Brazil: Rousseff’s uphill battle
At the beginning of this month Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff won the second round of presidential elections by a narrow margin of 51.6% over her main rival Aécio Neves, who…
October 2014
Mexico: Iguala kidnapping threatens the ‘Mexican moment’
The disappearance of forty-three students in Mexico has brought attention to an ugly aspect of the country which President Enrique Peña Nieto has tried to hide beneath his program of…
Venezuela: Oil Crisis Plunges to New Depths
Venezuela’s fortuitous natural oil reserves have long provided the financial resources to fund the Bolivarian revolution led by the PSUV. However, with a steep economic crisis already crippling the nation,…
CHILE: Arrest of ex-military Pinochet aide Col. Cristián Labbé
Arrest, incarceration and bail of ex-military leader Colonel Labbé; part of ongoing human rights violation investigation; lifting the immunity of the military over crimes and abuse inflicted during Pinochet’s regime….
Ecuador: Human Rights Watch report claims police brutality at student protest
Human Rights Watch report claims police brutality at student protest; Family members protest outside Mejía College; Ecuador-Peru relations to be strengthened at presidential meeting Human Rights Watch report claims police brutality at…
Uruguay: Mujica to pass the baton
There may not be a seismic shift, but change is coming to Uruguayan politics. On 26 October 2014 Uruguayans will go to the polls to elect a new president. Because…
Guatemala: Central Bank forecasts uptick in remittances
Central Bank forecasts uptick in remittances; Guatemala’s PNC ranks grow; India and Guatemala negotiate closer bilateral relations Central Bank forecasts uptick in remittances Guatemala’s Central Bank (Banco de Guatemala –…
Review of Acclaimed Brazilian film The Way He Looks
The Way He Looks (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho – ‘Today I want to return alone’) is a heart-warming coming-of-age story revolving around the trials and joys of Leonardo (Ghilherme…
Ecuador: Correa will run in 2017 elections if pressured by opposition
Correa will run in 2017 elections if pressured by opposition; Doubts over Quito’s plans for metro; Lonesome George to return home Correa will run in 2017 elections if pressured…
Feature: Can we learn from Morales?
Last Sunday, 12 October, saw Evo Morales and his party Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement for Socialism - MAS) claim a victory of 60.9% in the Bolivian presidential elections. Leftist leaders…
BBC Top Gear Argentina Scandal: the lack of historical knowledge and the defence of ignorance are most damning
The BBC’s flagship magazine programme Top Gear was embroiled in further scandal over the weekend following a number plate used for filming in Argentine Patagonia. The programme-makers have denied trying…
CHILE: Miners’ four-year anniversary of triumphant escape
CHILE: Miners’ four-year anniversary of triumphant escape Monday, 13th October 2014, marks exactly four years to the day “Los 33” (the 33 Chilean miners) were rescued from 700 metres underground, in…
Feature: Manuel Puig and the power of the ‘cursi’
The Argentine writer Juan Manuel Puig Delledonne (commonly known as Manuel Puig) was born in General Villegas, Argentina, on 28 December 1932. He emigrated to Buenos Aires for secondary…
Venezuela: Lawmaker’s death stirs Colombian tension
Venezuelan politician, Robert Serra - who rose through the ranks of the Partido Socialista de Venezuela and was considered a rising star of Chavismo’s future - has been found dead…
Ecuador: Judge sentences the Mejía College 60
Judge sentences the Mejía College 60; Amazon may see increase in income from oil industry; Date set for inauguration of new Unasur headquarters Sentencing of the Mejía College 60 On…
El Salvador: Rampant extortion goes unreported
Rampant extortion goes unreported; Sánchez Cerén ranks low among regional leaders; Private sector demands greater role in policy making Rampant extortion goes unreported Between January 2013 and August 2014, extortion…
China/Latin America: China now primary supplier of Bolivia’s imports
China now primary supplier of Bolivia’s imports; Chinese Foreign Minister visits Mexico; First shipment of Uruguayan cattle heads for China
Brazilian election preview: candidates and outcomes
The three key candidates in the Brazilian elections all have a great narrative behind them. The incumbent, President Dilma Rousseff, is a former guerrilla leader against the military dictatorship, and…
Feature: Is quinoa really the new cocaine in Bolivia?
For a few years now there have been concerns in Europe and North America about how the increase in demand for quinoa has affected producers and consumers in the Andean…