American Border Law Enforcement Uses More Military Equipment

New surveillance equipment and weapons being deployed along the U.S. border with Mexico are prompting some Mexicans to complain that U.S. law enforcement is becoming too military

2012 Anything But Boring in the Americas

Every year brings about changes, but 2012 is likely to be an especially eventful one in the Americas: there will be elections in the United States, Mexico and Venezuela, as well as other news events that could change the political map

Latin America Still Growing, But Economic Fiesta Is Over

A key United Nations think tank that has been very bullish about Latin America in recent years is sounding a little less optimistic about the region's economies for 2012

Latin America May Split into Pacific and Atlantic Blocs

President Obama's announcement that he will seek to create what may be the world's largest trading bloc along the Pacific rim raises an interesting question in this part of the world: whether we will see a de facto split of Latin America into a Pacific and Atlantic bloc

Anonymous vs. Zetas Amid Mexico's Cartel Violence

The online activist collective Anonymous posted a message on the Internet saying it would continue its campaign against Mexican criminal cartels and their government supporters despite the risks

Condoleezza Rice Book Shows 'Inattention' to Latin America

Condoleezza Rice, whose boss President George W. Bush vowed during the 2000 campaign to make Latin America a 'fundamental commitment' of his presidency, devotes only two of the 58 chapters of her memoir 'No Higher Honor' to the region. That's about 15 pages of the 766-page book, plus a few sporadic references here and there

Mexicans Complain About Secret U.S. Infiltration of Drug Cartels

Mexican government officials are again concerned that U.S. law enforcement agencies might have trampled their sovereignty by infiltrating drug cartels

Families of Illegal Immigrants Search for Lost Relatives in Mexico

A caravan of private vehicles carrying Central Americans is traveling through Mexico searching for their relatives who disappeared while headed toward an illegal entry into the United States

Islamic Plot to Bomb U.S. Embassy Reported in Mexico

An Islamic terrorist tried to detonate explosives to destroy the American embassy in Mexico City last year, according to Mexican media reports this week

Rick Perry Proposal of American Troops in Mexico Stirs Criticism

Presidential candidate Rick Perry is stirring up a firestorm of controversy in Latin America with his recent comment that if he is elected next year he would consider sending American troops into Mexico to fight drug cartels

GOP Candidates Look at Narco-Terrorism Risks

Drug cartels are trying to overcome resistance to their U.S. distribution networks through 'narco-terrorism,' according to the 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates

Americas to Become Mecca of World's Energy

The turmoil for reform sweeping most Middle Eastern oil producers is grabbing big headlines today, but that region may lose some of its economic clout in the future: there are signs that the Americas will replace the Middle East as the world's biggest oil-producing region

Democratic Speed Bumps in Latin America

Attitudes toward democracy are on the decline in Latin America, and U.S. foreign policy isn't helping

Latin America is Beating Poverty -- Sort Of

A new United Nations report has good news for Latin America: it says that poverty levels in the region have dropped to their lowest levels in 20 years. But are the U.N. figures about Latin America as great as they sound?

Gingrich Brings Common Sense to Immigration Debate

Finally, there is a voice of reason on immigration among the front-runners for the Republican nomination, who until recently seemed to be competing with one another to see who could take the craziest stand against Hispanic immigrants

Mexico Seeks to Extradite Americans Linked to 'Operation Fast And Furious'

Mexico's attorney general moved into a political hot seat by asking the U.S. government to extradite six American citizens suspected of smuggling guns during Operation Fast and Furious

Redeployment of Mexican Soldiers to Urban Areas Boosting Illegal Drug Production

Domestic production of marijuana and opium poppy in Mexico are at high levels because of the deployment by the government of soldiers to urban areas to fight criminal gangs

A Way Out of Mexico's Morass

Rethinking Mexico's relationship with the United States is an urgent priority, according to leading Mexican politician Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

NAFTA Is Starving Mexico

Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) became the law of the land, millions of Mexicans have joined the ranks of the hungry. Malnutrition is highest among the country's farm families, who used to produce enough food to feed the nation

Mexico's President Disillusioned by Record U.S. Deportation Rate

American Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials celebrated but Mexican politicians are fuming after the latest U.S. deportation figures were announced

Latin Universities Index Doesn't Tell Full Story

A new ranking of Latin America's best universities shows that Brazil is way ahead of the pack, with the No. 1 school and 65 of the best 200 in the region. It suggests that Brazil may become 'the next university superpower'

Mexico: Death by Social Media

The recent torture and murder of two Mexican bloggers after anonymous posts on anti-crime blogs has shocked the country’s internet community. But even more worrisome is how little elected leaders understand the importance of social media, in a country where criminals and citizens alike rely on it as an essential platform for communication

