with only one Chinese institution in the top ten
In 2023, 51 notable AI models were developed by private industry
models developed in collaboration between the two sectors hit a record high
with 21 industry-academia collaborations recorded last year
One relevant factor here is the substantial increase in the economic cost of developing these models
which consume large amounts of both computing and energy resources
The training costs of Open AI’s state-of-the-art GPT-4 and Google’s Gemini Ultra models were estimated at $78 million and $191 million respectively
Figures like these are beyond the reach of most academic research
some claim the AI act will stifle innovation in the sector
AI is bringing with it a new wave of innovation
not only promoting new forms of technological entrepreneurship
but also new values such as sustainable computing
privacy by design in algorithms and technological sovereignty
all of which are present in the new EU regulations
Europe is pushing for the use of AI in climate action and building sustainability
and the development of AI with better data and greener algorithms to make it sustainable
Ethical courage could well be the path that to a strong EU position in the unstoppable technological revolution of the 21st century
This article was originally published in Spanish
Cover photo: Family members of Miguel Peralta demand an end to the political persecution against him
and freedom for the political prisoners of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón
Miguel Peralta’s freedom hangs in the balance
Peralta is one of thirty-five members of the community assembly of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón who have faced political persecution and/or imprisonment following violence in the Indigenous Mazatec municipality in 2014
a campaign of cacique repression and terror came to a head when the community assembly was attacked by an armed group as they gathered to elect a municipal authority in the town center
The ensuing violence left various people injured
one person was pronounced dead in uncertain circumstances
Thirty-five members of the community assembly were charged with different crimes related to that day’s events
The charges don’t correspond to those responsible for the violence
but rather signal out those who have actively participated in the community assembly
resisting cacique and political party influence
and fighting for autonomy and collective decision-making
eight members of the community assembly remain imprisoned in different prisons in the state of Oaxaca: Herminio Monfil
the majority of whom have been held for years without a sentence
thirteen active arrest warrants against members of the community assembly remain
who has already received a condemnatory sentence of fifty years in prison
As an active member of the community assembly
and a vocal opponent of the cacique-political party influence in Eloxochitlán
Miguel Peralta was swept up in the wave of repression following the events on December 14
nearly five months after the attack in December of 2014
He was held incommunicado for nearly 20 hours before eventually being booked in Tlaxiaco
Oaxaca on charges of homicide and attempted homicide
From Tlaxiaco he was transferred to the prison in Cuicatlán
after over three years in prison awaiting a verdict
Miguel Peralta was sentenced to fifty years
thirty for homicide and twenty for attempted homicide
The sentence was handed down by Judge Juan Leon Montiel of the Mixed District Court of Huautla de Jiménez
in what Miguel Peralta’s support group has argued to be a clear case of judicial corruption
He was the first of the thirty-five charged from Eloxochitlán to actually receive a condemnatory sentence
that fifty-year sentence was thrown out as Peralta was not afforded his right to be present at his final hearing
Miguel’s second final hearing was held on September 19
That day he released a statement launching a hunger strike demanding his freedom:
“Once again I use my body as a weapon of struggle against injustice
after growing calls from the streets for his release
Miguel was absolved of both charges and released from prison in Cuicatlán
He had spent just over four years and four months in prison
following an appeal from the accusing party
Peralta’s freedom was again revoked on March 4
and an arrest warrant issued for that same fifty-year sentence
His freedom was overturned in the Third Criminal Court
by the Magistrates Humberto Nicolás Vázquez
Sonia Luz Ireta Jiménez and Sofia Altamirano Rueda
his legal team filed an appeal to this latest resolution
the appeal was assigned to Judge Elizabeth Franco Cervantes in the First Collegiate Court of the State of Oaxaca
the judge has 90 business days to rule on the case
which puts the legal time frame to rule on the appeal sometime in the coming months
The case of Eloxochitlán and Miguel Peralta exemplifies the unmistakable links between local caciques
including Manuel Zepeda Cortés and his daughter Elisa Zepeda Lagunas
with the backing of the political party Convergence
Manuel Zepeda Cortés launched a campaign for municipal president
and making political alliances in order to capture power
Zepeda won the municipal presidency with a third of the votes
Zepeda refused the integration of the municipal government with the second and third place candidates
Manuel Zepeda carried out a campaign of repression against members of the community assembly
seeking to disarticulate the community organization which threatened his hold on power
Zepeda was also involved in the extraction of sand
and rocks from the local river to benefit his companies
