Former Ecuadorian President León Febres-Cordero’s Life to Receive Biopic Treatment

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Former Ecuadorian President ’s colorful life is headed to the big screen.

The late Ecuadorian politician, who served as president of Ecuador, will be the focus of a feature biopic by his grandson, producer James Leon of 8th Gear Entertainment.

Ted Field will produce the film alongside Leon, with writer-director Fernando Guzzoni signed on to pen the screenplay.

President Febres-Cordero’s daughter, Maria Liliana Febres – Cordero, will serve as Executive Producer.

The Spanish-language movie will be shot entirely in Ecuador, with principal photography slated to begin in spring 2024.

The film will reportedly follow a similar narrative to historical biopics like Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour and Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech by telling the story of a political figure through the effect their decisions have on themselves and their family.

Liliana, one of Febres-Cordero’s daughters, will feature at the center of the story and voice the contents of her father’s diaries in the movie.

Acclaimed by some and criticized by others, Febres-Cordero was one of the most recognized Latin American political figures of the 80s.

He was President from 1984 to 1988, during which he was known to openly carry a pistol. During his time in office, Febres-Cordero took a hard stance against corruption and organized crime in Ecuador. He made international headlines in 1987 when he was kidnapped by Ecuadorean air force commandos during an official visit to an air base.

Confounding political norms, Febres-Cordero, a right-leaning figure and close friend of Ronald Reagan, was the first President of a non-communist or socialist country to visit Fidel Castro’s Cuba following the revolution.

“Our goal of this film is to inspire Latin people as many Latin countries are dealing with difficult times whether it be in relation to their politics, narcos politics, or corruption,” Leon said. “We intend for this story to inspire young generations to make the right choices for a better future.”

Guzzoni is a Chilean film filmmaker best known for his feature Blanquita, co-produced by Netflix, which premiered in the official competition of the Venice Film Festival. Guzzoni also wrote and directed Jesús, which played Toronto and was in the Official Competition at San Sebastián.

Jimmy Humilde & Rancho Humilde Executives Discuss Latino Politics with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jimmy Humilde goes to Washington…

Earlier this month, the Mexican American music executive, the CEO of Rancho Humilde and executives at the indie label traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

Joined by the label’s co-founding partners José Becerra and Roque Venegas, the meeting, requested by Humilde, focused on discussing key issues that affect the Latino community in the U.S., like a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country.

The last time the U.S. immigration system was meaningfully reformed was in 1986, when then President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Additionally, Humilde expressed his “desire for U.S. consulates and embassies to create panel discussions and educational programs that enable the discovery of hidden talents that can be developed in the U.S. market,” according to a press release. The label executives also met at the White House with President Joe Biden’s senior advisory team to “assess possible ways for the Latin community to participate more in important voting processes at the national level.”

While the discussions in Washington have yet to lead to any sort of reform or the introduction of any new policies, Humilde and his L.A.-based team have been active on a local level.

Most recently, Rancho Humilde and its artist Fuerza Regida made a joint donation of $20,000 to the organization Inclusive Action for the City, whose work is promoting the legalization of street vending.

“Street vending should be recognized in the city as an honest trade,” Humilde said in a statement. “It is not only a source of job creation, but it’s also a sector that boosts consumption in the city. I understand their hardships and concern, because at one point it was there where I found my living and that of my family.”

In February, Humilde hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Producers chart (dated Feb. 4) for the first time, thanks to nine production credits on the Hot Latin Songs survey.

Rancho Humilde, whose roster includes artists link Ivonne Galáz, Junior H and Fuerza Regida, finished at No. 4 on Billboard’s 2022 year-end Hot Latin Songs Labels recap.

Roberto Durán to Be Featured in Showtime’s Docuseries “The Kings”

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Durán is returning to the limelight…

The 69-year-old Panamanian former professional boxer, known as “Manos de Piedra,” will be among four high-impact boxers featured in the Showtime docuseries The Kings.

In addition to Durán, who held world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, the docuseries will also feature Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns.

The first of the show’s four episodes will premiere on Sunday, June 6, at 8:00 pm ET/PT on linear and streaming, the ViacomCBS premium network announced.

