• Lets Confront Global Challenges Together by Michelle Bachelet "The world is ripe for a renewed and strengthened multilateralism, and the support of the U.S. will be decisive." Full text available.

• Reexamine the War on Drugs by Carlos Basombrio "We still need the United States at our side to advance the cause of human rights in our countries." Full text available.

• Build on Regional Successes by Rick Waugh "The new American strategy should be sensitive to the importance of key sectors such as infrastructure, telecommunications, energy, and financial services to economic development." Full text available.

• Expand Trade—Even with Cuba by Andrónico Luksic Craig "Further trade liberalization will deliver a significant economic boost and a powerful impetus to speed the recovery from the current global economic slowdown."

• Be a Global Leader by Oscar Arias Sánchez "Today's Iron Curtain is the impenetrable barrier between those who have enough to eat, and those who die of needless hunger."

• Ignore the Has-Beens, Look to Brazil by Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga "Perhaps you can channel Presidents Kennedy and Reagan as they stood next to another wall and issue your own declaration: 'Ich bin ein Americano: I will tear down this wall along the Rio Grande."

• End the Credit Squeeze on Latin America’s Poor by María Otero "The U.S. can smooth the way to broader financial access by easing its enforcement of stringent 'know-your-customer' rules."

• Build Smart Borders by John Manley "Did you know that, on average, a vehicle being assembled in North America crosses one or both U.S. and Canadian borders six times?"

• Recognize that Cuba’s Future Is Inside Cuba by Jorge Luis García Pérez Antúnez "It is imperative for our Latin American brothers to assume the moral duty of isolating and condemning the Cuban government."

• Recognize and Work with the New Central America by Ana Vilma Albanez de Escobar "Differences in education, industrialization, productive infrastructure, and technology between the U.S. and our region have grown starker."

• Strike a New Partnership with Brazil by Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter "A trading community that encompasses the entire continent would foster greater economic integration and lead our region to a new level of development."

• Define the Next-Generation Agenda Of the U.S.-Mexico Relationship by Arturo Sarukhan "...no other bilateral relationship is more important for the security and prosperity of the U.S. than its relationship with Mexico."

• It’s Time for a Fresh Start by Celso Amorim "A rich agenda for integration has brought effective results in social policy, health, education, culture, and the environment."

• Respect Those on The Other Side by Casimira Rodríguez "...support projects aimed at resolving Bolivia's internal conflicts, rather than deepening the polarization."

• Recognize and Build on Our Progress by José Miguel Insulza "You should immediately urge the approval of the free trade agreements pending in Congress with Colombia and Panama."

• Upgrade the Diplomatic Corps by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski "Talk of redoing NAFTA has to be shelved..."

• Redistribute the Windfall from High Oil Prices by Leonel Fernández "Invest a portion of the profits earned from today's high oil prices to benefit the countries that have been worse hit by the multiple price increases."

• Develop a New Hemispheric Vision by María Teresa Ronderos "It will make a huge difference if the U.S. government becomes less tolerant of corrupt leaders and values more transparent and open information."

• Tackle Global Warming by Marcelo Claure "Establish a task force to develop international policy aimed at curbing global carbon emissions, including the introduction of additional multilateral incentives."

• Deal with the Left’s Resurgence by Felipe Bosch "While the U.S. has been occupied elsewhere during the last eight years, Chávez has exploited his new oil wealth to win converts."

• Bridge the Digital Divide by Marcos Galperín In today's technology-driven economy, bridging the digital divide is essential for countries to break out of the periphery."

• Reform the Immigration System by Victor Leonel Juan Martínez "The vast number of Mexican immigrants [in the U.S.] represents a highly qualified and motivated labor force that would be a resource to any country."

• Move Beyond the One-Policy-Fits-All-Model by Cristina Eguizábal "The next administration should be bold and establish an important aid package for infrastructure and institution building to help countries demographically linked to the United States."

• Protect the Lives and Rights Of Indigenous People by Phil Fontaine "I encourage you to use the traditional knowledge of our peoples to protect our environment."

• Listen to Latin America’s Women by Rosiska Darcy de Oliveira "The way forward is through the strengthening of creative, informed and empowered citizens—not in the reimposition of state controls on society."

• Dispatches from the Field: Guatemala

  Dr. Rick Renwick on an innovative health outreach program that tests indigenous women for cervical cancer. Full text available.

• Policy Updates

  Growing Public Insecurity in Central America; The Politics of Law and Order in Chile; and Oral Proceedings. Full text available.

• Fresh Look Reviews

  Edmundo Paz Soldán reviews Roberto Bolaño’s apocalyptic novel, 2666. Nicolás Ducoté explores Francis Fukuyama’s latest collection of essays. Full text available.

• Panorama: Our Hemisphere from all Directions

  10 Things to Do in Los Angeles; Central American Youth Leaders; In the Heights Dazzles Broadway and More.. Full text available.

2012 U.S. Elections: Follow AQ coverage of U.S. presidential candidates' positions on issues affecting the Americas. Updated May 4, 2012.