he left an account of more than 20 million pesos missing from municipal coffers
Manuel Zepeda and his group occupied the municipal palace
running out the newly elected municipal president and establishing themselves in power in the community
Their principle intention was to avoid being held accountable for the disappearance of municipal funds
The occupation of the municipal palace led directly to the attack on December 14
Taking advantage of the political persecution against members of the community assembly
along with the disarticulation of the community fabric as a result of the repression
In a community election completely foreign to the traditional decision-making forms in the community
Zepeda was elected municipal president of Eloxochitlán in April of 2016
in a clear sign that her intention wasn’t to serve the community of Eloxochitlán
but to use the public position as a political trampoline
Zepeda postulated for state congress as local representative for the political party MORENA
Zepeda also served as President of the Permanent Commission of Justice of the State of Oaxaca
Elisa had relations with the District Attorney
with judges and magistrates of the State Judicial Power.” She was rubbing shoulders with the very same people who would overturn Miguel’s freedom not long afterwards
Following a loss in her reelection bid in June 2021
Zepeda had already established her position in the MORENA political party apparatus
She was appointed the Secretary of Women of the Salomón Jara government which took power in Oaxaca on December 1
Elisa Zepeda has flexed her political power and judicial connections to maintain the repression and persecution against members of the community assembly
The ongoing repression and persecution of members of the community assembly of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón exemplifies not only the corruption of certain public officials
but a more general hostility of the Mexican nation-state towards Indigenous communities
State power is able to disarticulate community organization
struggles for self-determination and territorial defense
caciques acquire the economic and political resources to dominate their communities and scale the structure of state power
all these forces intersect in the figure of Elisa Zepeda
the Support Group for the Freedom of Miguel Peralta launched a solidarity campaign
“Neither Condemned nor Persecuted: Actions for Freedom,” demanding the revocation of the fifty-year sentence against Miguel Peralta and a sentence of complete freedom
The campaign also seeks to draw attention and support to the eight remaining political prisoners of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón
along with other struggles against prisons and state repression both nationally and across the globe
Indigenous Yaqui political prisoner Fidencio Aldama released an audio statement from prison in Ciudad Obregón
Sonora expressing his solidarity with Miguel Peralta
who is spending fourteen years in prison for resisting the construction of a natural gas pipeline in Yaqui territory
makes the connection between his case and that of Miguel Peralta’s:
“In the face of this sentence and political persecution
I want to express my solidarity with my compañero Miguel Peralta
calling on everyone to resist this case of injustice
For the defense of our territories and self-determination
Through the intervention of those in power
those allied with money can carry out their objectives.”
Political prisoner support groups and independent media projects are organizing a collective radio transmission on June 3
with the intention of shining light on Miguel’s case
and articulating different cases of political repression and persecution
Miguel Peralta’s support group is calling for solidarity actions
Their message is clear: Revocation of the fifty-year sentence
Contact us: avispamidia@riseup.net
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The invitation was the best she had ever received
“Because my dad would not want me to be in the house.”
The request was from her neighbor in Mexico City
an older boy whom she befriended over American football
She had first noticed him in uniform and was curious to know what it was all about
He took the time to explain the game to her
and soon they would practice throwing the ball to each other several days a week
Betanzos’ family did not have a television
so her friend invited her over to watch her first game
That’s when she told him she could not go inside
“And so he opened the window,” Betanzos said
“And he put the TV in front of the window.”
The Green Bay Packers were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers
“And he said the Steelers have the best team these days,” Betanzos said
that’s the Packers.’ And I know nothing about the Packers
“But he left me the legacy of the Packers,” she said
Life did not provide an easy road for Betanzos
She fled to the United States for safe haven and wound up in Salt Lake City
helping her kids and the Green Bay Packers
she was no different from anyone who lived in Wisconsin
“I’m always going crazy when the Packers are playing,” she said
wanted to do something special for his mom a few Christmases back
She had never owned anything that represented her love for her team
So he told his wife Belinda he wanted to buy her a Packers’ jersey
Belinda Armendariz thought her husband was out-of-bounds
what woman doesn’t love jewelry?” she said
you can hear the tears on the other end of the phone
“I take care of it with everything I have,” she said
”She always dreamed about going,” said Belinda
“But she never actually thought it would become a reality.”
