A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claims that Latin American economic growth over the past few years should last longer than previous periods of growth. “The region has made important strides in addressing the roots of macroeconomic stability and still faces a relatively favorable environment for making further progress,” according to the author of the IMF report that was released on Wednesday. 
Central American leaders signed a declaration promising better regional cooperation at the conclusion of this week’s summit amongst delegates from the region. The declaration laid out plans for better border control and creating a common customs system for 
President Michelle Bachelet declared a state of emergency for areas of central 
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in favor of 
-On Tuesday the Venezuelan government paid off 70% of a near quarter billion dollar debt it had with the World Bank. However, that payment may be cancelled out by new loans from the World Bank. -Gasoline company Citgo, which is owned entirely by the Venezuelan government, will stop distributing gasoline to 1800 independently-owned
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-“Long live Fidel!” declared president Chavez as he rejected a Bush administration report that accused Venezuela of helping fund Cuba’s desire to open politically. The report was released on Monday and also called for the
-As a guest to the African Union summit earlier this week in
Former Colombian president Andres Pastrana (image) resigned as ambassador to the 
Support for Brazil's president (left image) has slipped a few points due to attack ads from the opposition though Lula leads his nearest rival by about 17%. A slight majority of those polled would reelect Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez though
approximately 1 out of 3 people would opt for an opposition candidate. Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega (right image) leads a pack of candidates for 
A report from a 
Human rights group Amnesty International (AI) reported Monday that hundreds of women are dying in 
More Mexicans sought political asylum into 
-Colombian rock band Aterciopelados (left image) have been touring the U.S. and are soon going to release their first album in five years with guest vocals from Spain’s Alex Ubago and Mexico’s Julieta Venegas. -Mexican rockeros Mana released the first single from their upcoming album last Monday. The song, entitled “Labios Compartidos” comes from the album “Amor en Combatir” which will hit stores in late August.
-Juanes will be taking a year-long break from touring and traveling in order to “devote more time to my family…and to work more” for his charity.
-Banda and mariachi singer-songwriter Jenni Rivera admitted to flirting with the notion o
f releasing songs in English even if it means alienating her core audience.
-The Miami Herald slammed the “mechanical pop fodder” and “predictable” dance moves of bubblegum pop sensation RBD (right image), though the article acknowledged the group’s huge music sales. (Compare that article to this one from
-“Nelly Furtado…apparently has traded her cute cred for something more primal so she can instigate her skank standoff with (Shakira) the Colombian sexpot… Furtado can't hold a lighter to Shakira in that world”. Ouch!
music, latin america
Caribbean Community leaders admitted that they will back 
Mexican president-elect Felipe Calderon denounced plans by the U.S. government to erect a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, much to the chagrin of the Bush administration. In response, White House spokesman Tony Snow deemed Calderon as having "no authority over U.S. government activities." (Link in Spanish).
The answer is “yes” according to this analysis from Reuters based on the results of recent presidential elections in Meanwhile, Newsweek International takes into account that the Latin American political left is not the misrepresentative monolith the Reuters article said. Furthermore, the Newsweek International article would seem to answer the abovementioned question by saying that there is no “pink revolution”; rather, moderates on the left and right are in power instead of those on the extremes. Inasmuch as there are sharp class divisions based on “how unevenly the benefits of economic liberalization have been distributed”, political consensus has been reached in many countries.
Then again there is the conclusion that my colleague Taylor Kirk surmised in a post from last November- the “pink revolution” is a media-constructed phenomenon that oversimplifies a complex political picture.
So what do you think?
(More information on Latin America's shift to the political left can be read in this post.)
According to study from a Chilean group specializing in children, 18% of kids in that country suffer from obesity, which will make it very difficult for government plans to reduce childhood obesity levels to 12% by 2010. This is a problem not only found in children as demonstrated by 
Columnist Andres Oppenheimer gives his five lessons from last week’s Mexican presidential elections including the need for a runoff vote and the possibility of 
Yesterday, Colombian Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya (image)announced that he will participate in NASCAR next year, which would lend international appeal to an auto circuit that has boomed in popularity in the U.S. over the past decade. Montoya will become the NASCAR Nextel Cup’s only foreign born and non-white regular driver. 
A Bush administration report on how to deal with regime change in 
Monday July 3: -Mexican electoral officials cannot declare an official winner of the previous day’s presidential elections.
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-Supporters of Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador demand a hand recount instead of a ballot-by-ballot recount.
-Peruvian president-elect Alan Garcia said that the Andean Community will continue to be a strong trading bloc in spite of
-A multi-million dollar power project was inaugurated as part of the start to a Central American summit.
-A human rights report on
-Simple recount of votes for
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-Ex- Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet questioned by prosecuters in the case of the daughter of a union leader killed during his time in power.
-U.S. Department of State softens its travel warning for
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-Over 100,000 people protest in
-A Cuban migrant dies during a high-speed chase with a
-Ex-president of
-Argentine referee oversees World Cup final match between