News & Analysis

Honduras found itself caught in an political stalemate after the June 28 overthrow of Manuel Zelaya. Explore a timeline of key dates in the months-long crisis.

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo reshuffled his country's top military commanders last week, sparking concerns about whether he has a secure hold on his post. The former priest faces a challenge from the opposition-controlled legislature and a string of paternity suits.

Deposed leader Manuel Zelaya declared a U.S.-brokered accord “dead” after the de facto government announced a cabinet and declared the provisions of the deal accomplished. The latest events place Washington at the center of the long-running crisis.

Over the past few years, abortion laws have changed significantly in several Latin American countries as governments respond both to the high number of unsafe procedures and demands for greater restrictions by the Catholic Church.

"Allowing a government that came to power through unconstitutional means to ride out an interim period to the next election and then transfer power would set a perilous precedent," write AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini and AQ blogger Daniel Altschuler. "The [power sharing] deal struck last week offers a responsible, democratic exit from the four-month political crisis in Honduras."

The country's Senate voted out Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis on October 30. The news was met with relative calm in Haiti and President René Préval quickly named a replacement, but some worry the prime minister's dismissal could raise concerns of instability at a time of optimism about the country's fate.

Three months after the coup the Hondruan crisis appears to be peacefully resolved, but the pro-Zelaya Resistencia was not a factor in the compromise.

Latin America largely lacks policies that promote investment in alternative energy. Writing in Perspectiva, AS/COA's Mateo Samper highlights successful initiatives in the region that offer models for supporting renewable energy on a wider scale. (en español)

In the latest issue of Poder, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth reflects on U.S-Latin American relations since the 1989 invasion of Panama. “The United States has the right to expect others to hold up their end of the bargain,” he writes, saying the Obama administration’s move toward a cooperative approach deserves Latin American reciprocity.

This working paper explores energy and climate issues in Brazil and elaborates on recommendations regarding biofuels, the country's environmental profile, and prospects for a U.S.-Brazilian energy partnership.

With a U.S. delegation in Tegucigalpa to help resolve Honduras’ ongoing political stalemate, negotiators reached a power-sharing agreement late last week. The deal could resolve the dilemma over deposed leader Manuel Zelaya's reinstatement and pave the way for international recognition in upcoming elections.

The candidate from the governing party, José Mujica, is likely to win in the second round of Uruguay’s presidential voting on November 29 even though his party, the Frente Amplio, has seen a mild drop in support in recent years.

Colombia's Defense Minister Gabriel Silva indicated that a pending U.S.-Colombian military deal could be signed this week. The pact allows U.S. military troops access to seven bases in Colombia and has drawn concern from some South American countries, particularly neighboring Venezuela.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a major bust of over 300 people linked to La Familia, a violent Mexican drug cartel. The crackdown involved massive drug seizures and spanned 19 states.

The media landscape in Latin America is changing dramatically as countries pass, apply, and repeal media laws.

By 2050, Hispanics will account for 30 percent of the U.S. population, making their integration a top policy priority.

Uruguay is slated to hold a November 29 runoff election after no candidate pulled in more than 50 percent of the vote on Sunday. Former guerilla leader José Mujica of the governing party appears well-placed for victory in the next round but he could face a challenge if his opponents form a coalition.

Every ten years the Census attempts to provide a demographic snapshot, but some people are undoubtedly uncounted, miscounted, or overlooked, writes Carlos Yescas, author of Indigenous Routes: A Framework for Understanding Indigenous Migration.

Negotiators for deposed Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya and the interim government continue the slow march toward ending the political standoff. The two sides have exchanged proposals to resolve the sticky question of Zelaya's return to power. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking down to November presidential elections.

Leaders from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas met October 16 and 17 in Cochabamba, where they charted a course for implementing a virtual currency that could replace the dollar in commercial transactions. ALBA also imposed a blockade on Honduras.