They decided they would drive to Wisconsin and take her to Lambeau Field
and a little coaxing to convince her to put her job aside for a week
you need a break,’” Belinda said of her conversation with her mother-in-law
The Lambeau Field Tour went about as expected
“I can’t describe my emotion because I’m going to start to cry,” said Betanzos
I don’t have anything else to do in this life.’”
“It was definitely a lot of energy and a bunch of adrenaline rush,” said Belinda
And it was just nice to see her enjoying the game in person with her son
because it’s like the only family she has here
And so it was just very heartwarming for me to see that
watching her and rooting on her team."
“It makes me emotional to see the happiness with my husband also
And just being able to provide that for her and help her and just see her happy
And so seeing the happiness in my husband’s eyes also just meant the world to me.”
“It was joy when I see (Aaron) Rodgers really close
I love the Packers and I never changed my mind.”
Story idea? You can reach Mike Woods at 920-246-6321 or at: michael.t.woods1@charter.com
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Katy Seven Lakes distance runner Ruben Rojas Betanzos has verbally committed to Syracuse University according to his instagram account.
Rojas Betanzos is one of Texas' most versatile middle-distance runners by running 1:53, 4:17, and 9:18.
He will compete in the UIL Region 3-6A cross country meet tomorrow to attempt to qualify for the state meet once again. He has a 15:06.37 PR from the 2020 cross country season and 14:45 on the track.
happy and fulfilled as a coach in India"Here in India we have all the conditions to develop a jumper; it is perfect," he says in this interview
Julita Osendi
Twice runner-up outdoor world championship
a fourth Olympic place and two-time winner of the final of the Grand Prix circuit mark the sporting history of an excellent representative of the Cuban triple jump school: the man from Avila Yoandris Betanzos
with big laughing and somewhat scared eyes
“the Beta” is in India transmitting his many knowledge
Here in India I have 13 students: four high jumpers
four long jumpers and five triple jumpers; Of the 13
there are three juniors and three girls as well
So far I have witnessed incredible progress; For example
Jeswin Aldrin set eight meters 42 centimeters national record
Everyone has improved but those are the ones who are at the forefront
I tell you that they did not exceed the barriers of 8 and 17 meters
which is a fundamental link to be able to work with less worry
and I tell you less because in Cuba there is my mother
but here we are fighting so that they are a little better
I am with my six-year-old daughter Sandy Loreyn and my wife Yania Aguirre
who won bronze in the World Taekwondo Championships held in Puebla
Do you feel as good as a coach as an athlete
especially because I can work without pressure and do the training I want
Nobody questions me why I do this or why I do that
they let me work and in the end if it goes wrong of course they call you to tell you
they are all national medalists and in addition to Jeswin Aldrin and Praveen Chithravel I have the junior world triple champion Selva Prabhu
who in June begins to compete internationally
I hope he substantially improves his 16.15
I feel as good as when I was an athlete because
although I am not an Olympic medalist or world champion
I still wonder and I always investigated the issue of why Yoandris Betanzos was not added to the roster of coaches of the national athletics team
I asked myself that same thing until I got tired of being second to none
emigrating never occurred to me; Now that I have left my youth behind
I am looking for my future outside the country
I saw how other colleagues arrived and in one year they were promoted to the national team..
