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Breaking Digital Barriers. The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is visiting the San Francisco Bay Area to hear from the public about the need for high-speed Internet access. Part of the FCC’s mission is to expand access to broadband Internet, which can provide great economic opportunities for Latinos and other communities. Currently, only about half of Latinos have broadband at home compared to 74 per cent of white Americans. This program focuses on initiatives and steps that the federal government is considering to ensure that every corner of the country can use affordable, high-speed internet. Guests: Catalina Sandoval, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission, Sacramento, CA, www.cpuc.ca.gov ; Alex Nogales, President and CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Los Angeles, CA, www.nhmc.org ; Steven Renderos, National Organizer, Center for media Justice, Oakland, CA, www.centerformediajustice.org

Mexico Edition. During the negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, immigration to the United States and the opening of the Mexican energy sector were largely left out of the discussions. However, 20 years later, and as a result of those NAFTA rules, the United States would play a role in the amendment of Mexico’s constitution to allow U.S. capital in the Mexican electricity and oil industries. According to some, the U.S. broke small agricultural producers in Mexico by invading the market with subsidized products, sparking in turn a wave of undocumented migration and Mexico’s growing food dependency. Martha Elena Ramírez hosts this Voz Pública edition from Mexico City. Guests: (Recordings) Laura Flores Patiño, member of the Larrouchista Movement, Mexico City, Sergio N., protester, Mexico City; Juan Martínez Pérez, member of National Regeneration Movement (Morena), Mexico City ; www.global- post.com , www .ase.tufts.edu/gdae

Few applying for Deferred Action. For more than a year now, eligible youth brought in to the country as undocumented children can apply for temporary protected status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. An expected 1.8 million so-called Dreamers could benefit from the executive order by President Obama. But so far, only a third of those young people have applied. Moreover, the number of applicants has plunged nationwide to a trickle. DACA benefits include the ability to work legally in the U.S., so why aren’t more Dreamers seizing this permit? Guests: Erika Andiola, Political Director, DRM Action Coalition, Mesa, AZ, http://drmactioncoalition.org/ ; Jesus Martínez-Saldaña, Central Valley DACA Coordinator, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Fresno, CA, www.ilrc.org

Latinos Voters in Los Angeles Shortchanged. Nearly half of Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents are Latino. Yet, Latino voters can only elect one out of five supervisors. Voting rights activists are upset and say the Justice department should intervene to correct this history of discrimination and ensure the majority of L.A. residents can count on democratic representation. In this program, we explore the issue with a trailblazer in law, and a journalist from the top U.S.-based Spanish language newspaper. Guests: Cruz Reynoso, Former California Supreme Court Judge, Professor of Law at the University of California Davis, Davis, California, http://www.law.ucdavis.edu ; Henrik Rehbinder, Editorial Page Editor, La Opinión, Los Angeles, CA, www.laopinion.com

Immigration Reform: Debating How. 2013 was not the year of immigration reform and the prospects are uncertain in the current session on Capitol Hill. Meantime, the debate continues within the advocacy community about what kind of immigration reform bill to unite around. Can a piecemeal approach be considered? Is the road to citizenship a must? Are provisions such as E-Verify and border militarization a poison pill? What would be possible to achieve in the current political climate of vitriol in Congress? Guests: Rocío Sáenz, International executive vice president, Service Employees International Union, Washington, DC, www.seiu.org ; Oscar Chacón, Executive director, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities – NALAAC, Chicago, IL, www.nalacc.org ; Lydia Camarillo, Vice president, South West Voter Registration and Education Project, San Antonio, TX, www.svrep.org

Hunger in the U.S. and More. In recent interviews, Rev. David Beckman comments on issues that most affect hungry and poor people in 2014. He calls on Congress to support bills that invest in good jobs, strengthen the safety net and protect programs such as Head Start, WIC and food stamps. Also, Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchu calls on President Obama to stop deportations that separate families and oppose racist laws. Finally, Dr. Nelson Valdés, a distinguished Cuban-American, comments about his letter to President Obama, urging him to break with the policies of the past and free the Cuban Five, the imprisoned Cuban intelligence agents who infiltrated Miami groups to uncover possible attacks against Cuba. Guests: (Recordings) Rev. David Beckman, President, Bread for the World, Washington, DC; www.bread.org ; Rigoberta Menchú, Nobel Peace Prize 1992, Guatemala; Dr. Nelson Valdés, Professor Emeritus, Sociology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, www.thecuban5.org