Nicknamed the Four Kings during their remarkable, overlapping careers, the quartet contested nine championship fights among them from 1980 to 1989. Their distinct styles and vivid personalities helped spark a renaissance in the sport of boxing, which had endured a downturn after Muhammad Ali’s storybook run concluded.

The backdrop of the series is the 1980s, a go-go decade marked by pronounced socioeconomic and political upheaval in the U.S. as President Ronald Reagan left his mark.

Hagler died last month at age 66.

“These four men defined an era in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, president of Showtime Sports, in a press release. “Their individual stories, forever linked by the spectacular battles they waged, reflect a tumultuous period in American culture and history. The Kings takes the viewer beyond the glorious action of some of history’s most memorable prizefights to illuminate each man’s dramatic journey and the societal context that made them stars of sports and popular culture.”

Leonard’s first fight with Durán came in 1980 and kicked off years of tightly contested battles in the ring and surging global popularity outside of it. The four boxers, joined in the latter years of the 1980s by the up-and-coming Mike Tyson, became some of the biggest names in sports and popular culture.

The Boxing Writers Association of America voted each of the four Fighter of the Year every year but one from 1979 to 1985. The Ring magazine named three of their title bouts Fight of the Year and picked Round 1 of Hagler-Hearns as Round of the Year.

The show is premiering during a year that marks the 45th anniversary of Leonard’s Olympic gold medal win and the 40th anniversary of a high point for the Four Kings: Leonard vs. Hearns.

The Kings is produced by Box To Box Film in association with Ingenious Media.

National Geographic to Premiere “Blood on the Wall,” About the Migrant Crisis in Mexico, in September

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

National Geographic is shining a spotlight on the migrant crisis in Mexico.

The network will premiere Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested’s new feature documentary Blood on the Wall on September 30.

The project is a deep dive into the migrant crisis in Mexico, looking at the caravans coming through the country en route to the U.S. border, and how it has been exacerbated by drug trafficking and political corruption.

“The issues Mexico faces right now are layered and complex and ultimately intertwined with how the U.S. has approached foreign policy and immigration since the [Ronald] Reagan era,” Junger said in a statement. “The history and the future of the country and its inhabitants is so bound up in the larger forces at work in the region, it’s vital to look at them holistically. We’re reaching a juncture in this election year when understanding the socio-political landscape of our neighbors is incredibly important for people before going into a voting booth.”

The project follows a caravan of migrants as they travel from Honduras.

Quested said, “Systemic change is top of mind for a lot of people right now and that conversation needs to include U.S. foreign policies that only enhance the inequities across our southern border, allowing ruthless leaders and cartels to take advantage of people for their personal gain.”

Hulu to Premiere Season 3 of Alexis Bledel’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” in June

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Alexis Bledelwill have a lot to Talecome June…

Hulu has announced plans to premiere season three of the 37-year-old half-Argentinian American actress’s series The Handmaid’s Tale on Wednesday, June 5, with three new episodes, and subsequent installments released every Wednesday.

Alexis Bledel, Hulu, The Handmaid’s Tale

“We wanted to give the show as much time as possible to maintain the quality,” Hulu SVP of Originals Craig Erwichsaid about the decision to delay Handmaid’s Season 3 premiere. He added that he has seen the first two episodes of the upcoming season, and they are “spectacular”.

The 13-episode third season of the drama series will follow June’s resistance to the dystopian regime of Gilead and her struggle to strike back against overwhelming odds.

Viewers can expect to see startling reunions, betrayals, and a journey to the terrifying heart of Gilead that will force all characters to take a stand, guided by one defiant prayer: “Blessed be the fight.”

A new teaser trailer for Season 3 debuted during Super Bowl LIII, and painted a bleak, fire-filled picture of Gilead. The trailer was similar in tone to Ronald Reagan’s jarring 1984 “It’s Morning in America” presidential campaign ad.

The Handmaid’s Tale comes to Hulu from MGM Televisionand is created, executive produced and written by Bruce Miller.

In addition to Bledel, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role on the show before becoming a regular cast member in season two, The Handmaid’s Tale stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley and Bradley Whitford.

