Thursday September 21, 2000, Lima, Peru

Riot police on standby across the street from the Presidential Palace

Riot police on standby across the street from the Presidential Palace, waiting for the afternoon protesters to begin their anti-government rallies, which have been getting louder every day.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

2003, Havana, Havana, Cuba

Compay Segundo, frontman of the Buena Vista Social Club

Compay Segundo, of the Buena Vista Social Club, enjoys a cigar. Cuban music legend and the charming frontman for the Buena Vista Social Club group, has died July 14, 2003, at the age of 95.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Saturday January 11, 2003, Saravena Military Base, Arauca, Colombia

US Special Forces in Colombia

The US Special Forces train Colombian soldiers to fight the rebel groups that control over half the country. The rebels extort hundreds of millions of dollars in oil royalties from the local government, they regularly bomb an oil pipeline (a joint venture between Occidental Petroleum and Colombia), they produce cocaine and heroin then sell the drugs for weapons. The US Green Berets have been ordered to Colombia to fight President Bush's global war on terrorism. The military base and the airport are right up against each other. The airport was attacked with "rampas" (homemade morters) last August. One soldier was killed.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

1999, Apurimac River Valley, Peru

Coca leaf harvest

A U.S. embassy officer is seen questioning a cocalero on the market prices he can obtain for his coca leaf harvest, part of which is seen here drying on the side of the road.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

2001, Pillado, Honduras

Drought causes corn field to dry

Celestino Salinas is planting sorghum in the fields where his crop of corn has dried up due to the drought that is affecting the area. The corn was planted in April and would normally be ready for harvesting at this time.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

2000, Holguin, Cuba

Raul Castro

The Commander in Chief of the Cuban Armed Forces, Raul Castro, gives a rare press conference.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Friday October 4, 2002, L'viv, Ukraine

Co-operative Adventure Exchange

At the Yavoriv (former Soviet Army) military training grounds, near L'viv, NATO troops participate in the Co-operative Adventure Exchange, a multi national training and war-gaming exercise. A Ukrainian peasant watches the opening ceremonies from afar.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Saturday June 17, 2000, El Tuma, Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Coffee grower that was recently jailed for non payment of debts

Don Concepcion Hernandez is a coffee grower that was recently jailed for non payment of debts. He and many other coffee growers have been hit by a worlwide depression of coffee prices. He is about to eat his lunch, two tomatos.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Matanzas, Cuba

Orange Harvest

Orange harvest.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

1994, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Armed Forces day

Generals Raoul Cedras and Phillippe Biambi exit the cathedral after celebrating a mass for Armed Forces day.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, L'viv, Ukraine

Co-operative Adventure Exchange

At the Yavoriv (former Soviet Army) military training grounds, near L'viv, NATO troops participate in the Co-operative Adventure Exchange, a multi national training and war-gaming exercise. Ukrainian soldiers parade at the opening ceremonies.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Havana, Cuba

Former lover of Naty Revuelta Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro's former lover, Naty Revuelta enjoys a cup of coffee and a cigarette on her front porch.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Monday April 11, 1994, Havana, Cuba

Agricultural co-operative picking cabbage

An agricultural co-operative is out in the fields filling up a truck with picked cabbage.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Sevilla, Spain

Flamenco guitarist, Juan del Gastor

Juan del Gastor, one of Spain's most acclaimed flamenco guitarist's.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

September 2002, Cange, Haiti

Zanmi La Sante Hospital

The "Zanmi La Sante" (Partners in Health) Hospital cares for many Haitians in this rural area. It was set up and administered by Dr. Paul Farmer of Harvard University. In the childrens ward, an HIV posiitive girl waits for the lunch service.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Sunday July 14, 2002, Port au Prince, Haiti

Special Forces landing in Haiti

A soldier kneels in the foreground, as Special Forces are landing.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

February 1998, Bolivar State, Venezuela

Wildcat miners search for gold ore

Wildcat miners use high pressure jets of water to pry loose any gold ore left over in an abandoned mine.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Friday October 4, 2002, L'viv, Ukraine

Co-operative Adventure Exchange

At the Yavoriv (former Soviet Army) military training grounds, near L'viv, NATO troops participate in the Co-operative Adventure Exchange, a multi national training and war-gaming exercise. Ukrainian soldiers raise the flags of the NATO countries in preparation of the opening ceremony parade.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

February 1998, Bolivar State, Venezuela

Gold mine in Bolivar State

An open pit gold mine.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Thursday February 14, 2002, Soyapango, El Salvador

Squatter sells fruits and other foods

In the neighborhood of 16 de Marzo, Francisca Hernandez (86) tends to her stall where she sells fruits and other foods. She is one of the first to settle into this area as a squatter. The government has given the neighborhood legal recognition.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Wednesday February 8, 1995, Havana, Havana, Cuba

Santeria musicians

Santeria musicians practice at the home of one of the singers.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Havana, Havana, Cuba

Groundskeeper during pre-revolutionary Cuba

Ramon Morales was a groundskeeper for a wealthy rancher in pre-revolutionary Cuba.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Wednesday August 8, 1990, Hobbs, Texas, USA

Oil field in Texas

Workers on a pertroleum rig operated by wildcatters.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Sunday May 28, 2000, Miami, Florida, USA

Attorney Stan Rosenblatt of the Florida tobacco lawsuit

Stan Rosenblatt, attorney in the Florida tobacco lawsuit in his office with some of the supporting documents for their lawsuits against tobacco companies.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Thursday March 16, 2000, Florida, USA

Ruckus Society training

The Ruckus Society trains volunteers to prepare for civil disobedience in order to disrupt the G8 summit in Seattle.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Thursday October 22, 1998, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Mass baptism

A mass baptism in the parking lot of the United House of Prayer for all people.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Tuesday April 12, 1994, Quivican, Havana, Cuba

Farmers planting rice

The Cuban government has allowed private agricultural endeavors. Some farmers are seen planting rice near the town of Quivican. They will be allowed to sell this rice for whatever price they can negotiate.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

2002, Jacmel, Haiti

Haiti remains the poorest country of the Western Hemisphere

Guernelia Jeudi saw a chance to make a big return on the money she invested in the financial co-operative pyramid scheme. She sold her house and lost all the money. She now rents a house and is trying to make ends meet. She is with one of her five children. On January 1, 2004, Haiti celebrated its Bicentennial as the first black nation after gaining independence from French colonial rule. Its economy is still one the world's weakest and President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is facing daily street protest against his government.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

2003, Sunland Park, New Mexico, USA

Border Patrol ride along the U.S. / Mexico border

Mounted agents of the Border Patrol ride along the U.S. / Mexico border.

Credit: Alex Quesada / Polaris

Alex Quesada

Alex Quesada was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1961. From 1965 to 1968 he lived in the Philippines and then in Spain from 1968 to 1979. He has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe.
He has worked and traveled throughout Central and South America, and United States.
Alex is fluent in Spanish and English with a working knowledge of Haitian Creole, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Personal web site of Alex Quesada