All Americas
In Kirchner's 'winning decade' Argentina's poor may loseThe slums of Buenos Aires, called villas miserias, grew by 50 percent from 2001 to 2010. The government also has not released any poverty data this year, causing critics to pounce.
Will El Salvador's new president try to salvage a crumbling gang truce?It's unclear if he wants to. After two years of relative calm in El Salvador thanks to the controversial truce, President Sánchez Cerén takes the reins with homicides on the rise.
Years after Chile's deadly prison blaze, conditions still under fireA recent verdict on a deadly 2010 fire has put Chile's prison conditions under the microscope once again. There's been some progress, but overcrowding is still a problem.
Are Mexico's federal troops doomed to fail in fighting drug violence?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.
Brazil's World Cup 'must have'? New TVs.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.
Colombia's presidential election gets nasty – and detracts from big choices aheadFor the first time, a peace deal to end Colombia's 50-year conflict appears within reach. But instead of debating the challenges that lie ahead, the campaign is all about 'vicious' political attacks.
'True Mexican hero?' Founder of Mexico's vigilante movement under fireDr. Mireles helped found Mexico's movement of armed self-defense forces last year, which put drug cartels on the run. Some still praise him, but he's embroiled in scandal, including murder charges.
Unhappy with your government? Consider buying a Caribbean passportEconomically pressed Caribbean countries are selling citizenship to mostly Middle Eastern, Asian, and Russian applicants as an easy revenue source. But reports of abuse are on the rise.
As Russia pivots to Asia, some ask how far east it's willing to lookRussia and China may have signed a $400 billion gas supply deal today, but Latin American countries like Chile and Peru are holding out hope Moscow will cast its gaze across the Pacific.
Brazil: Will subway fare hikes in Rio mean more protests?Last year's nationwide protests were sparked in part by transport fare hikes. Rio has ideas about how to cushion the blow.
- In Mexican education, huge salaries, 'ghost' schools
The average teacher salary in Mexico is $2,000 a month, but a recent study on education corruption found one teacher who earns $561,865 a year at his post in impoverished Oaxaca state.
Why did Venezuela's opposition freeze talks with Maduro?The opposition coalition says it sees too much talk and not enough action. It wants detained protesters released and an independent truth commission.
Will Brazil's World Cup showcase striking workers?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.
Is Amazon industrial hub the latest 'endangered species' in Brazil?Brazil’s Congress is debating whether to extend tax breaks for industries in Manaus, in Amazonas state. Scores of multinationals have opened factories there.
As cost of Venezuelan goods go up, Colombian smugglers feel the pinchVenezuela recently raised the price of chicken, rice, and sugar. Could its cheaper-than-water gasoline be next? Colombian fuel smugglers hope not.
Venezuela: Polls show Maduro approval dropping after 3 months of protestMaduro'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.
Why did Uruguay agree to take in Guantánamo Bay detainees?President Mujica said he would give refuge to five detainees from the controversial US detention camp. Uruguay may have foreign policy interests in scoring points with the US.
World Cup city Manaus: Brazil's 'Paris' in the Amazon?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.
Could Panama 'reelect' a president whose name isn't on the ballot?President Martinelli is constitutionally banned from running again. But analysts say his party's ticket - made up of his wife and a handpicked successor - is 'essentially a Martinelli government.'
Brazil's long-impoverished northeast rides into the middle classNortheast 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.