Mexico Edition. Did you know that Mexican rulers who surrendered half of the country’s territory to the United States in 1848, did not have the authority to do so? Author Juan José Mateos Santillán explains the history of the unbalanced relationship that Mexico and the United States hold since they gained independence. With an in-depth revision of treaties that have governed this tough neighborship, Mateo Santillán redefines the drug war and warns that Mexico might not be able to recover any oil resources delivered to foreign companies. Martha Elena Ramírez hosts this program Voz Pública from Mexico City . This is a repeated edition. Guest: Juan José Mateos Santillán , PhD in Constitutional and Administrative Law , Professor at the UNAM , author of "The historical rights of Mexico over U.S. territory " and " The war on drugs, geopolitics and fear. "

Arturo Sandoval: Presidential Medal of Freedom. Arturo Sandoval began learning how to play the trumpet at age 12, in a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba. Since then, Sandoval has become a living legend of jazz worldwide. He was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Days later, Sandoval learned that he also won a 10th Grammy for his latest album Un Siglo de Pasión. This is a conversation with the trumpeter, pianist and composer about his remarkable journey and music. Guest: Arturo Sandoval, Jazz musician, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Los Angeles, CA, http://www.arturosandoval.com

Poniatowska Wins Cervantes Prize. Mexican journalist and author Elena Poniatowska won the Cervantes Prize, the highest literary honor of the Spanish-speaking world. She became the first Mexican woman in receiving this prestigious award. Poniatowska, 81, is the author of “Massacre in Mexico,” “El Tren Pasa Primero,” and most recently “El Universo o Nada”, among many books. In this conversation, she speaks about her prize and her works. Guest: Elena Poniatowska, Journalist and writer, www.fundacionelenaponiatowska.org

Junot Díaz: “This Is How You Lose Her”. A Dominican-American writer, Junot Díaz talks in this interview in Oakland, CA, about his most recent bestseller “This Is How You Lose Her,” a collection of stories about relationships gone sour. He won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Guest: Junot Díaz, Writer, Professor of Creative Writing at Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, www.junotdiaz.com

Mexico Edition. Second Hour. This program features news commentary and listener opinions. Listeners express concern and impotence about the approval of the energy reform. Others believe the Mexican people are asleep at the wheel and uninformed by TV networks, as only in that way can they explain the indifference and passivity shown by the majority of society. Some participants also express their annoyance at Mexican rulers. Because of that, they say the ways of government must be changed and accurate information should be searched for in alternative media. Martha Elena Ramírez hosts Voz Pública from Mexico City.

Mexico Edition. First Hour. Although the energy reform was already enacted in Mexico, the opposition Obradorista movement will insist on repealing it because its implementation will impoverish Mexico even more, pointed Martí Batres, president of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena). This organization has announced that it will interpose a political trial against President Enrique Peña Nieto. Meanwhile, the center-left PRD insists on a national consultation on the measure, and others will ask the Supreme Court of Justice to annul the constitutional changes that allow the participation of foreign oil companies in the exploitation of Mexican oil. Martha Elena Ramírez hosts Voz Pública from Mexico City . Guests: (recorded interview) Martí Batres , president of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), Mexico DF, (recordings) PRD Senator Manuel Camacho Solís, Protesters in by the fence to the Senate : Octavio Uribe and Pedro.

Health Reform’s Coverage to Start. On January 1st, the health reform law takes full effect. Coverage under the health insurance marketplace will start and most everyone will be required to buy insurance coverage. Health insurance plans can’t refuse coverage because of pre-existing conditions, subsidies will make coverage more affordable, and Medicaid programs will expand to include more people. An expert analyzes these news and answers listener questions. Guests: Nancy Marisa Gómez, Southern California Program Director, Health Access, Los Angeles, CA,www.health-access.org ; Mayra Alvarez, Director of Public Health Policy, Office of Health Reform, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, www.hhs.gov/

Trío Los Panchos. En este dia de fiesta, celebre a sus seres queridos con música romántica de todos los tiempos. Integrantes del internacionalmente famoso Trío Los Panchos, tal vez los intérpretes mejor conocidos de la música de boleros románticos cantada por tríos, hablan sobre los inicios de este estilo musical único, sus temas más memorables, y el futuro del sonido del trío clásico. Esta es una repetición de programa. Invitados: Gabriel Vargas, Jaime Islas y Taurino Vargas, Trío Los Panchos, Oakland, CA.

Musician Mixes Alaska and Argentina Roots. Kevin Johansen was born in Alaska and lives in Argentina. He fuses these two poles of the continent in his music, which he describes as belonging to no genre in particular. In this special Holiday edition, Johansen talks about his new album Bi, and how his North-South identity impacts his music. Guest: Kevin Johansen, musician, Buenos Aires, Argentina, http://www.kevinjohansen.com