All Latin America Monitor
Mexico scrambles for eggs amid shortageMexico has the highest-per-capita egg consumption in the world. But ever since an avian flu wiped out 8 million hens, the staple has become more expensive and scarce.
Transparency in Mexico: Information doesn't come easilyIn Mexico it can be a long, frustrating pursuit for members of civil society or journalists to get even basic information from the government, despite an institution created to make it easier.
Mexico's Lopez Obrador rejects court ruling on election fraudPresidential runner-up Lopez Obrador refused to recognize a court ruling that upholds July's election and called for protests. Is Mexico's youth opposition stuck with a flailing leader?
Venezuelan pollsters weigh in on Ch谩vez vs. Capriles battle for presidentIn many countries, a 10-point spread in polls would be considered a victory for the incumbent, but factors like the Amuay refinery explosion and the 20 percent undecided voters make Venezuela different.- Lessons learned from El Salvador's constitutional crisisEl Salvador's National Assembly reelected previously barred magistrates, moving a step toward national consensus that the Supreme Court has the last word on the country's Constitution.
- US agents attacked in Mexico believed to be CIAThe CIA presence in Mexico reportedly increased last year after the US deployed more agents to work alongside Mexican military officials in the fight against drug trafficking organizations.
Venezuela's refinery explosion: one for the history booksThe films El Revent贸n I and II document the history of oil in Venezuela. Does this weekend's explosion at Venezuela's Amuay refinery call for another sequel?
What will Venezuela learn from its Amuay refinery explosion?After any industrial disaster it's useful to pinpoint what happened so it doesn't happen again. But some see warning signs in the fact that Venezuela's PDVSA already ruled out maintenance problems without an investigation.
Venezuela: Can calls for gun control trump election year divides?Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world, and illegal firearms are prevalent. More than 130,000 illegal arms were turned into the state last year as part of a pilot disarmament program.- An interactive homicide map of Guatemala City highlights value of lifeGuatemalan journalist Claudia M茅ndez created a map of homicides in Guatemala to inform the public and illustrate that each person who dies violently there is important.
Crime pays? Mexico's unemployed youth a driving factor in organized crimeEight million youths are unemployed in Mexico, and cartel work can have a big draw: An enforcer for a large cartel can make nearly three times as much as the national average salary.
Gentrification: a new word in Brazilian conversationAs Rio prepares for the 2016 Olympics it balances the desire to transform the city with calls to maintain its rich mosaic of communities.
Caracas: The most dangerous city in Latin America - or is it?A guest blogger says that the homicide rate reported from Caracas, which even he declared in an article as the most dangerous city in South America, has been based on overinflated estimates.
Viva Assange! Latin American groups rally around Ecuador's asylum decision.Latin American groups say that Ecuador's decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a matter of sovereignty.
Drug cartel violence drives Mexico's troops to once tranquil townsThe Mexican government has dispatched 15,000 troops, and some are headed to places that used to be considered a refuge from the drug-related violence wracking much of the country.
What will Ryan's position on Cuba be as Romney campaign hits Florida?Paul Ryan has a track record on Cuba that is likely to frustrate the politically powerful Cuban-American community.- Assange asylum case ripples through Latin AmericaEcuador's decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could have an impact on extradition cases throughout Latin America.
How much do we really know about the Zetas?As Mexico prepares to deploy 12,000 troops against the Zetas, one of the top drug trafficking groups in Mexico, a new book argues that nobody has a clear understanding of the group.- What is the real threat of Islamic terrorism in Latin America?Islamic militants do not seem to have an active presence in Latin America, but the possibility that they could develop links with drug traffickers poses a threat, argues InSight Crime.
- US suspends aid to Honduras over human rights concernsAlleged ties between the Honduran police chief and death squads of a decade ago have led the US to withhold some funds.聽
