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The Guardian
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Literature has completely changed my life': footballer Héctor Bellerín's reading list
Héctor Bellerín's summer holidays look a little different from your typical footballer. Rather than pictures from a recent jaunt to Ibiza clubs such as Ushuaia or questionable birthday parties, his Instagram is dominated by books. Images of paperbacks he's read are all over his feed, a mix of classics and contemporary novels, with a majority from Spain and South America. Alana Portero's celebrated (and Pedro Almodóvar-approved) novels about queer life in 80s Madrid feature on his read pile, alongside the Mexican Juan Rulfo's classic surrealist novel Pedro Páramo, which inspired a young Gabriel García Márquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Federico García Lorca's Gypsy Ballads. Bellerín, who played for Arsenal for nine years before moving back to his native Spain with Real Betis, talks about literature's transformative power. 'Literature has become something that has – and I know it's a cliche – but to me, it has completely changed my life,' he said from a Betis training camp in Portugal. Bellerín's love of literature was sparked during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when the young full-back was isolating in his home in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He began reading the novels of Charles Bukowski while he was still playing for Arsenal. He made his way through Hollywood and Post Office, the American writer's autobiographical debut, which follows the life of the sardonic anti-hero Henry Chinaski. 'I was miserable in quarantine,' said Bellerín. 'I didn't know when football was going to come back. I was even drinking a lot … I had a bit of a tough time. Literature, I'm not gonna say made me survive, but it made my life way easier.' Some footballers might shy away from sharing their love of reading, especially in a climate when anything outside the football bubble is deemed a 'distraction', but Bellerín has made no secret of his interests beyond sport. He's flirted with fashion, and even started his own label. He loves photography, and believes passionately in the power of art to help with mental health. He has been a vocal advocate for sustainability in football, and in 2022 he criticised the lack of media coverage of conflicts in Palestine, Iraq and Yemen compared with Ukraine. Bellerín grew up in a house of books. His father had a passion for ancient Greece, which inspired Bellerín's first name. But between the ages of 19 and 26 he read mostly nonfiction (mirroring the habits of many young men). Reading was something he did to learn something, rather than for pleasure. 'When I read something, it had to have a purpose and then I realised it was the other way around,' he said. The work of the German-Swiss novelist Hermann Hesse followed Bukowski, but after making his way through 10 books, the Spaniard realised that he'd only read male writers and made a conscious decision to read more women. He moved on to The Vegetarian by the Nobel prize winner Han Kang, and Naomi Klein's Doppelganger, while cool, contemporary Spanish writers such as José Luis Sastre, Adrian Daine, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Carolina Yuste and the Granta young writer Cristina Morales dominate his book piles. Sergio C Fanjul, a culture writer at the Spanish daily El País, said the list showed Bellerín was 'closely attuned to the pulse of the publishing world', with writers such as Portero, Leila Guerriero, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Juan Tallon and Alejandro Zambra being some of the 'most critically acclaimed writers' of recent years. 'I think Bellerín is a reader who doesn't simply follow mainstream trends,' Fanjul added. On his Portuguese training trip he's brought a book of Leslie Jamison essays, Mary Karr's Art of Memoir, Sara Mesa's Cara de Pan, Simon Critchley's What We Think About When We Think About Football and Samanta Schweblin's Little Eyes, which the Guardian called 'ingenious'. The footballer gets recommendations from a writing group he attends every Tuesday night in Seville. Made up of students, doctors and engineers, the group has introduced him to the contemporary Spanish literary scene. 'We feed off each other, recommending books and movies. My taste has also changed, because the people I've got around me have great taste and give great recommendations, new names and new faces and new ways of writing.' There's only one book that's defeated him. He tried Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights in the original English before reverting to the Spanish translation, titled Cumbres Borrascosas. 'I couldn't get through that in English,' Bellerín confessed. 'I tried it, but couldn't.'