told me that they were looking for a coach in the jumping area and here I am
willing to place my students on the podiums of the universe
So I don't have to thank INDER or my country for this, although it is true that I am the result of Cuban Triple School and I have a lot of knowledge acquired there
but I have also improved myself and I am in constant contact with the most advanced techniques
how does the current Central American record holder see the future
My dream is to be internationally recognized as a coach; I want to be among the best in the world
I imagine that everyone wants the same thing but I put a lot of effort into what I do and with tremendous modesty I am very good at it
Right now I have real possibilities of seeing my disciples on Olympic and world podiums; I have some magnificent athletes who follow me and trust me 120% and I'm sure I won't let them down
In India do you have what it takes to do a good workout
Here in India we have all the conditions to develop a jumper; it is perfect
then to my parents; then to my first coach Rafael Álvarez alias Papalote and Osmany García who was the one who taught me everything I know
who guided me from the age of 16; He has been a father and today we are united by a beautiful friendship
did you feel bad for not taking the gold or because you stayed on top
Since I was a child that was my characteristic
When I arrived at the National ESPA there were Aliácer Urrutia
who according to Ponce I couldn't beat because I was the newcomer; Well
how I felt when at the end of the competition I came out in silver because someone came and beat me on his last jump: I felt so bad
I was in several competitions where you had the gold in your pocket and it slipped away
At that World Cup in Doha I felt very bad because really with the record I did in the last five World Cups I was a gold medalist and you saw how things went
With my 17.69 I seemed invincible and the Frenchman Teddy Tamgho appeared with a world record
In Doha I experienced a contradictory feeling because I felt disappointed for not winning the scepter but happy to be on the podium because although 13 years have passed
you must remember that the national commission did not want to take me even though I won it
notice that you were the first to congratulate me and I am still waiting for the greeting from Esteban Brice
The situation of Cuban athletics is critical despite the fact that the pandemic paralyzed the world and Cuba was the country that was detained the longest
but despite that I am going to tell you something: it hurts me that in the triple jump right now we only have two jumpers
Lazarito Martínez and Christian Atanay Nápoles
remain from the last group of triple jumpers
They have all left and I am not talking to you about Pedro Pablo Pichardo
but about others like Jordan and Andy Díaz
who compete for Spain and Italy and Alexis Copello who does so for Azerbaijan
They strengthened the throwing area and the long jump to the detriment of the triple
The current talented generation looks to the future with optimism and part of it does so in other horizons; The thinking of young people is not what it used to be
Best Cuban and foreign triple jumpers in history
Pedro Pablo Pichardo and the British Jonathan Edwards; Then there are many very similar ones
It is also contradictory to see three Cubans on a podium and none of them representing Cuba; more than contradictory
It is a reality resulting from the chaotic situation that sport is experiencing
a faithful image of what is happening in the country
Graduated in Journalism from the University of Havana in 1977
announcer and director of more than 80 documentaries and special reports
Among my most relevant journalistic coverage are 6 Olympic Games
editores@cibercuba.com +1 786 3965 689
How a water quality expert and a journalist’s insistence changed the course of the Flint water crisis
Elin Betanzo is a life-long friend of Dr. Mona, author of “What the Eyes Don’t See,” and worked for the EPA during the Flint Water Crisis
Mona there was something wrong with the water
She is the founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC
a consulting firm working to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting. Betanzo details how she suspected Flint water was not safe in spite of government reassurances — and how she spoke up
Curt Guyette was among the first journalists covering the Flint Water Crisis was. In his conversation with Stephen Henderson he details his reporting
describing his time going door-to-door searching for the truth about Flint water.
WDET’s “Created Equal” Season 2 focuses on the Flint Water Crisis and the elected officials
and citizens who were on the ground from the beginning.
The podcast season is a companion to the book “What the Eyes Don’t See,” written by Flint pediatrician Dr
whose research showed Flint children had elevated lead levels in their blood after the switch.
WDET is a community service of Wayne State University
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Organisers of annual contest in Betanzos decree Spanish omelettes should be onion-free
One of Spain’s bitterest battles, a long-festering confrontation that predates the ugly international skirmishes over paella and even the rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona
The town council of Betanzos, the Galician municipality whose tortillas de patatas, or Spanish omelettes, are regularly hailed as the finest in the land, has spoken. And the message to those entering this year’s tortilla competition is simple: leave out the onions
The issue of whether cebollas belong in the emblematic fried dish runs like a faultline under the nation’s bar stools and dining tables
dividing families and communities and pitting concebollistas (with-onionists) against sincebollistas (without-onionists)
Authorities in the town claim they are only staying true to their roots with the competition rules. “We want to be faithful to the Betanzos tradition of potatoes, oil, egg and salt,” they told La Voz de Galicia
local bars taking part in tortilla week but not entering the annual contest are free to deploy onions
“That’s fine on the route but not in the competition,” the council said
“We brought it up with the bar owners and the vast majority of them were behind the idea.”
