All Americas
- 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.听
- 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.
Biden in Honduras: US drug policy under scrutinyEven staunch US allies in the Americas are urging a debate on drug policy 鈥� including legalization 鈥� amid spiraling violence in their countries.
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.
Caribbean nations get caught in China-Taiwan tug of warMore than half the countries with diplomatic ties to Taiwan are in Central America and the Caribbean.听 Some, like Grenada, are finding that switching allegiances can be expensive.听- 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.
Kidnapping bad for business? Why the FARC may actually mean what it says.There are reasons 鈥� political, strategic and economic 鈥� to be hopeful the FARC's offer to end kidnapping may be genuine, writes guest blogger Steven Dudley.
Chavez vs. Capriles: Stark choice for Venezuela's independent votersSome 36 percent of Venezuelan voters aren't aligned with a political party. But their votes could determine the outcome of this year's heated presidential election.- Land disputes trigger old racial tensions on Nicaragua's Mosquito CoastAn indigenous community took 12 non-indigenous people hostage, claiming they won't release these 'colonists' until their land is returned to them.
- A case of Big Wind bullying in Mexico?Follow-up on a Monitor cover story: A local activist is arrested days before a planned confrontation with a Mexican wind power company.
- FARC strategy change a result of Chavez's illness?With Chavez's health on the line, groups who have benefited from the Venezuelan president's tenure 鈥� like the FARC 鈥� are hedging their bets, writes guest blogger James Bosworth.
Colombia's FARC rebels say group will stop kidnappingThe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said Sunday it will free remaining hostages and stop kidnapping civilians in a bid to restart peace talks with the government.
Top 5 signs of a weakening FARC in Colombia In a historic shift, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) says it will no longer use kidnapping as a tool for political and financial gain. The shift comes after three years of government success in weakening the group. Here are five of the defining moments.- Summit of the Americas standoff: Cuba wants inPresident Obama could take the high road and allow Cuban President Raul Castro to observe the Summit of the America's in Cartagena, writes guest blogger Anya Landau French.
- Latin America's economic rise may be undercut by violenceLatin America is on the rise with strong regional GDPs and decreasing poverty rates. Yet homicide rates have grown by 30 percent in recent years, threatening to spoil 'Latin America's Decade.'
Argentine train crash sheds light on need for transportation reformA privatized and highly subsidized train industry in Argentina has left few accountable for safety and oversight. A deadly commuter train crash Wednesday was the eighth since 2008.
Mexico to build eight new prisons after Zetas escapeBut by focusing on the role overcrowding played in the Zetas riot and escape, is the Mexican government missing the bigger picture in terms of prison reform?
Judge steps down in Guatemala genocide trialThe judge overseeing the Efrain Rios Montt genocide case stepped down this week after the defense lawyer lodged a complaint of judicial bias, writes guest blogger Mike Allison.
