All Latin America Monitor
Mexicans host Pope Benedict XVI, but say he's no Juan PabloA poll suggests Pope Benedict XVI had big shoes to fill in Mexico, where he celebrates Mass today before heading to Cuba.聽
Guatemala's Perez lowers expectations for drug legalizationRegional disagreement means a decriminalization plan won't happen soon. But Guatemala's Otto Perez Molina maintains military response isn't the answer to drug trafficking.- Support for crime boss 'Dudas' Coke still strong in Jamaica'Dudas' Coke reportedly helped poor people in his neighborhood pay for food and school fees, making him wildly popular despite international charges of brutality, writes guest blogger Hannah Stone.
Mexico's earthquake: A reporter's notebookThe Monitor's Latin America bureau chief writes about the initial aftermath and her experience following today's 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Mexico City.
Bolivia says no to cocaine, but yes to cocaAs Latin America debates decriminalizing drugs, nowhere is the coca-cocaine tension more prevalent than in Bolivia, writes guest blogger Jackie Briski.- Shooting of Chilean diplomat's daughter underscores security threat in VenezuelaThe teenage daughter of the Chilean consul in Venezuela was shot after driving through a police checkpoint Saturday, causing an outcry in Venezuela over the state of security.聽
- Is El Salvador negotiating with criminal street gangs?A deal with El Salvador's two biggest street gangs may signal a less militaristic security strategy, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.
- Florida bill targets firms doing business with CubaFlorida passed a law banning state public contracts for companies doing business with Cuba 鈥� something that violates federal law, writes guest blogger Anya Landau French.
Street gangs on the rise in South America: Are Central America's 'Maras' among them?South American street gangs may not be as notorious as the violent 'maras,' but they pose a significant threat to security, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.- The difference between Democrats and Republicans on BrazilEngaging with Brazil is far more important to the hemisphere than Cuba or Venezuela, writes guest blogger James Bosworth. But US-Brazil relations have not been prioritized by Republicans.
- Exporting Nicaragua's citizen security modelNicaragua could be a citizen security model for other Central American countries to imitate, but some elements are harder to transfer than others, writes guest blogger Hannah Stone.
El Salvador elections: Another test for Latin America's leftSunday's National Congress and mayoral elections in El Salvador are seen as a litmus test for President Mauricio Funes of the left-leaning Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN).- Is Ecuador prepared to counter rise in organized crime?Ecuador has been described as the 'United Nations of organized crime,' but authorities may underestimate the repercussions, writes guest blogger Elyssa Pachico.
Ferry service to Cuba a 'bridge' too far for US governmentReestablishing ferry services to Cuba for the first time in 50 years would surely present challenges, but is in line with recent US-Cuba policy changes, writes guest blogger Anya Landau French.- Investors bet on Chavez: Big money in Venezuelan bonds?Venezuelan bond prices soar as investors see a possible change in the way the country's finances are managed if Chavez isn't reelected, writes guest blogger Miguel Octavio.聽
- Rio's Olympic land grabFrom environmental hazards to highway expansion: Residents of Rio's Vila Aut贸dromo slum have heard a slew of reasons why they must move off their land, as Olympic developers move in.
- Mexico's Gulf Cartel increasingly relies on womenThe number of women working in the drug trade is estimated to have grown in Mexico by 400 percent between 2007 and 2010, writes guest blogger Patrick Corcoran.
The perils of 'car culture' in BrazilFrom high costs, to heavy traffic, to lagging safety regulations, cars have become a 'quality-of-life problem in many cities,' writes guest blogger Greg Michener.- Obama administration 'gets real' on CubaCongressman David Rivera pressed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Cuba this week. Her response showed an awareness of "what is really going on in Cuba," writes a guest blogger.
- Long distance relationship: Haiti's bid to join the African UnionHaiti may be over 5,000 miles away from Africa, but there are cultural, historical, and economic ties that make it more a part of Africa than the Americas, says guest blogger Ovetta Sampson.
