Topic: Washington Office on Latin America
All Content
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Why Obama won't talk so much about drug war on Mexico trip (+video)
Presidents Obama and Enrique Peña Nieto have reasons to change the US-Mexico narrative in meetings Thursday, but 'both countries are still very interested' in the drug war.
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Guatemalan court faces calls to halt former dictator's genocide trial
As a verdict in Ríos Montt's trial nears, some – including the president – deny the alleged 1980s genocide took place and warn that a guilty verdict could throw Guatemala into chaos.
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Focus Why combat role for US women could reverberate worldwide
In many countries, women have historically served in combat when demographics demanded it. But the US move is based on equal opportunity for women – and could become a model for others.
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Chávez's inauguration in Venezuela postponed. Is that legal? (+video)
Venezuela has been thrown into uncertainty over who should become president tomorrow, what the Constitution dictates, and what is against the law.
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Latin America Monitor Is Latin America punishing nonviolent drug offenders too harshly?
A new report reveals that punishments in Latin America for drug-related crimes – cultivation, use, or trafficking – have become as severe as those for violent offenses.
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How will the FARC-Colombia peace talks impact Latin America?
Ridding Latin America of the FARC could mean a better business climate, reduced tensions between Colombia and its neighbors, and space for the rise of a new left in Colombia.
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Latin American nations push UN to drop zero tolerance on drugs
Former and sitting Latin American presidents have issued calls against the status quo on drug policy, but Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala's petition to the UN could push the drug war debate to a new level.
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Latin America Monitor Bolivia cuts coca cultivation: What about cocaine?
The United Nations released a report on coca cultivation in Bolivia today showing it has decreased for the first time since 2005. But estimates of cocaine production raise questions.
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Latin America Monitor Venezuela: Can calls for gun control trump election year divides?
Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world, and illegal firearms are prevalent. More than 130,000 illegal arms were turned into the state last year as part of a pilot disarmament program.
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Cover Story How Latin America is reinventing the war on drugs
Frustrated with US dictates, countries across the region are floating new ideas to curb drug trafficking, from 'soft' enforcement to legalization.
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In returning PRI to power, Mexicans put faith in young democracy (+video)
Enrique Peña Nieto won Sunday's presidential vote, returning the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, to office. Mexicans are betting their democracy is strong enough to warrant giving the once-authoritarian party another chance.
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Does Paraguay risk pariah status with president's ouster?
Ousted president Fernando Lugo denounced his removal as a 'parliamentary coup,' and hinted that domestic and international pressure could reverse his impeachment.
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At US border, era of fence-building, manpower 'surge' at an end
A strategy shift is under way at the US border patrol, with intelligence and risk to national security taking priority over adding more fences and additional manpower. Why the change?
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Latin American police get 'citizen friendly' to fight bad reputation
Latin American police, seen by many in the region as part of the problem rather than the solution to crime, are trying to boost their involvement in and response to their communities.
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US boosts funds to fight Central American drug crime
But even with more money, Central American countries still face an uphill battle in fighting inefficiency and corruption that hinder their anticrime efforts.
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Kofi Annan, George Shultz say drug war a failure
A new report calls the 'war on drugs' a failure. The claim isn't new, but hearing it from an ex-UN head and a former US secretary of State adds new weight to the criticism.
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The battle to become Peru's next president
Analysts predict a tight June 5 runoff after this weekend's presidential vote. Left-wing candidate Ollanta Humala is expected to face Congresswoman Keiko Fujimori, daughter of the imprisoned former president Alberto Fujimori.
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UN questions Mexican Army's role in drug war
A United Nations report calls on the Mexican government to consider withdrawing the military from the streets amid a spike in human rights complaints.
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Arrest of Guatemala's No. 1 drug-trafficking suspect shows growing US role in region
US and Guatemalan forces Wednesday arrested Juan Ortiz Lopez, known as "Chamale,” a week after President Obama pledged $200 million to combat drug trafficking in the region.
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Deadly Chile prison fire puts heat on Latin America's crowded jails
The Chile fire, started by rioting prisoners, has drawn fresh attention to the poor conditions, lack of guards, and gang violence rampant in Latin American jails.
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David Hartley and Lake Falcon: symbols of Mexico's ineffective judiciary, police
To many it comes as little surprise that Mexican authorities have yet to recover the body of American tourist David Hartley, allegedly shot by Mexican 'pirates' on Falcon Lake.
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Colombia offers clues for solution to Mexico drug war
The Mexico drug war is pushing officials to take heed of Colombia, which made progress with social welfare programs and acknowledgment that force alone doesn't work.
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Ciudad Juárez killings focus US-Mexico meeting on security
The US delegation for meetings in Mexico Tuesday is dominated by security officials – an indication of how relations between the two countries are changing, especially given the recent Ciudad Juárez killings.
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UN: Latin America undermining drug war by decriminalizing drugs
The UN, in its annual report released today, said Latin America is undermining the drug war by decriminalizing small amounts of drugs.
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US and Colombia sign accord for US to access military bases
Critics of Colombia President Álvaro Uribe's decision to sign the accord say it is 'unbalanced' for Colombia. Far-left and moderate leaders alike have expressed concerns about an increasing US presence in the region.
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