All Americas
- Rio scrambles to prepare for impending mega-eventsRio has a lot of work to do before Rio+20, the World Cup, and the Olympics. But by the time the last event is over, not only will Rio have changed dramatically, but Brazil will be a different country.
Is Canada about to face US-style housing meltdown?Skyrocketing home prices in Canada, particularly in cities like Toronto, are fueling concerns that Canadians are overspending as they assume 鈥� as the US did 鈥� that real estate prices can only go up.- A day in the life of Caracas shortagesGuest blogger Miguel Octavio writes how a brief errand after work can turn into an all-night wild goose chase.
In Brazil, a showdown over rainforest deforestationBrazil's president is scheduled to sign a reform package today that could retroactively legalize the deforestation of millions of acres in the Amazon.
Lost in translation: English in BrazilBrazil is considered a 'low English proficiency' country, and ranks among the lowest in the world for workplace fluency, putting the emerging economy at a disadvantage, writes a guest blogger.- Argentina officially indicts civilians for role in 'dirty war'This spring, the conviction of two brothers for crimes against humanity in Argentina's 'dirty war' highlighted the role civilians played in the military鈥檚 systematic repression between 1976 and 1983.
Look who got a US visa: Ra煤l Castro's daughterMariela Castro, daughter of Cuban President Ra煤l Castro, will travel to California this week on a US visa to attend a conference. But many Cuban scholars were denied entry, writes a guest blogger.- El Salvador sees drop in murders but rise in disappearancesAn 8 percent rise in disappearances could undermine the achievements of a gang truce, which has seen murders in El Salvador drop by nearly 60 percent since March, writes a guest blogger.
Chavez re-election: Many Venezuelan voters are undecidedAn influx of new voters and widespread apathy may be key factors, writes guest blogger Miguel Octavio.- Chile's car boomBeyond urban sprawl there's an economic issue with Chile's car boom: crude oil is already Chile's biggest import, and an increasing reliance on gas could impact the country's trade balance.
Who is responsible for the Bogota, Colombia bombing this week?Some question why the FARC would carry out such a high profile attack as the May 15 Bogota bombing when the government has broached the idea of peace talks, writes a guest blogger.
Oil proceeds: Venezuelan driver wins F1 race with $66 million from ChavezVenezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, sponsored Formula One champion Pastor Maldonado, stirring controversy over the PR campaign at home, writes a guest blogger.- Child drug traffickers: What can be done?Between 5,000 and 14,000 children are recruited as soldiers in Colombia, writes a guest blogger, and the recruitment of minors by gangs is increasingly a problem across Latin America.
- Should Argentina remain a member of the G20?Argentina's history is a continuous series of economic and political crises and they'll probably face another before the decade is out, but they still deserve a seat at the G20, writes a guest blogger.
Bomb in Colombian capital taints first day of Colombia-US free trade agreementThe Colombia-US FTA goes into effect today, six years after the initial signing. But celebrations were dampened after a reportedly unrelated bomb blast occurred near the main financial district in Bogota.- Majority of Mexicans support military leading fight against cartelsThe next president should include some military operations in his organized crime strategy, but focus on a transition back to civilian policing, writes guest blogger James Bosworth.
Violence in Mexico and Brazil: How droughts play a roleNo one will claim the recent massacre in Mexico was caused by a drought, but water shortages in the north of both Mexico and Brazil are aggravating already difficult situations, writes a blogger.
Is Bogota's gun ban responsible for a drop in homicides?If a new gun ban in Colombia's capital is linked to a drop in the murder rate, it could potentially serve as a model for the rest of Latin America, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.
Massacre in Mexico deepens country's violent imageForty-nine bodies were dumped on a highway in northern Mexico in the latest example of drug-related violence that is scaring off investors and changing citizens' behavior at home.
Brazil, Venezuela, and Mexico: three ways to nationalize oilArgentina's renationalization of its biggest oil company, YPF, recently caused an outcry. But the cases of oil nationalization in Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela show that outcomes can vary widely.