The Guardian
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Literature has completely changed my life': footballer Héctor Bellerín's reading list
Héctor Bellerín's summer holidays look a little different from your typical footballer. Rather than pictures from a recent jaunt to Ibiza clubs such as Ushuaia or questionable birthday parties, his Instagram is dominated by books. Images of paperbacks he's read are all over his feed, a mix of classics and contemporary novels, with a majority from Spain and South America. Alana Portero's celebrated (and Pedro Almodóvar-approved) novels about queer life in 80s Madrid feature on his read pile, alongside the Mexican Juan Rulfo's classic surrealist novel Pedro Páramo, which inspired a young Gabriel García Márquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Federico García Lorca's Gypsy Ballads. Bellerín, who played for Arsenal for nine years before moving back to his native Spain with Real Betis, talks about literature's transformative power. 'Literature has become something that has – and I know it's a cliche – but to me, it has completely changed my life,' he said from a Betis training camp in Portugal. Bellerín's love of literature was sparked during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when the young full-back was isolating in his home in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He began reading the novels of Charles Bukowski while he was still playing for Arsenal. He made his way through Hollywood and Post Office, the American writer's autobiographical debut, which follows the life of the sardonic anti-hero Henry Chinaski. 'I was miserable in quarantine,' said Bellerín. 'I didn't know when football was going to come back. I was even drinking a lot … I had a bit of a tough time. Literature, I'm not gonna say made me survive, but it made my life way easier.' Some footballers might shy away from sharing their love of reading, especially in a climate when anything outside the football bubble is deemed a 'distraction', but Bellerín has made no secret of his interests beyond sport. He's flirted with fashion, and even started his own label. He loves photography, and believes passionately in the power of art to help with mental health. He has been a vocal advocate for sustainability in football, and in 2022 he criticised the lack of media coverage of conflicts in Palestine, Iraq and Yemen compared with Ukraine. Bellerín grew up in a house of books. His father had a passion for ancient Greece, which inspired Bellerín's first name. But between the ages of 19 and 26 he read mostly nonfiction (mirroring the habits of many young men). Reading was something he did to learn something, rather than for pleasure. 'When I read something, it had to have a purpose and then I realised it was the other way around,' he said. The work of the German-Swiss novelist Hermann Hesse followed Bukowski, but after making his way through 10 books, the Spaniard realised that he'd only read male writers and made a conscious decision to read more women. He moved on to The Vegetarian by the Nobel prize winner Han Kang, and Naomi Klein's Doppelganger, while cool, contemporary Spanish writers such as José Luis Sastre, Adrian Daine, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Carolina Yuste and the Granta young writer Cristina Morales dominate his book piles. Sergio C Fanjul, a culture writer at the Spanish daily El País, said the list showed Bellerín was 'closely attuned to the pulse of the publishing world', with writers such as Portero, Leila Guerriero, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Juan Tallon and Alejandro Zambra being some of the 'most critically acclaimed writers' of recent years. 'I think Bellerín is a reader who doesn't simply follow mainstream trends,' Fanjul added. On his Portuguese training trip he's brought a book of Leslie Jamison essays, Mary Karr's Art of Memoir, Sara Mesa's Cara de Pan, Simon Critchley's What We Think About When We Think About Football and Samanta Schweblin's Little Eyes, which the Guardian called 'ingenious'. The footballer gets recommendations from a writing group he attends every Tuesday night in Seville. Made up of students, doctors and engineers, the group has introduced him to the contemporary Spanish literary scene. 'We feed off each other, recommending books and movies. My taste has also changed, because the people I've got around me have great taste and give great recommendations, new names and new faces and new ways of writing.' There's only one book that's defeated him. He tried Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights in the original English before reverting to the Spanish translation, titled Cumbres Borrascosas. 'I couldn't get through that in English,' Bellerín confessed. 'I tried it, but couldn't.'
Elle
05-06-2025
- Elle
Nina Garcia's Insider Guide Is Here—Sign Up Now
No matter where you are—from the Italian coastline to the Caribbean Islands or the historic cities of Peru—exploring the culture like a seasoned insider is always the way to go. As ELLE's editor-in-chief, Nina Garcia has loved getting to travel the world and collecting all the best local secrets. Now she wants to share them with you. Launching June 17, Nina Garcia's Insider Guide invites you to discover the best and the most stylish side of every travel destination, starting with a city close to her own heart: Cartagena, Colombia. 'Walking the streets, you get a familiar yet nostalgic feeling, as if you've entered the pages of a Gabriel García Márquez novel,' she writes. 'Even after many visits, there's always a sense of discovery.' With her guidance, you'll find the ultimate recommendations for wandering down bustling alleys, finding the most fashionable shops, securing a reservation for authentic food, and knowing where to show up without one, all like a true local. Sign up here to receive Nina Garcia's Insider Guide. Watch your inbox for a new installment of one-of-a-kind travel tips each month—and stay tuned for more ELLE newsletter updates.