Obama's U.N. Omission: The War Next Door

While virtually all headlines from the United Nations General Assembly in New York focused on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, there is another conflict that is going almost unnoticed despite the fact that it is causing many more deaths: the drug-related wars in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America

Central American Migrants in Mexico

Every year, 500,000 Central Americans pass through Mexico on an invariably dangerous journey to the United States in search of better opportunities, but it is unknown how many reach their intended destination. Migrants are regularly treated as second-class citizens during their journey and many fall victim to the violence of criminal gangs

Latin American Politicians Renew Suggestions to Legalize Drugs

The president of Colombia and Mexico's former foreign minister suggested that legalizing some recreational drugs might be the only way to stop the violence and smuggling associated with drug cartels

The Mexican Drug Cartel Threat in Central America

Central America is experiencing increasing levels of crime and the prospect of heightened competition from Mexican drug cartels in its territory. The institutional weakness and security vulnerabilities of Guatemala and other Central American states mean that combating these trends will require significant help, most likely from the United States

A Call for an Enlightened Foreign Policy toward Latin America

With a little under a year remaining until the next U.S. presidential election, a coherent and sustainable area policy toward Latin America remains absent from the campaign literature and both parties' electoral strategies

Never-Ending Drug War Moves to Central America

While Mexico's bloody war against the drug cartels is making headlines worldwide, there is a little-known fact that is sounding alarm bells among U.S. and Latin American officials: Central America's drug-related violence is far worse than Mexico's

Learning From Mexico's Coalition Debate

A group of 46 high-profile Mexican politicians and academics from across the ideological spectrum shook this country recently with a daring proposal to end Mexico's political gridlock: forcing whomever is elected president in 2012 to form a coalition government

GOP Uses Border Fence as Immigration Distraction for 2012

In GOP primary politics, the U.S.- Mexico border fence is an immigration litmus test, but an apparently unhelpful one. Nevertheless, some 2012 candidates continue to find political capital in touting the fence

The Conservative Case Against a Border Fence

A fence along the U.S. border with Mexico illustrates a lack of understanding of the logistics and costs, the historical motivations driving U.S. immigration, and ignores a profound systemic change that must be achieved in order to address illegal immigration problems in a sustainable and cost efficient manner

Mexican Constitution Now Recognizes Right to Food

For more than fifteen years, Mexico's lawmakers -- absurdly -- seemed to prefer to abolish the desire to eat rather than comply with international agreements on human rights signed by Mexico regarding the recognition of the right to food

Mexican Cartels and Pan American Games: A Threat Assessment

The preparations for the Pan American Games included more than just addressing infrastructure concerns. Due to the crime environment in Mexico, security is also a very real concern for the athletes, sponsors and spectators who will visit Guadalajara during the games

Other Leaders Should Copy Brazil's Anti-graft Measures

I read a press report that Brazil's tourism minister was illegally using a government driver as his wife's private chauffeur. By the time I arrived in Brasilia seven hours later, the minister had already been sacked. What a difference with what is happening in many other Latin American countries

State Department Answers Criticism Of Mexico Policy

The U.S. State Department is trying to smooth over relations with Mexico after a congressman implied the Mexican government is losing control over its own country

The Drug War Spreads the Bloodbath South

It's time to re-cast U.S. drug policy in Mexico and Guatemala and stop supporting killing methods that end up aiding drug traffickers

Drug War Madness

Forty years after the war on drugs began the fallout from bad policy has had dire consequences throughout the Americas

Ex-Border Security Chief Calls Fence a Dumb Idea

Fencing off the entire U.S.-Mexico border was one of the 'dumbest' ideas former Customs and Border Protection Commissioner W. Ralph Basham was presented with during his tenure

Mexico and the United States: Surgical Strikes in the Drug Wars

Current policies, clearly, have unsatisfactory results. But what is to replace them? Neither of the standard alternatives -- a more vigorous pursuit of current antidrug efforts or a system of legal availability for currently proscribed drugs -- offers much hope. Instead, it is time for Mexico and the United States to consider a set of less conventional approaches

Deadlier American Guns Raise Death Toll in Mexico

As the number of violent deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border continues to climb, a new report reveals a chilling trend: U.S. gun manufacturers, faced with declining sales, are increasingly selling high-powered military-style firearms to civilians

Mexico Is Not Condemned to Failure

There is some truth to the fact that there is a Latin American individualist trait in all countries, but the Mexican case is exceptionally acute,

Protective Intelligence Lessons from an Ambush in Mexico

On the afternoon of May 27, a convoy transporting a large number of heavily armed gunmen was ambushed on Mexican Highway 15 near Ruiz, Nayarit state, on Mexico's Pacific coast. When authorities responded they found 28 dead gunmen and another four wounded, one of whom would later die, bringing the death toll to 29. This is a significant number of dead for one incident, even in Mexico

