Young pop star nominated in several categories for MTV Mexico City Awards

Belinda, a young pop star, who acted in the Disney Channel's "Cheetah Girls 2," is on the top of the nominations for MTV Video Music Awards Latin America in Mexico City.

Photo: Young pop star nominated in several categories for MTV Mexico City Awards

The 18-year-old native of Madrid, Spain, who grew up in Mexico, is competing in five categories, including best video and artist of the year in the ceremonies starting late Thursday.

Belinda, whose album "Utopia" garnered two Latin Grammy nominations, is scheduled to perform at the show, which will be broadcast live on MTV Latin America and MTV TR3S, MTV's bilingual channel in the United States.

Also nominated for video of the year are Grammy-winning Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz and megastar Shakira for their duet "Te Lo Agradezco Pero No," Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 for "Tango del Pecado," Argentine rocker Gustavo Cerati for "Adios," the Mexican rock band Mana for "Manda Una Senal" and Panda, a rock-pop band from Mexico, for "Los Malaventurados No Lloran."

The awards show, held in Mexico City for the second year in a row, has been embraced by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who inaugurated an exhibit of giant photos from previous shows along the capital's main Reforma boulevard and said he would set up more than a dozen large screens throughout the city to broadcast the live ceremony.

MTV organizers promised that Thursday's show, the fifth annual, would be a rocking concert headlined by Colombian rock-star Juanes, Mexico's Cafe Tacuba, The Cure, Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff, both nominated for best international pop artist.

Mexican movie star Diego Luna, of "Y Tu Mama Tambien," was to host the awards show at the Palacio de los Deportes before an audience of 10,000.

The show will reach about 80 million homes around the world, organizers said.

Mexican pop sensation RBD, the U.S. band 30 Seconds to Mars, and the Argentine rock band Babasonicos are also expected to perform.

MTV said the winners were chosen by fans who cast millions of votes on its Web site and via text message.