Leftist candidate Mauricio Funes won the March 15 election, unseating the ruling party by defeating Rodrigo Ávila at the polls. Ávila argued that Funes will mimic Venezuela's Chávez, but Funes said he looks to Brazil's Lula as an example.

A Colombian cross-border raid on a FARC camp in Ecuador broke down diplomatic relations between the Andean neighbors in March 2008. The two countries have yet to reconcile a year later. Still, their economic ties continue to grow and Bogota appears to have the FARC on the run.

After a year in office, Cuban President Raúl Castro shuffled top ministerial posts, raising questions about what the shakeup signals. The move comes as Washington ponders changes to its own Cuba policy.

Ecuador faces harsh economic indicators in 2009. Still, President Rafael Correa commands high approval ratings as the country prepares for April elections.

As violence related to organized crime takes its toll in Mexico, the debate deepens over hemispheric drug policy. Proposals on the table range from stepped-up security cooperation to drug decriminalization. Meanwhile, Washington announced widespread arrests of suspects linked to Mexican cartels.

During his first official international visit in Ottawa, President Obama struck a cordial tone on trade and announced a new environmental initiative on clean energy with Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper. Both leaders underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation to face the economic crisis.

Venezuelans gave President Chávez a token of trust on his government and allowed him to run for office in 2012. With renewed confidence, now Chávez must tackle a declining economy and rising insecurity.