All Americas
Brazil's gun control debate: Opponents try to shoot holes in disarmament lawThe number of homicides in South America鈥檚 largest nation fell in 2004 for the first time in 12 years thanks in part to a disarmament law. But a new push by some legislators could loosen gun restrictions.- Safety check: Are some car models sold in Latin America held to lower standards?Car companies around the world appear to be cutting corners in models sold in Brazil and other Latin American countries.
What will the Rios Montt genocide conviction do for Guatemala?Rios Montt was one of the world's first former presidents tried for genocide in a national court. Many hope his conviction means positive steps for the justice system and healing wounds of war.
Move over Beyonc茅: Another American explores Cuba, 'people to people'Like Beyonc茅 and Jay-Z, the Monitor's Linda Feldmann travels Cuba on a 'people to people' tour. Since 2011, such trips have had the sanction of the Treasury Department 鈥� a legal way for Americans to see the long-forbidden island.
Is easy credit coming to Mexico?Mexico has one of the lowest rates of commercial lending in Latin America. But a series of new bank reforms aims to change that - making borrowing easier and stimulating economic growth.
Venezuela's Maduro globe trots: building regional ties or a domestic distraction?On his first official trip abroad, Venezuela's new leader is visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. But a domestic dispute over the legality of Maduro's presidential victory drags on at home.
Is there a God? The Vatican invites Mexicans to discuss.The Vatican's first Courtyard of the Gentiles event outside Europe takes place in Mexico this week. The number of Mexicans who say they are 'nonreligious' jumped by 56 percent between 2000 and 2010.
Study abroad in Mexico? Fewer US students make the trek.One announcement from Obama's Mexico trip was a bilateral forum on higher education. Educational exchanges between the US and Mexico have stagnated or fallen over the past decade.
Argentina's judicial reform: positive step or consolidation of power?Six new laws will move forward in Argentina's Congress tomorrow. Some rein in cronyism, while others could limit personal freedoms and threaten checks and balances.
Venezuelan tools of protest? Pots, pans, and smartphone apps.The popular Latin American protest tactic of banging pots and pans took on a new form in post-election Venezuela. Some opposition members protested Maduro's victory by downloading a noisy app.
For Obama, Costa Rica offered rare 'safe bet' tripCosta Rica's strong tradition of democracy and longtime friendship with the United States ensured President Obama would enjoy a smooth 鈥� if uneventful 鈥� trip this weekend.聽
Obama in Mexico: Little talk of human rightsThe US has noted Mexico's 'significant human rights-related problems' in the past, but some say it and the Mexican government haven't done enough to encourage change.
Mexico's got theater in unusual spacesWith stages set up in street cars, Mexico City is celebrating its first Festival of Theater in Unusual Spaces and giving a new outlet for the city's emerging artists.- Death or imprisonment? El Salvador's strict antiabortion lawMore than 600 women have been imprisoned since El Salvador's 1998 abortion legislation was enacted. The case of a mother with severe health complications has brought the debate to the fore.
Bolivia's Evo Morales says 'adi贸s' to USAIDMorales has made other important policy announcements on May Day in the past, like nationalizing Bolivia's oil and gas industry. This is not the first time tensions have run high with the US.
The ties that bind: Obama travels to MexicoShared issues of border security, the economy, and immigration will likely dominate the conversation between President Obama and Enrique Pe帽a Nieto in Mexico this week.
Today, we ride: Women join Mexico City's cycling revolutionThe car still reigns in this megacity of 22 million people. But new bike lanes are driving more people to two-wheeled transportation 鈥� and women in particular are finding it liberating.
Haiti aiming to plant 1.2 million trees in a single dayThe big dig is planned for May 1. It's part of an ambitious government effort to reforest the country after suffering from landslides and desertification.聽
Mexico: Border schools adjust to influx of English-speaking studentsThousands of children have arrived in Mexican schools from the US amid record deportations. One school in Northern Mexico is becoming a model for integrating this new student population.
Venezuela's opposition asks election audit to include fingerprint verificationFor years, Venezuela's opposition criticized the fingerprint scanners as intimidation but now hope it will prove incidents of voter fraud.