Syfy Releases Trailer for María Gabriela de Faría’s Series “Deadly Class”

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

María Gabriela de Faría is head of the a killer class…

Syfy has released a new teaser trailer Deadly Class, starring the 26-year-old Venezuelan actress, singer, model, and dancer.

The punk fueled 1980-set series is based on Rick Remender and Wes Craig’s comic about a school for assassins.

In addition to de Faría, who will portray Maria Salazar, other cast members include Benedict Wong, Benjamin Wadsworth, Lana Condor, Luke Tennie and Liam James.

The Image Comics title about a Ronald Reagan Era academy called King’s Dominion and the introduction of homeless but cunning Marcus to the often-murderous teens who attend, the Vancouver-shot Deadly Class sees the Russo Brothers reunited with Doctor Strange and Infinity War vet Wong, who plays the ruthless school head Master Lin.

A slew of new characters from the comic have been added to the roster. Isaiah Lehtinen is set to play Shabnam, King’s Dominion’s resident bookworm as well as Brian Posehn as metalhead Dwight Shandy. Erica Cerra will step into the role of Beheading 101 teacher De Luca while French Stewart will play unpredictable psych teacher Scorpio Slasher. Rounding out the new additions are Olivia Cheng as the intense Master Gao, a 12th generation assassin who is considered royalty and has a special connection to Master Lin and Ice-T will make a special voiceover cameo during a wild trip the King’s Dominion crew takes.

Deadly Class hit the small screen on January 16 at 10:00 pm ET.

Perez & His Kansas City Royals Teammates Honored at the White House

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Salvador Perez…

The 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher and his Kansas City Royals teammates were honored by President Barack Obama as the 2015 World Series champions at the White House on Thursday.

Obama described the Royals as one of the “grittiest, most complete teams we’ve seen in a long time.”

The Royals last visited the White House in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan saluted their “never-say-die spirit” in the Rose Garden.

The 2015 team showed the same grit and determination. Six outs away from playoff elimination, the Royals scored seven runs to defeat the Houston Astros. They went on to win that series and to beat the Toronto Blue Jays and later the New York Mets. Obama noted that the Royals held the record for comeback wins in the playoffs.

Obama also acknowledged that it had been a long time between visits to the White House for Kansas City. “Let’s face it, it’s been a long road for Royals fans,” Obama said. “There were some dark years, some tough decades.”

But Obama said that began to change when general manager Dayton Moore was hired and the Royals started to develop talented players through their minor league system. Among them: outfielder Alex Gordon, infielders Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, and Perez at catcher.

Obama called each of the players by his nickname: “Gordo,” “Moose,” “Hos” and “Salvy.” But the president didn’t seem to find those too creative.

“We’re going to have to work on these,” Obama said.

“When the president calls you out, you definitely got to start thinking about something,” Hosmer said after the ceremony. “We’ve got some guys in the locker room, I’m sure they’re starting to bear down on that.”

Obama noted that his press secretary, Josh Earnest, is a big Royals fan, and that the Royals visit Thursday was right up there as far as his best days ever.

Manager Ned Yost, Hosmer and Perez interrupted the day’s press briefing to present the Kansas City, Missouri, native with a team jersey, an upgraded mug and an autographed World Series baseball. Yost said the team didn’t want Earnest to get into trouble “by him trying to hijack” the president’s jersey.

The team gave Obama a Royals jersey with the No. 44 in gold lettering, which nicely matched the ornate drapes in the White House East Room.

Cruz Defeats Frontrunner Donald Trump in the Iowa Republican Caucuses

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Ted Cruz is peaking at the right time…

The 45-year-old Cuban-American United States Senator and presidential hopeful won the Iowa Republican caucuses, in the first vote of the US presidential campaign.

Cruz bested frontrunner Donald Trump, raising questions about the billionaire’s reliance on his celebrity instead of traditional political organization.

Meanwhile, fellow Latino Marco Rubio‘s stronger-than-expected showing could mark him as the establishment’s best hope against a grassroots revolt in next week’s New Hampshire primary and beyond.

Cruz’s big win sets him up as a force to be reckoned with in the delegate-rich, Southern states to come and offers movement conservatives hope that one of their own can become the Republican nominee for the first time since Ronald Reagan.

“Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and the next President of the United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment,” Cruz said.

With about 99% of the GOP vote in, Cruz was ahead of Trump 28% to 24%. Rubio was at 23%.

“It is breathtaking to see what happens when so many Americans stand up and decide they’re fed up with what happens in Washington and they want something different. They want a leader they can trust, they want a leader that stands for them against the corruption of Washington,” Cruz told CNN.

Rubio will also leave Iowa with a leg up over other establishment rivals including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who have a lot at stake in New Hampshire.

“This is the moment they said would never happen. For months, they told us we had no chance,” a jubilant Rubio said. “They told me that I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line. But tonight here in Iowa, the people of this great state have sent a very clear message — after seven years of Barack Obama, we are not waiting any longer to take our country back.”

Peña Nieto Among the Eight Latinos Named to Time’s “100 Influential People” List

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

He’s been Mexico’s leader for less than five months, but Enrique Peña Nieto is already making his influence felt…

The 46-year-old Mexican politician, who officially became Mexico’s 57th president on December 1, 2012, is one of the eight Latino luminaries named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list.

Peña Nieto, who served as governor of the State of Mexico from 2005 to 2011, was heralded for his charisma and self-deprecating humor by former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.

“Since his narrow election victory, Peña Nieto’s stock has skyrocketed, with near unanimous praise from across Mexican society,” writes Richardson in his essay on the Mexican leader. “He signed a ‘Pact for Mexico’ in December with the two opposition parties and has enactedsignificant labor reforms. He’s proposed significant changes in the energy and telecommunications sectors, as well as improvements in the nation’s finances. At the Organization of American States, he has led the fight against countries like Ecuador that seek curbs on press freedoms.”

“The U.S. shouldn’t treat Peña Nieto like a patsy,” Richardson continues. “He combines [Ronald] Reagan’s charisma with [Barack] Obama’s intellect and [Bill] Clinton’s political skills. This is a leader to watch.”

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became pontiff last month after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, also made the list. Known as Pope Francis, the 76-year-old Bishop of Rome was lauded by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

“In his first official sermon, six days later, he continued to captivate us, as he encouraged us, Do not be afraid to love! Do not be afraid to be tender!,” writes Dolan. “The Cardinal sitting next to me remarked, ‘He talks like Jesus!’ To which I replied, ‘I think that’s his job description.’”

Meanwhile, Susana Martinez is one of only two Latinas to make the list. The 53-year-old New Mexico governor was honored by Karl Rove, the senior adviser to President George W. Bush.

“… in 2010, she was elected America’s first Latina governor and New Mexico’s first female governor,” writes Rove. “Though her state usually votes Democratic, that hasn’t stopped this Republican from working with a Democratic legislature to turn a structural deficit into a surplus, pass education reforms to rate each school’s performance, enact comprehensive tax reform and focus on a pro-growth jobs agenda.”

Other Latinos making the list include The Voice’s Christina Aguilera, Chicago pastor Wilfredo De Jesús, Brazilian chef Alex Atala, R&B singer Miguel and the first black president of Brazil’s Supreme Court Joaquim Barbosa.

Click here to see the complete list on honorees, who are divided into the following categories: Titans, Leaders, Artists, Pioneers and Icons.

Cruz Makes History in U.S. Senate Race in Texas

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Ted Cruz’s name will forever appear in history books in the Lone Star State…

The 41-year-old Cuban American GOP politician defeated Democratic challenger Paul Sadler on Tuesday night to become the first Latino to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.

Cruz, endorsed by the Tea Party Movement, earned a commanding victory over Sadler to win the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The Texas Secretary of State’s office shows Cruz won the race with 56.63 percent of the vote. Sadler had 40.45 percent, while Libertarian John Jay Myers had 2 percent and Green Party candidate had 0.86 percent.

In his victory speech, Cruz called for a return to the “common sense conservative principles” of Ronald Reagan and pledged to be a champion for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“It was morning in America,” when Reagan was elected president in 1980, Cruz told supporters, “and it can be again.”

He’ll be the second Latino Republican in the chamber, joining Florida’s Marco Rubio.

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