While some journalists reporting in Latin America face threats to personal security, others deal with official intimidation in what some warn could roll back hard-won press freedoms. But governments and journalists have also taken steps to ensure greater access to information.
The White House predicts little movement on comprehensive immigration reform before 2010. The ailing economy taking up much of the Obama administration’s time has shown its impact in immigration and remittances as well.
Police aren't the problem, they're the solution. They just need to be better paid and better trained.
Mauricio Funes took office this week in El Salvador, marking a historic power handover. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended, stressing the Obama administration's "new approach" to the Americas. At the OAS General Assembly in Honduras, the OAS chose to reverse a 1962 ruling that suspended Cuban membership.
After a divisive election, El Salvador's next president, Mauricio Funes, makes calls for unity and a moderate route to help shore up his country's economy at a time of global financial insecurity. But some raise concerns about which way he may find himself pulled by some members of his party.
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.
Robert Gates made his first trip to Latin America as U.S. defense secretary, beginning his five-country tour in El Salvador. The secretary's itinerary included stops in Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Suriname to focus on Washington's security ties in the region. A recent editorial co-authored by COA's Eric Farnsworth examines trade policy as a way to boost U.S.-Latin American relations.
