All Americas
- FocusMS-13 labeled transnational criminal organization. Who are the 'Maras?'
The MS-13 gang is one of many 'maras,' or street gangs, that started in the US and spread into Central America, particularly El Salvador. Here's a brief history.
FocusCan a gang truce in El Salvador open the door to lasting peace?For years El Salvador battled gangs with prison sentences and an iron fist. But a gang truce brokered in March has lasted longer than anyone expected, with homicide rates plummeting.
FocusCovered in tattoos, can El Salvador's gangs reintegrate into society?With tattoos even on their faces, members of El Salvador's rival Ms-13 and 18th Street gangs may not be able to hide alliances they've forsaken. That's just one challenge they face.
Latin American low-skilled labor flocks to Brazil's jobsBrazil has become a magnet for high-skilled Europeans as well as low-skilled migrants from poorer neighboring countries like Peru and Bolivia who traditionally opted for the US or Europe in the past.
- Bolivia plans crackdown on cars-for-cocaine trade
Bolivia has become a hub of transnational car theft in South America, and analysts believe the Bolivian crime syndicates who purchase these stolen vehicles often directly exchange cocaine for cars.
With 60,000 dead, Mexicans wonder why drug war doesn't rate in presidential debateMuch of Latin America was dismayed that they got only a glancing mention in Romney and Obama's final presidential debate.
- Archaic defamation laws threaten Caribbean media
Defamation laws have been used more in the Caribbean and Latin America than other parts of the world. Some countries are now working to overturn the laws.
Will Obama and Romney broach Latin America in tonight's debate?From Hezbollah and Iran in the Americas to free trade agreements, Romney and Obama could discuss an array of important regional topics during tonight's final debate. But will they?
Can Fidel Castro still sway Cuba?Fidel Castro debunked rumors he was dead in the state-run newspaper today. Some say that since he ceded control to brother Raul in 2006, US-Cuba relations are likely to remain unaltered when Fidel dies.
Rio's slums attract young, hip European immigrants looking for cheap housingThe number of foreigners living in Brazil jumped by more than 50 percent between 2010 and April 2012, in part due to Brazil's favorable economic conditions.
Pimples at the polls: Argentina tries to lower voting age to 16If successful, President Kirchner would most likely benefit.
- Breaking through the political echo chamber in Venezuela
Inaccurate polling led many to believe the opposition would defeat Chávez for president this month. Accurate polling is possible in Venezuela, writes a guest blogger, but only if citizens demand accountability.
Uruguay's Senate approves abortion bill: Will there be a ripple effect?Uruguay's Senate approved a bill legalizing first-trimester abortions, and the president says he will sign it. Abortion is still a political hot potato in Latin America, but some say such legislation could spread.
Colombia-FARC peace talks: 5 ways the Left lives on in Latin America If FARC-Colombia peace talks are successful, it would bring to an end one of the world's longest standing conflicts. And it is a reminder of how hardcore leftist political ideology lives on in Latin America, long after the close of the cold war. Here are five lasting examples:
How will FARC peace talks play out in rural Colombia?Successful peace talks could mean the end of nearly five decades of fighting between the FARC and the Colombian government, when civilians and rural communities were often hit the hardest.
Honduras to reevaluate gun control laws: How will it impact violence in the region?In Honduras, citizens are allowed up to five personal firearms. Its lax laws contribute to high murder rates and make it a source for the region's arms traffickers.
Exit visas: Finally a political opening in Cuba?In addition to the economic reforms seen over the past several years in Cuba, easing foreign travel could portend the kinds of political reforms global actors have been clamoring for.
End of the exit visa in Cuba?Cubans have long been unable to travel freely, but the government has lifted the restriction on exit visas in some cases. It's a major step forward for the country and its people, argues a guest blogger.
Cuban Missile Crisis: 5 ways leftist ideology lives on in Latin America This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the US and the Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war over the installation of Soviet missiles in Cuba.
50 years after Cuba missile crisis, US influence in hemisphere waningInvestment from emerging economies like China and Russia are diminishing Latin America's reliance on the US, making it more difficult for Washington to isolate regimes like Cuba.