Resala Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Resala Post
Delving into 'Vergando' The Heartbeat of Latin American Culture
In the vast, colorful, and passionately expressive landscape of Latin American culture, certain words and expressions emerge that do more than merely convey meaning — they embody identity, emotion, and heritage. One such word, rich with texture and regional resonance, is 'Vergando.' Though not commonly found in formal linguistic references or textbooks, 'Vergando' has, in various regions and cultural contexts, become an organic representation of transformation, endurance, and expressive defiance — values deeply embedded in Latin America's history and soul. To understand 'Vergando' is to embark on a journey into the nuanced heart of Latin American culture. It is to listen to the whispered folklore in rural villages, feel the resistance in street art and protest songs, and decode the soul of a continent that has long embraced both the beauty and pain of life with unflinching grace. This exploration will uncover the linguistic roots, cultural manifestations, artistic representations, and social significance of 'Vergando' — a term that, while elusive in formal dictionaries, pulses through Latin American life as a true cultural heartbeat. I. The Etymological Roots of 'Vergando' At first glance, 'Vergando' appears to be a gerund form of the Spanish verb 'vergar.' Traditionally, vergar means 'to bend' or 'to yield.' In Spanish grammar, the suffix -ando signifies an action in progress — thus, vergando translates literally to 'bending' or 'yielding.' But in the cultural context of Latin America, 'Vergando' has evolved into something more profound than a verb. It implies not just a physical act, but a philosophical and emotional posture — the way people, communities, and cultures bend without breaking, adapting to hardship while retaining spirit and dignity. This interpretation finds its roots not only in the Spanish language but also in the shared experiences of colonization, resistance, adaptation, and renewal that characterize Latin American history. II. Vergando as a Metaphor for Cultural Resilience Throughout centuries of upheaval — from European colonization to dictatorship, economic crises, and social inequality — Latin America has had to bend, often painfully, under the weight of external pressures. Yet it has not broken. In this way, 'Vergando' becomes a metaphor for the spirit of survival. Just as a tree in a storm bends to avoid snapping, Latin American societies have endured by adapting: preserving indigenous traditions under colonial rule, developing syncretic religions blending Catholic and native beliefs, and expressing dissent through coded artistic forms. This cultural elasticity, this creative and dignified yielding, is at the core of what it means to be 'vergando.' III. Artistic Representations of 'Vergando' 1. Literature In Latin American literature, themes of resistance and transformation — the essence of 'Vergando' — are omnipresent. Works like One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, or The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes, depict individuals and societies bending under the pressure of time, politics, and personal guilt. Poets like Pablo Neruda and César Vallejo write about pain and revolution with words that, though not explicitly saying 'vergando,' evoke its spirit: an aching resilience that refuses to surrender completely. 2. Music From the poignant ballads of Mercedes Sosa to the fiery salsa of Rubén Blades, Latin American music is suffused with the rhythms of 'Vergando.' Take Sosa's interpretation of 'Solo le pido a Dios' — a prayer of hope and resistance sung in the soft yet defiant voice of someone who has bent under grief but still sings. Reggaeton and hip-hop artists in urban Latin America also embody 'Vergando' in their lyrics, often narrating life in neighborhoods marred by violence or poverty, yet pulsing with pride and creativity. 3. Visual Arts The murals of Diego Rivera or the surreal pain of Frida Kahlo's paintings are vivid visual representations of 'Vergando.' They show bodies and communities that have endured oppression, disease, and heartbreak, yet persist through expression. Street art across Latin American cities — from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the alleys of Buenos Aires — is perhaps the most raw and immediate display of this concept. Each mural or graffiti tag is a declaration: 'We are here. We are enduring. We are creating.' IV. 