All Latin America Monitor
Trust the gang truce? Even a year later, Salvadorans skeptical.Although a delicate truce between the MS-13 and 18th Street gangs has held for a year, 70 percent of Salvadorans say the gangs' word can't be trusted.- Cops unite in Central America: New deal allows cross-border pursuitsThe agreement will allow law enforcement agencies from one country to pursue suspects over the border into a neighboring country, and encourage states to share criminal records.
- LGBT community in Honduras, invisible no moreJos茅 'Pepe' Palacios is a leading LGBT activist in Honduras who says the 2009 ousting of President Zelaya was a major impetus for the LGBT community to organize for change.
Brazil's top court to rule on effort to spread oil wealthMost of Brazil's oil revenues benefit Rio,聽S茫o Paulo, and Espirito Santo states. But now the Supreme Court will determine if a Congressional vote to spread oil royalties into other states will stand.
Can Cuba survive the loss of Venezuela's Hugo Ch谩vez?Many in and out of Cuba wonder if the loss of Ch谩vez is the death knell of the Castros鈥� Revolution, or if it could inject urgent momentum into Raul Castro鈥檚 reform agenda, just in the nick of time.
Venezuelans pour into Plaza Bolivar to honor Ch谩vez's socialist revolutionAs news of the death of President Hugo Ch谩vez spread, Venezuelans rushed to downtown Caracas, many wearing red in honor of their socialist聽commandante.
To lead Venezuela, Maduro will need to channel his inner ChavezVice President Nicolas Maduro, a staunch leftist known for his quiet demeanor, must adopt some of the brash style of President Hugo Chavez, who died today, if he's going to win the next election.
If Hugo goes, polling firm says Chavismo will still get the voteVenezuelans have not heard from President Chavez since December, and the government is the only party with knowledge of when elections might be held.- Mexico: Latin America's second-largest economy lags in digital accessibilityBarely 17 percent of Mexicans have internet access at home, compared to 40 percent of Chileans. High costs are in part blamed for this digital divide.
- Desperate for cash, Honduras to hawk bondsHonduras is broke, writes a guest blogger, and despite a recent credit downgrade it is now trying to privately place over $750 million in bonds.
Hugo Ch谩vez's Venezuela: What does the political and economic future hold?Without Hugo Ch谩vez's visible presence in Venezuela problems like declining infrastructure and economic stability are increasingly apparent.
Favela consumer class on the rise in BrazilBrazil's favelas, or slums, are home to a growing consumer class whose purchasing power has risen due to a jump in salaries, a decrease in unemployment, and greater access to education.
Inflation plays role in Argentine teacher strikePresident Cristina Fern谩ndez de Kirchner鈥檚 refusal to accurately report Argentina's soaring inflation rate has led to a strike by teachers in 17 provinces 鈥� granting more than 5 million children a few extra days of summer vacation.
Academy Awards: When 'No' gets a 'Yes!' in ChileChile's film industry is excited about its first Oscar nomination for the controversial聽Pinochet-era film, 'No.'
Will Kerry push to remove Cuba from terror list?Keeping Cuba on the terror list may be limiting US credibility in designating others as terrorism supporters, writes a guest blogger.
Brazil's 2013 Carnival may have rocked ... but parts also stank.The amount of trash collected during this year's blocos, or street parties, grew 30 percent from last year 鈥� and tourists noticed, with 1 out of 4 citing sanitation as a negative of their Rio Carnival experience.
Guatemala gets a bump in its police forceGuatemala has one of the world's highest murder rates, and one way President Molina has tried to address this is by adding 2,000 more police since January 2012.
Red-letter weekend for Latin America's left as Correa wins reelection and Ch谩vez returns homeWhile Ecuador's Correa celebrated winning his third term in office, Venezuela's Hugo Ch谩vez made a surprise return home. What does this mean for Latin America's leftist leadership?- How does Venezuela's police reform measure up?Since 2009 the Ch谩vez government has carried forward a comprehensive police reform, creating a national police unit and university in Venezuela.
- Violence declines in Juarez - but at what price?The police have become increasingly aggressive in Juarez, in hopes of reviving trust in the institution and respect from the populace and criminals alike. But some fear the police chief is propagating human rights violations.