a local chef who has twice won the prize for Betanzos’s best tortilla
knows his onions – and when to leave them out
His recipe also triumphed in national tortilla competitions in 2011 and 2017
a sincebollista David against the concebollista Goliath
the cookbooks say a Spanish omelette’s ingredients are egg
Betanzos has become famous for its omelettes because of a local woman
who cooked them without onion more than a century ago.”
For García, who runs the Mesón O’Pote restaurant in the town
it is all something of a baseless controversy
“I think the council’s just trying to make Betanzos stand out by not including onion,” he said
“What makes our omelette different and delicious is having properly fried potatoes and really juicy
Unusually for a chef in a country that will ruthlessly defend its culinary traditions against Jamie Oliver and even the odd foreign ambassador
Sit down in his restaurant and ask for a bit of onion or chorizo in your tortilla and he will oblige
But the chef insists certain cooking methods must be respected
cutting and serving tortilla: the egg has to be really
really runny and the potato has to be perfectly golden – properly fried
It doesn’t really matter if it it’s got a bit of onion or chorizo in.”
García hasn’t taken part in the local competition for a few years now
since upgrading his bar to a proper restaurant
He thinks it’s time to look beyond the tortilla as a tapa and agree that a “majestic tortilla” should also be considered a proper table dish and afforded the same reverence and respect as a suckling pig from Segovia or a pot of Galicia’s eponymous broth
“Ask me if there’s anything more important in Betanzos right now than tortillas and I’ll tell you
A brief wander through its streets would confirm as much
“People in this town will talk in bars and shops about who’s the better player – Ronaldo or Messi
But they’ll also argue over which place does the best tortilla
Fry the potatoes well in the oil at 160-180C until golden
then mix with the gently beaten eggs and leave to sit for around three minutes
add salt to the unctuous egg and potato mixture
Add the mixture to the pan and turn it right down
then wait 10-15 seconds before turning for the third and final time
Turn off the pan and let the tortilla cook in the residual heat for 15-20 seconds
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In town in the province of A Coruña we can enjoy an unique gastronomy made with local products
If there is a gastronomic topic that raises special discussion
it is the one referring to the way to prepare the Spanish omelette (called tortilla in Spanish): thin or fat
well done or undercooked … A good place to think about all these questions is Betanzos
a town in the province of A Coruña famous for making the best preparations according to a traditional recipe: a juicy omelette
The success of the recipe lies in its simplicity
but it does not mean that the perfect “tortilla” (the Spanish word for omelette) is something easy to achieve
manage to find the perfect match of different ingredients
Near A Coruña (moving from A Coruña to Betanzos by car will take you less than half an hour), in this monumental and historical town we can enjoy a gastronomy characterized by the use of local products
vegetables such as cabbage and the wine from the land of Betanzos are an incentive for many travelers attracted by unique and high-quality gastronomic products
there is no tapas bar that does not include tortilla in its menu
a lot of tourists choose this place because they want to taste the products
“There is no table that does not ask for omelette”
owner and cook at the restaurant Casa Miranda
one of the keys to this famous omelette is to pay attention to the quality of the different ingredients: “We are very careful about the quality of the egg
I look for the best potato and I only use olive oil”
But the ingredients are not the only important thing: it is also necessary to pay attention to little details as the exact point of salt and the preparation of the potato
cutting it in small pieces and using a pan (not a deep fryer) for frying it
The key is to “spend a lot of time” cooking and working with personal involvement
“I suffer if it doesn’t come out the way I want”
who remembers that “when Casa Miranda started working 45 years ago
the omelette from Betanzos was not as well known as it is now
during the celebration of the Spanish Omelette Week
the village becomes a show-window in which you can discover and taste different preparations of this local specialty
Although the characteristics of the omelette from Betanzos make it a unique delicacy
each restaurant in the town has its own way of cooking it
“The truth is that the omelette from Betanzos it is juicy
says Pepa Miranda about the work of the different cookers
During the Spanish Omelette Week
which is celebrated during the month of October
