All Latin America Monitor

Determined but impecunious enthusiasts have braved lawless borders, overcrowded minibuses, and perilous river crossings to keep costs down en route to Manaus, Brazil. 

Soccer has become the latest target for Venezuela's beleaguered political opposition as it tries to use the World Cup craze to keep pressure on embattled President Nicolás Maduro.

Aid may help – like the recently proposed White House plan to invest millions in security and development in the region – but it's not a solution to the long-brewing crisis.

Mexico soccer fans regularly chant a homophobic slur during opposition goal kicks. Fans of El Tri  – along with Brazil, Croatia, and Russia – are now under investigation by FIFA.

Santos’ push for peace was enough to tip the balance in his favor, but his opponent said in his concession speech that the voice of the 7 million Colombians who voted against him 'will have to be heard.'

As the northwestern city of Rio Branco prepares for the World Cup, some wonder whether its failed bid in 2009 to be one of the host cities was a blessing in disguise.

The host team, Brazil, faces off against Croatia in the first match of the World Cup today.

The idea that Colombia and Mexico face similar drug wars has shaped US policy there for years. But differences - from geography to the state's ability to respond - call for a different approach.

Some say Mexico needs to learn from its experience in Michoacán by recognizing it has no reliable partners among state and local forces, who are often in cahoots with drug gangs.

Sales in Brazil are soaring ahead of the World Cup, as Brazilians splurge on expensive sets to watch all the matches in the comfort of their homes.

Last year's nationwide protests were sparked in part by transport fare hikes. Rio has ideas about how to cushion the blow.

The opposition coalition says it sees too much talk and not enough action. It wants detained protesters released and an independent truth commission.

Bus drivers in Rio have already gone on strike, and teachers may do the same. Some say other groups - including the federal police - could strike as well amid World Cup attention and the leadup to elections.

Maduro's popularity has dropped on every measure since November 2013, and two-thirds of Venezuelans polled don't think he can solve the country's problems - like shortages - in the next year.

The opulent Teatro Amazonas opera house still stuns visitors to Manaus. It's a legacy of the rubber boom and the region’s short-lived monopoly on worldwide production.

Northeast Brazil used to be known for poverty and migration south. But locals like Maria Joelma da Silva, who the Monitor first met in 2008, are redefining the region.

Mexico's lower house unanimously voted to change a military code that gave the military courts jurisdiction over any crimes committed by on-duty soldiers.

Mexico received US approval for the purchase of 18 Black Hawk helicopters. Some analysts wonder if the planned purchase signals a longer-term, more militarized approach to fighting cartels.

Despite high profile arrests and decreasing impunity, Paz y Paz's reappointment is a long shot. Her loudest critics are ex-military and conservative businessmen who say she's pushed a leftist agenda.

Paz y Paz said from the start her focus would be advocating for victims. In a country with one of the highest femicide rates, she's focused on women and victims of Guatemala's 36-year civil war.