All Americas
- Brazil laying down the lawRecent corruption and police misconduct cases in Brazil seem to signal impunity is giving way to justice, but the country has yet to confront its history of dictatorship-era human rights violations.
Chile drops mandatory vote 鈥� and a few incumbent mayorsChileans replaced pro-government mayors in many of its biggest municipalities yesterday in an election that saw only a fraction of eligible voters cast ballots.
Venezuela prioritizes 'happiness' in its national budgetPresident Ch谩vez's administration announced its budget last week, allocating nearly 40 percent of funds for 'supreme happiness.' The budget's ambiguous nature, however, has made some distinctly unhappy.- Colombia: How peace could impact the FARC's role in illegal miningIllegal mining is fast becoming a central resource for the FARC, overtaking coca production in some provinces. With the rising price of minerals there's an incentive to stay involved, even if peace is achieved.
- Rio: An island of relative safety in a sea of vulnerability?Rio de Janeiro has made strides to improve public safety, leading the way for Brazil's other 26 states. But with upcoming mega-events, coordination between federal and state forces is still needed.
More migration reform: Cuba opens door to many illegal emigres and defectorsAllowing more Cubans to return to Cuba will help accelerate the warming trend between the island and its diaspora, and could lead to a change in US policy toward the island.- Cuba to welcome back many who leftIn order to normalize relations with Cubans abroad, Cuba's most recent policy is expected to allow the return of many now banned from the island, estimated any anywhere from 70,000 to 300,000.
Ahoy Argentina: Crew of boat seized by creditors in Ghana arrives homeThe seizure of an Argentine boat off the coast of Ghana highlights the battle that continues between the southern cone nation and its creditors a decade after it defaulted on a $100 billion debt.
Wanted in Brazil: more English speakersBrazil placed near the bottom of a 54-country ranking of English proficiency this week. But with floods of tourists expected to attend the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, more people are signing up for English classes.- FARC 'earns $2.4 to $3.5 billion' from drugs, says Colombian governmentBy focusing on the rebels鈥� criminal activities the government may be sending the FARC a signal that a failure to follow through on the peace process could see them permanently labelled as 'narco-terrorists.'
Navy is Mexico's most important crime-fighting force 鈥� even in landlocked statesActions in recent weeks underscore how the Navy has taken the lead in Mexico's war on crime, from the arrest of one of the Gulf Cartel's top leaders to the capture of a Zetas commander.- Less is more? Little mention of Cuba in presidential debate could be positive sign.Over time, a more rational discussion of US-Cuba relations could emerge.
- FocusMS-13 labeled transnational criminal organization. Who are the 'Maras?'The MS-13 gang is one of many 'maras,' or street gangs, that started in the US and spread into Central America, particularly El Salvador. Here's a brief history.
FocusCan a gang truce in El Salvador open the door to lasting peace?For years El Salvador battled gangs with prison sentences and an iron fist. But a gang truce brokered in March has lasted longer than anyone expected, with homicide rates plummeting.
FocusCovered in tattoos, can El Salvador's gangs reintegrate into society?With tattoos even on their faces, members of El Salvador's rival Ms-13 and 18th Street gangs may not be able to hide alliances they've forsaken. That's just one challenge they face.
Latin American low-skilled labor flocks to Brazil's jobsBrazil has become a magnet for high-skilled Europeans as well as low-skilled migrants from poorer neighboring countries like Peru and Bolivia who traditionally opted for the US or Europe in the past.- Bolivia plans crackdown on cars-for-cocaine tradeBolivia has become a hub of transnational car theft in South America, and analysts believe the Bolivian crime syndicates who purchase these stolen vehicles often directly exchange cocaine for cars.
With 60,000 dead, Mexicans wonder why drug war doesn't rate in presidential debateMuch of Latin America was dismayed that they got only a glancing mention in Romney and Obama's final presidential debate.- Archaic defamation laws threaten Caribbean mediaDefamation laws have been used more in the Caribbean and Latin America than other parts of the world. Some countries are now working to overturn the laws.
Will Obama and Romney broach Latin America in tonight's debate?From Hezbollah and Iran in the Americas to free trade agreements, Romney and Obama could discuss an array of important regional topics during tonight's final debate. But will they?