Betanzos becomes a show-window in which to discover and taste the different preparations of the local specialty
The winner represents Betanzos in the spanish potato omelette contest and several years Betanzos has won the national competition
On the occasion of the local gastronomic event
different bars and restaurants compete to be the authors of the best omelette
a way to give visibility to the local star dish and
you have to work on maintaining quality” Pepa Miranda -whose tortilla has been awarded in 5 editions- says
The Spanish Omelette Week is not the only party protagonized by this delicatessen. Tortilla is also present in the main local celebrations, being a gastronomic product in high demand at popular parties such as San Roque. Declared National Tourist Interest Party
these festivities include the famous launching of the paper hot-air balloon and the fluvial pilgrimage of the caneiros
not only guards the secret of the best omelettes
Taking a tour of this land offers you the opportunity to discover other delicacies such as the mussel from the port of Lorbé
unique in the Rías Altas with rafts (called bateas) to produce this tasty mollusk
Another essential option to discover the flavors of this territory is to try the bread from Carral
the best companion for any of the different gastronomic specialties of the area
Its artisan production and its very fluffy crumb are its main hallmarks
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triple jumper Praveen Chithravel seems confident of not only qualifying for Paris Olympics but going a step further during the 27th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition here
“I don’t (want to) think about qualification when I do triple jump
17.22m is the qualification distance (for Paris Olympics)
I want my PB (Personal Best) - 17.37m,” says the 22-year-old Praveen after a training session on the eve of the opening day of the domestic competition
which begins on Sunday and ends on Wednesday in the capital of Odisha
is the first domestic competition in three years where Chopra
the Olympic and World Champion in men’s javelin throw
Ever since his name appeared in the entry list
there has been a certain level of excitement amongst the other athletes
“This is a good thing for all the Indian athletes
The whole of India is waiting for him,” he says
reveals that he always receives a text from Chopra after his events
and the same happened after he won his season-opener - the Indian Grand Prix I in Bengaluru on April 30 - with a jump of 17.12m
“He sent me congratulations and told me to keep going
READ | Don’t underestimate Kishore Jena, he was little nervous in Doha, says India chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair
Since the beginning of the Paris Olympics qualification cycle from July 1 last year
IGP-I is the first event where Praveen has crossed the 17m mark
If it wasn’t for his coach - Cuba’s two-time World silver medallist Yoandri Betanzos - he would not have even taken part there
“The plan was to start the season at the Federation Cup
the coach asked why I did not want to participate in the IGP-1 since I was in good condition
We were not fully prepared for the Grand Prix
he told me to ‘just go to the competition’ and I did
It was a last-minute decision,” says Praveen
who trains at Bellary’s JSW Inspire Institute of Sport
has worked a lot on the Indian’s physical and mental training and credits him for the National Record (17.37m) he set last year
he (Betanzos) has changed a lot of things - my running approach and the ‘jump’ phase
I went to Cuba and met a lot of Olympic medallists
Everyone he introduced me to was either an Olympic medallist or had a World Championship medal
That’s how I did 17.37m in Havana,” he says
READ | Federation Cup 2024: All eyes on Neeraj Chopra as athletes look for final push before Paris Olympics
at the same venue during the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships
Praveen qualified for the Hangzhou Asian Games in his second attempt
but he has already found an extra dose of motivation
his (Chopra’s) event and my event are around the same time (triple jump starts an hour earlier)
Hope we both will do well,” Praveen signs off
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Jorge Betanzos (Photo courtesy of Points of Light)
From the Pool to the Ocean: The Transition (Open Water Swimming)
Most swimmers have swum or will swim at least an off event throughout their careers
These off events could include trying out for open water
Sometimes it might turn out that transitioning to the ocean was not that bad of an idea
It is common that distance swimmers make this transition and take advantage of their renowned endurance. Mexican Olympian in London 2012 and distance swimmer, Arturo Perez-Vertti, swam his first open water race in 2010. However, it was not until a year after the Games when he swam his first elite open water race at the 2013 World Cup in Cozumel, Mexico.