'Vergando' in Ritual and Tradition The cultural rituals of Latin America, many inherited through generations, often embody the act of 'Vergando.' Consider: The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in Mexico: A celebration of life in the face of death, honoring ancestors with altars, marigolds, and skull-shaped candies. It's an annual act of remembering and bending grief into joy. Candomblé and Santería , Afro-Latin religions in Brazil and the Caribbean, which merge Catholic saints with African deities. These religions are literal examples of spiritual vergando , merging identities while preserving essence. Carnival, with its explosive costumes, dances, and masks, reflects communities yielding to the chaos of life through controlled release, honoring freedom through structure. V. The Role of Language: Code-Switching and Oral Histories In Latin America, language is fluid. Spanish and Portuguese dominate, but indigenous languages — Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní, Nahuatl, and others — persist, woven into everyday speech in rural and urban areas alike. This multilingual dynamic itself is an act of 'Vergando.' Communities adjust to dominant tongues for survival, but still whisper their truths in ancestral languages, refusing complete erasure. Oral storytelling, a powerful cultural practice in many regions, also embodies 'Vergando.' These stories are living, evolving — bent by time, adjusted for new audiences, but grounded in cultural truth. VI. Social Movements: Vergando as Strategy and Strength Social and political movements in Latin America often reflect the dynamic of 'Vergando.' Whether it's the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, feminist movements like Ni Una Menos , or indigenous land-rights protests in the Amazon, these movements demonstrate strategic flexibility in the face of oppressive systems. 'Vergando' here becomes tactical: adapting methods, using digital platforms for resistance, or embracing international solidarity while preserving local identity. Unlike brute confrontation, 'Vergando' allows for continuity. It is resilience without rigidity, activism with cultural intelligence. VII. Migration: Carrying 'Vergando' Across Borders Millions of Latin Americans have migrated — voluntarily or by necessity — carrying their culture across continents. In these diaspora communities, 'Vergando' is visible in the preservation of food, festivals, and language even while adapting to new homelands. Latino communities in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere create hybrid identities that reflect both yielding to new contexts and holding firm to old traditions. Children of migrants, often raised bilingually, may straddle identities, speaking Spanglish or Portuñol, eating tacos alongside burgers, celebrating Christmas with both Santa and El Niño Dios . This is 'Vergando' as survival and celebration. VIII. Modern Media and the Digital Vergando In the age of social media and globalization, 'Vergando' takes new forms. TikTok creators, YouTubers, and Instagram influencers across Latin America create content that blends global aesthetics with regional culture. From viral dances rooted in traditional forms to cooking videos that show abuelita's recipes with a modern twist, digital Latin America is 'vergando' before our eyes: absorbing trends, bending formats, but never losing soul. This generational evolution preserves cultural identity while allowing innovation — a perfect embodiment of modern 'Vergando.' IX. Critiques and Controversies: The Limits of Vergando While 'Vergando' is often framed positively as adaptability, it's worth noting that constant bending can come at a cost. There is a growing discourse among Latin American intellectuals and activists that resilience — when romanticized — can lead to exploitation. Some argue that societies shouldn't always have to adapt; systems must also change. For example, praising communities for 'making do' in poverty can overlook structural injustice. The question becomes: when does bending become enabling? How do we balance cultural endurance with demands for change? This tension, too, is part of 'Vergando' — a living, contested practice. Conclusion: The Legacy and Future of 'Vergando' 'Vergando' is not just a word; it is a worldview. It is the soft power of a culture that has endured — through invasion, slavery, revolution, and neoliberalism — and continues to dance, sing, protest, and create. It teaches us that there is strength in yielding when necessary, in adapting without losing oneself. It reminds us that culture is not static but alive, bending toward the future while rooted in the past. As Latin America continues to evolve — facing climate crises, political shifts, and technological disruption — the spirit of 'Vergando' will remain central. It will manifest in how stories are told, how traditions are preserved, and how new generations rise, rooted but not rigid. So next time you see a mural in Medellín, hear a protest song in Santiago, taste mole in Oaxaca, or watch a TikTok remixing cumbia and reggaeton — remember: you are witnessing 'Vergando.'
