Ganem to Participate in Roselyn Sanchez’s PetSOS Charity Race

Edy Ganem is about to race for a cause…

The half-Mexican actress, who stars as Valentina Diaz on Lifetime’s Devious Maids, will compete alongside her co-stars on Saturday in a charity race to benefit the PetSOS organization, which is working to upgrade an animal shelter in Puerto Rico.

Edy Ganem

In a press conference this week, Devious Maids star Roselyn Sanchez said that Ganem, Judy Reyes and Rebecca Wisocky would take part in the invitation-only Amazing Paw Paw Race in the U.S. commonwealth.

Other artists slated to participate included singer-songwriter Jencarlos Canela, singer Ana Isabelle, television host Jaime Mayol, actor Julian Gil and his girlfriend, Colombian actress Viviana Serna.

Sanchez said the event was “really significant” because of its potential to help the Puerto Rican government improve the situation of stray dogs on the island.

She called on Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla’s administration to include the effort to rescue these animals among its other top priorities like combating crime and unemployment and improving public health.

Sanchez said the number of stray dogs in Puerto Rico has tripled over the past decade to 300,000 and she called on the island’s authorities to open more shelters to house these canines.

Referring to the race, she said the different team members must be “very athletic” because they will have to navigate an obstacle course spanning six different municipalities.

The funds raised for PetSOS also will be used to organize a large-scale spay and neuter drive on the island aimed at sterilizing hundreds of dogs and cats belonging to needy families.

Martin Urges Puerto Rican Lawmakers to Approve Bill to Prohibit Discrimination Due to Sexual Orientation

Ricky Martin is urging leaders in his homeland to stop discrimination…

This week, the 41-year-old Puerto Rican singer sent a letter to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives urging the legislative body to approve bill No. 238, which would prohibit discrimination due to sexual orientation on the island.

Ricky Martin

The letter, which was released by Martin’s representatives in San Juan, was made public at a time when the bill has run into opposition by a group of lawmakers in the lower house, where it is now stuck after being approved by the Puerto Rican Senate last week.

On Monday, legislators with the majority Popular Democratic Party, or PPD, in the lower chamber were unable to reach consensus despite the intervention of Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who supported the bill’s approval during his election campaign.

Martin called on House Speaker Jaime Perello and Gov. Garcia Padilla to take the lead in forging consensus among lawmakers for passage of the bill.

“The rights of homosexual people are human rights and human rights are for everyone,” said the singer.

Martin emphasized that Puerto Rico must not be lag behind while countries such as France, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, South Africa, Denmark, Uruguay, New Zealand and the United States are moving forward on acknowledging the rights of gays.

He said that all people have the right to equality, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity and he declared that the lawmakers have a responsibility to put an end to the violence, the hatred and the discrimination against the homosexual community.

Bill 238 is the first of three pushed by the government in favor of equality, regardless of sexual identity, the other House bills being No. 437 and No. 488.

Rosario Velez to Lead the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee

The Puerto Rico Olympic Committee has it’s the first female president… Her name: Sara Rosario Velez.

Rosario Velez will replace former fencing star David Bernier, who stepped down three weeks ago after being appointed secretary of state in the administration of Governor-elect Alejandro Garcia Padilla.

Sara Rosario Velez

“I’m pleased and very happy to be chosen as the first woman president of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee. All my life I’ve worked for the Olympics,” said Rosario Velez in a statement. “Being president of the Olympic Committee was never a goal of mine, but the chance came along and I took it.”

Rosario Velez said the 42 sports federations under Copur and their directors will have to work with her “as a team” and not as “separate federations” with a view to the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico.

She also said that while wrestler Jaime Espinal and 400-meter hurdler Javier Culson won silver and bronze medals, respectively, at the 2012 London Games, the goal of Copur will be to bring home the first gold medal for the U.S. commonwealth.

“The bronze and silver medals are great, and we’re looking for more athletes like Javier Culson and Jaime Espinal. We’re going to Rio (de Janeiro) 2016 to get that gold medal everyone dreams of,” she said.

Rosario Velez will officially assume her new post on December 13 at Casa Olimpica in Old San Juan.