A post shared by Arturo Perez Vertti F. Oly (@arturopvf)
open water and distance events such as the 800m or 1500m
go hand in hand,” said the two-time Pan-American open water swimmer
“In 2013 when I started focusing more on my open water training
I broke three Mexican national records in the 1500
Some of the top distance swimmers in the world have tried open water and have excelled in their performances as well. That is the case with Rio 2016 1500m gold medalist for Italy, Gregorio Paltrinieri
who surprised us last year in Gwangju by finishing sixth in the 10k
Swimmers might just want to try open water for the sake of the experience
different factors may influence a swimmer’s decision to give it a shot
When a coach sees you have potential in a specific event
Perez-Vertti says that his coach Bill Rose was the one who prepared and motivated him the most to stay on the sport
“At 13 my coach told me to try out an open water swim
and on my first take I made it on the junior Israel national team; I guess he was right.”
Although Perez-Vertti and Girloanta have transitioned to open water
there are times when athletes become full-time open water swimmers because of unexpected situations
Athletes face tougher challenges in open water swimming than in the pool when it comes to external forces. “When developing a training plan for an open water swimmer, coaches must consider that there are different sceneries―lakes, rivers, sea―and each of them has characteristics such as currents, water density and winds that affect performance,” said Christian Garcia, Mexico’s national open water team head coach at the 2019 FINA Marathon Swim World Series.
A post shared by Arturo Perez Vertti F. Oly (@arturopvf)
swimmers should be aware of marine life and kicks and hits when racing
“I was a little girl when I started and my two biggest fears were the sea animals and the physical contact the sport has,” said Girloanta
Another difference is the type of training
to develop great resistance in open water the work must emphasize aerobic capacity and progressively add mileage
“There should even be more changes in mileage planification depending on which event (5
or 25k) the swimmer is focusing on,” Garcia said
An open water competition is usually a circuit of a number of laps
and athletes swim around big buoys that indicate the path
they should practice orientation and combine side and front breathing for the same reason
“In the pool we swim in our lane looking at the line down the floor; in open water you can’t count on it to give you direction,” explains Perez-Vertti
you must take your head out front constantly to remain closer to the circuit
Transitioning to open water means facing adversity to another level for both the swimmer and the coach
Long hours of training and competition are typical in this discipline
“One of the challenges I’ve faced is to keep my athlete motivated and focused on his or her goal,” confesses coach Garcia
“Due to the characteristics of the program that tends to be long and tedious
the athletes experience boredom and psychological fatigue.”
they can achieve what was once thought impossible
Betanzos affirms that patience is key to develop a smooth transition from the pool to the ocean
“I don’t think transition is hard; you cannot expect great results right away.” In only four and a half years that Betanzos committed 100% to the sport
“It’s just perseverance and adaptation.”
Open water can teach swimmers a lot about physical and mental toughness
it also allows them to live a whole new experience
Here are a few recommendations from Perez-Vertti to all pool swimmers that might want to give it a try:
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Elin Betanzo is the founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC
a small consulting firm working to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting
Elin played a critical role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis by encouraging Dr
to conduct a study that discovered elevated lead levels in children living in Flint
Elin continues to work on lead and drinking water policy at federal
Elin has nearly 20 years of experience working on drinking water science
She worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water writing and implementing national drinking water regulations
the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission where she led water system master planning and hydraulic modeling
and for the Northeast-Midwest Institute leading their Safe Drinking Water Research and Policy Program
Elin holds a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Water Quality Management Certificate from Virginia Tech
She also has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Carnegie Mellon University
Elin is a Professional Engineer and a certified water system operator
Abalo Alonso Arquitectos was founded in 1997 in Santiago de Compostela by Elizabeth Abalo and Gonzalo Alonso
both graduates of the Higher Technical School of Architecture of the University of Navarra
the studio has developed projects in various fields
Among its most notable works is the headquarters of the University of Vigo in the Berbés neighbourhood
which has been selected to represent Spain at the 19th edition of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2025