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
The world's most dangerous country for trade unionists
In July last year, Jesús Cometa was shot at as he was driving through the Cauca Valley in southwest on motorbikes pulled up alongside his car and sprayed it with bullets. Mr Cometa escaped uninjured but his bodyguard was hit."He still has a bullet lodged in his chest," he Cometa is one of thousands of trade unionists who have been attacked in recent years in Colombia which, by some measurements, is the most dangerous place in the world for organised Cauca Valley is home to the country's sugar industry, and he is a local representative of Sintrainagro, Colombia's largest agricultural trade union."When you take on these roles in the union, you lose your social life," Mr Cometa says. "You can't just go and hang out in a crowded bar, or on a street corner, because you never know when you might be targeted."Your family suffers too because they know that they're also targets." This is a problem with a long his ground-breaking novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Colombia's Nobel Prize-winning writer Gabriel García Márquez famously highlighted the massacre of workers on banana plantations in the country in the Labour Ministry says that since the early 1970s, well over 3,000 trade unionists have been murdered in even though the nation is more peaceful than it once was, the attacks continue."For many years now already, unfortunately, Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists and for trade union work," says Luc Triangle, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), a global umbrella organization based in year the ITUC publishes a survey of the atrocities carried out against trade unionists around the world. Its most recent edition covers the year to the end of March found that in those 12 months, 22 trade unionists were killed for their activism around the world. Eleven of them were murdered in Colombia."Generally, these are targeted murders," Mr Triangle says. "They know what they are doing. They know who they want to murder."It's not targeting the big bosses of the trade unions or the leaders. They are targeting in small villages people that are doing active trade union work."Between 2020 and 2023, we recorded 45 murders in Colombia. In 2022, 29 murders. It's less violent than it once was, but it's still very violent, certainly if you compare it with other countries." Why is this happening?Fabio Arias, the head of Colombia's largest trade union federation, the CUT, says it is all part of Colombia's long and complex civil conflict, which pitted left-wing rebel groups against right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and the Colombian state, and which still rumbles on in some parts of the country."The trade union movement has always been linked to the parties of the left and unfortunately the many right-wing governments we've had in Colombia have always claimed that anyone who is a leftist is a guerrilla, a terrorist," Mr Arias says."And once you've established that, then people feel justified in attacking them."He says the attacks on workers are also linked to Colombia's illegal economies, notably the cocaine trade and illegal mining."If you look at where these attacks are happening, it's in the departments of Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo, Arauca, Norte de Santander and Caquetá, because that's where the biggest coca plantations are, and where the illegal mining is." It is not clear who is carrying out these killings and who is ordering them. Some trade unionists blame the private sector, saying businesses, desperate to stifle any attempt by workers to organize, are paying armed groups to carry out these point to the fact that threats and attacks tend to spike at times when businesses and unions are in wage as many of the attacks go unpunished, it is difficult to know who exactly is to blame."In the Cauca Valley there are so many different armed groups you never really know who's behind the attacks, who's carrying them out, who's ordering them," says Zenón Escobar, another sugar cane worker and local representative of threats in the Cauca Valley are not limited to the sugar industry."In 2007, I was in a van, and guys drew up next to us on a motorbike and asked for me, and then opened fire," recalls Jimmy Núñez, the leader of a union that represents street traders in the regional capital Cali."My colleague who was sitting next to me was killed, and my wife was injured. In 2010 they attacked me again, on the road between Cauca and Cali."They opened fire on my car. In 2012 we were attacked in a shopping centre in Cali and one of us was killed. And in 2013 my family had to leave Cauca due to threats."In this country social leaders and trade union leaders are killed every day." The government says it is doing what it can to protect trade unionists. Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, heads a left-wing administration that is broadly sympathetic to the country's 2023, it took a step towards redressing the past by formally recognizing the trade union movement – collectively, and for the first time – as a victim of Colombia's conflict. That gives victims a greater chance of having their cases investigated."We consider this as an important step to recognize the violence against trade unionists in Colombia, which was not the case before," says Luc Triangle of the ITUC. He also says foreign companies with operations in Colombia must do more."If I were the CEO of a multinational, I would question my activities in Colombia," he says."There is a huge responsibility for multinational companies. They cannot have a nice code of conduct, and at the same time remain silent when trade unionists are killed."That's not acceptable. Global companies and foreign investors in Colombia must step up."Additional reporting by Immie Rhodes.
