Blog entries

From the Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Sign up to receive the Weekly Roundup via email. Latin American Leaders Join DC Nuclear Summit Representatives from 46 countries—including Argentina, … Read more

Así como el partido Verde logró poner sorpresivamente en el legislativo a ocho congresistas, el candidato presidencial por ese movimiento Antanas Mockus promete convertirse en el fenómeno electoral de los comicios del 30 de mayo. Luego de nombrar como su fórmula presidencial a Sergio Fajardo, quien declinó su aspiración por el Movimiento Ciudadano por Colombia, … Read more

The Lower Chamber of Mexico’s Congress voted to reform the country’s General Health Law on Tuesday, eliminating the sale of junk food in schools and requiring 30 minutes of daily exercise for students.  The law passed with 372 votes in favor and one abstention. Congressman Rodrigo Reina Liceaga, of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional said legal … Read more

In late March, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Brownfield said the U.S. is close to signing bilateral military accords with two unspecified countries in Latin America. Brownfield did not specify whether military collaboration meant having troops on the ground or the provision of equipment and/or advisory services. But this is an important difference. In October … Read more

Laura Chinchilla, president-elect of Costa Rica, urged a quick return to the Organization of American States for Honduras, which was expelled following the June 2009 military ouster of Manuel Zelaya.  Chinchilla, who takes office on May 8, met with Honduran President Porfirio Lobo in Tegucigalpa on Monday during a three-day tour of Central America.  The … Read more

In preparation for today’s Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared it unacceptable that “some countries are allowed to be armed to the teeth while other are left unarmed.” The president also said in an interview with El País that he planned to ask tough questions about the new … Read more

President Sebastián Piñera’s recent appointment of Chilean scholar Leonidas Montes as the chairman on Televisión Nacional (the national TV network) generated strong criticism due to a possible conflict of interests. President Piñera is the owner of Chilevisión (Chile’s second-largest TV network) and has been reluctant to sell despite complaints coming from the opposition. Several opposition … Read more

When it comes to Latin America, the Obama administration’s change in tone from the early days of the last administration has been tremendously important. The emphasis on multilateralism has helped to salve long-standing wounds. The emphasis on broader social goals and the willingness to listen has echoed the growing demand to be listened to south … Read more

Renowned Mexican journalist and writer Alma Guillermoprieto warned that the paper editions of Latin American newspapers may soon disappear if they don’t adapt to new multimedia tools.  Guillermoprieto, who is headlining a journalism workshop in Guadalajara, Mexico, this week, predicted that newspapers will continue but “supported by platforms that right now we don’t even imagine … Read more

From the Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Sign up to receive the Weekly Roundup via email. Top U.S. Envoy Announces U.S.-Brazil Security Negotiations During a stop in Ecuador … Read more

President of Uruguay José Mujica met Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in the presidential palace this morning during his first official visit to Caracas. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro received Mujica on Tuesday afternoon. Luis Almagro, foreign minister of Uruguay, and Roberto Kreimerman, minister of industry, accompanied Mujica.  Almagro said the two leaders planned to discuss … Read more

It took the deaths of two American citizens and the husband of a diplomatic employee—all tied to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez—for the Obama administration to apparently take notice of Mexico’s drug problem. Still, it seems that even the rhetoric from Washington will limit itself as much as it can to address this crisis … Read more

Brazil’s government delayed the implementation of retaliatory tariffs on 102 U.S. goods until at least April 22, pending a revision of U.S. subsidies for cotton producers, the country’s foreign minister said Monday. The trade dispute started in 2002 when Brazil filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization claiming the subsidies gave U.S. producers an … Read more

Bolivian President Evo Morales’ Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party secured modest victories in yesterday’s regional elections and won control of at least five of Bolivia’s nine departments, according to exit polls. Although official results will not be released for nearly three weeks, candidates from the MAS party have reportedly won clear statistical majorities in the … Read more

As international dignitaries gathered in New York last week to announce their nation’s pledges to relief efforts in Haiti, this outpouring of support could not alleviate concerns that donors might be growing tired of giving to Haiti. With January’s earthquake now almost three months back in the rear-view mirror, an inevitable onset of donor fatigue … Read more