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Benjamin Davis has been charged with capital murder in the death of of Victor Najera Betanzos
Police have arrested a man they say used Grindr to set up a robbery and eventual murder in Houston
Benjamin Davis, 29, was arrested Saturday and charged with the capital murder of Victor Najera Betanzos, according to local TV station KPRC
Harris County sheriff's officers say Davis admitted to meeting Betanzos ostensibly for sex but actually with the purpose of robbing him before strangling him to death with a scarf
Authorities say Davis downloaded the popular dating and hookup app after hearing it was useful in locating potential robbery victims
that it's pretty easy to get into people's homes on this app and rob them," Assistant Harris County District Attorney Chandler Raine said
Davis began chatting with Bentanzos on Grindr and eventually arranged to meet at the victim's residence in Houston
who also say Davis admitted to striking and knocking Bentanzos unconscious after entering the apartment and then using the scarf to strangle him to death
They say Davis told investigators he tried to destroy evidence by pouring bleach on the victim's body before stealing his iPhone
Deputies arrested Davis after finding him driving the victim's truck
Raine noted the danger of dating and hookup apps like Grindr
as they open the possibility of giving predators access to a person's home
He cautioned users to employ good judgment when arranging a date or hookup
"Really look at people before you allow them to come into your home," Raine warned
He had already served two years in prison for choking a family member in 2018
faces 23 years in prison after admitting he beat and fatally stabbed his New Brunswick roommate who
Fuentes pleaded guilty today in Superior Court in New Brunswick to a charge of aggravated manslaughter for the July 1
in their French Street apartment in New Brunswick
Assisted by a Spanish-speaking interpreter
Fuentes told Judge Michael Toto that he was sleeping in the apartment when he awoke to find Betanzos over him with his hand around Fuentes’ neck
"He was going to rape me," Fuentes said
was not wearing underpants and had knife in one hand
Fuentes admitted repeatedly striking Betanzos with an amplifier
and then taking the knife and stabbing Betanzos twice
Fuentes admitted that he could have escaped from the room after beating Betanzos with the amplifier
and that he never tired to get help for the wounded roommate
explained that Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Doug Herring will recommend a 23-year prison term at the sentencing
Aggravated manslaughter carries a maximum term of 30 years in jail
Oakley said he will request a 10-year sentence
Fuentes stated in court that he has no prior criminal record
Fuentes faces deportation to his native country of Mexico
He told Toto that he was here without proper documentation
• Middlesex grand jury indicts man in New Brunswick stabbing, beating death
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Benjamin Davis was charged with capital murder
killed and had his body doused in bleach by a man he met on Grindr
Victor Najera Betanzos was found dead in his apartment in Houston, Texas
Benjamin Davis, 29, was spotted driving Betanzos’ stolen truck on Saturday (20 February) and he was arrested by investigating officers, according to Click 2 Houston.
Davis told police that he joined Grindr after hearing that it was a good place to find people to rob
He struck up a conversation with Betanzos on the gay dating app
and the pair arranged to meet for sex at the victim’s apartment
Davis went to the apartment with the express intention of robbing his victim
he allegedly knocked Betanzos unconscious and used a scarf to strangle him
Davis allegedly doused the body in bleach in an effort to get rid of any evidence that could tie him to the crime scene
taking some of Betanzos’ possessions and stealing his truck
He previously served two years in prison in 2018 after he choked a family member
He is charged with capital murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond
that it’s pretty easy to get into people’s homes on this app and rob them,” said Chandler Raine
assistant district attorney for Harris County
Raine urged people to exercise caution when arranging hook-ups on dating apps
“Really look at people before you allow them to come into your home,” he said
a spokesperson from Grindr said the company is “saddened” to learn of Betanzos’ death
“Grindr is committed to supporting a safe and secure environment to help our community connect and thrive
and any account of violence is deeply troubling
“Grindr also encourages users to be careful when interacting with people they do not know, and to report improper or illegal behaviour either within the app or directly via email to [email protected].”
Betanzos’ death comes just four months after 17-year-old Damarian Degrate, from Waco, Texas, was charged with murder after he allegedly shot three men he met on Grindr
Degrate was alleged to have used the gay hook-up app to arrange three separate meetings with men in Waco
Degrate allegedly shot them — wounding two of them and killing one
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