All Americas
Effects of US drought trickle down through the AmericasAs prices of corn and other commodities rise, importing countries like the Caribbean and Central America will likely suffer. But what about major exporters like Brazil and Argentina?- Accused of lying about military past, two Central Americans face extraditionAn officer accused of participating in Guatemala's Dos Erres massacre lost his appeal to block extradition to the US, while a former Salvadorian general is fighting potential extradition to Spain.
Guatemalan police graduates ready to protect and serve ... without guns.Guatemala does not have enough guns to arm the latest crop of police graduates, pointing to the financial factors holding back the reform and expansion of the force.- Argentine and Venezuelan oil partnership sets up potential conflicts with EuropeThe partnership between state-owned oil companies makes Venezuela a key third party in Argentina's ongoing dispute with a Spanish energy firm.
- Central American peace accord celebrates 25 years, but has it brought peace?The Esquipulas peace agreement succeeded in ending political and ideological strife, but it failed to create peaceful societies. Today Central America is one of the world's most violent regions.
Venezeula: Leftist collectives keep the peace, but raise fears during election yearA Caracas barrio is home to radical self-defense collectives known to patrol the neighborhood at night. Some fear their ideology has taken a new, aggressive turn as Chavez faces reelection.
The buzz about Haiti 鈥� as a tourist destination?President Martelly wants to attract investors to build hotels and resorts, with an estimated 2,250 hotel rooms completed by 2013. It's a way to create jobs and improve the economy, but can it work?
Guatemala wins its first ever Olympic medalErick Barrondo won silver in the 20-km race walk on Saturday. He's the first ever Guatemalan to medal in the Olympics.- Brazil: So hot right nowBrazilian culture is gaining popularity in the United States with everything from theater to video games. But its image isn't always positive or accurate.
- Historic corruption trial begins in BrazilSome 38 people are accused of buying political favors under former President Lula - whose future career could hinge on the trial.
- An accident or a plot? Deaths of Cuban dissidents raises questions.Despite Cuban government reports and public comments from the two survivors of the crash saying it was an accident, a dissident鈥檚 family believes someone ran the car off the road.
- In historic achievement, Colombian cocaine production plunges...or does it?Colombian cocaine production fell by 25 percent from 2010, according to US data. But a UN report says otherwise. Why the discrepancy?
Brazil is stamping out favela violence 鈥� now on to trash collection and educationBrazil's first impact study on its Police Pacification Units reveals that the program has significantly reduced violence, but still needs extensive reform.- Gang truce in El Salvador: An opportunity the region can't afford to missEl Salvador's gang truce needs to be followed by job training, rehabilitation programs, and humane prison conditions in order to create a sustainable peace, writes a guest blogger.
- Uruguay: A laboratory for controversial drug policies?Critics of Uruguay's marijuana legalization plan say it will bring corruption and create a black market for drugs. But Uruguay is a small and relatively stable, so why not try, asks a guest blogger.
- 5 things to watch for in Venezuelan kingpin Walid Makled's trialVenezuelan drug lord Walid Makled claims he has evidence of military and government links to the drug trade. Three months into his trial, there are several ticking time bombs to watch out for.
Cover StoryHow Latin America is reinventing the war on drugsFrustrated with US dictates, countries across the region are floating new ideas to curb drug trafficking, from 'soft' enforcement to legalization.聽- Supersized Brazil: Obesity a growing health threatThe successes of Brazil's new middle class 鈥� including greater access to jobs, technology, and rising purchasing power 鈥� could be the source of increased obesity, writes a guest blogger.
Does oil giant Chevron want Chavez to win reelection in Venezuela?Chevron has been in Venezuela since the 1920s when politicians were heavier handed than Chavez. Now, Chevron in Venezuela may be too big to nationalize, writes a guest blogger.
Honduras: Contraceptive may be handed out at Catholic church...to pigeonsNets installed at a Honduran cathedral to keep pigeons from roosting on the historic structure were met by calls of animal cruelty. Now an environmental group suggests using contraceptive feed.