Corruption: Why Texas Is Not Mexico

As one studies Mexico's cartel war, it is not uncommon to hear Mexican politicians — and some people in the United States — claim that Mexico's problems of violence and corruption stem largely from the country's proximity to the United States. According to this narrative, the countries positioned between the source countries and the U.S., are trapped in a very bad position

Ongoing Conflicts You May Not Be Paying Attention To But Should

The world has been captivated by the drama unfolding in the aftermaths of uprisings in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt, the so-called Arab Spring. But that doesn't mean the killings have stopped elsewhere, nor the challenges and dangers for the United States. Here are three major conflicts that could pop up on the front pages or TV screens any day

Mexico Needs U.S. Help But Not Troops

The escalation of drug-related violence in Mexico -- including the mass execution of 72 migrants -- is moving a small but growing number of U.S. foreign policy hawks to call for a radical solution: send in the U.S. Army

Pro-Arizona Immigration Rhetoric Will Haunt Republicans

Republican Party candidates who won recent primary elections have gone so far to the right on the immigration issue, that they may have shot themselves in the foot. Look at what happened in Florida and Arizona, the two states with heavy Hispanic populations

Has the Time Come to Legalize Drugs?

Legalization of drugs -- long an issue championed mainly by fringe groups -- is rapidly moving to the mainstream in Latin America. A recent surprise statement by former Mexican President Vicente Fox in support of 'legalizing production, sales and distribution' of drugs made big headlines around the world

Politics Not Economics Sinking Mexico

Everything that could possibly go wrong seems to be going wrong for Mexico, Latin America's worst performing economy this year. But a new government idea could put this country back on the road to prosperity for decades to come -- if government officials really are serious about it.

Another Swine-Flu Casualty: Good Journalism

The swine flu outbreak that has wrecked Mexico's economy may become a case study in reckless journalism. Like most of you, I had taken it for granted that the disease had started in Mexico.

There's Hope for Mexico and Central America

The conventional wisdom says that the U.S. economic slowdown will be devastating for Mexico and Central America because of their excessive dependence on the United States. But the conventional wisdom may be wrong

Latin America's Security Dilemma

Across Latin America, governments are hailing security gains against organized criminal groups. Yet in spite of more arrests, criminal networks are stronger and criminality just as pervasive, suggesting that another reality lies behind the numbers.

Democracy in Mexico: The Past, Present, and Future

Although the 1917 Mexican constitution called for democratic institutions, the actual implementation of democratic practices only began about a decade ago. Democracy really began to burgeon when the PRI, the party that once single-handedly ruled the nation, was ousted from the presidency in 2000 by the PAN

Mexican President Congratulates Troops for Huge Marijuana Discovery

Mexico's president congratulated his military leaders for finding what appears to be the largest marijuana field in the country's history

Mexico Roars Past United States For Second Straight Gold Cup Title

Pablo Barrera drilled two crucial goals as Mexico captured their second straight CONCACAF Gold Cup title with a come-from-behind 4-2 win over team USA at the jam-packed Rose Bowl. Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan scored for the United States

Obama's Biggest Challenge -- Central America

The country that received the most attention during President Barack Obama's visit to Latin America -- other than Libya -- was Brazil, but the place where he will probably have the biggest, and most needed, impact will be Central America

Mexico: Cracking Down

Over the last four years, Mexicans have learnt that waging a war against organised crime not only takes a toll on human life at home, but also impacts on the complex and sometimes ambivalent relationship with their northern neighbour.

The Slow Decline of North America

Almost two decades after the 1994 free-trade agreement among the United States, Mexico and Canada, the idea of North American integration is losing steam. China has overtaken Mexico as the second-largest U.S. trading partner, and trade between the three North American countries is diminishing as a percentage of their total trade

Mexico's Gun Supply and the 90 Percent Myth

It is a common claim that almost all the weapons used by Mexican drug cartels come from the United States, but the numbers don't add up.

The New Cocaine Cowboys

In the last two decades, Mexican drug cartels have acquired unprecedented power to corrupt and intimidate. Three factors account for their rise: preexisting corruption, the inability of weak law enforcement institutions to counter them, and the demand for illegal drugs in the United States.

Mexico has its own 'Arizona' problem

One of the most frequent arguments of supporters of Arizona's anti-immigration law is that it doesn't do anything different than what Mexico does with undocumented Central American migrants, or what most Latin American countries do with their own illegal immigrants. It's a powerful argument, and partially true.

Obama Criticism of Arizona Immigration Law Ignores Federal Incompetence

Not so fast, Mr. President. I'm not saying I support the Arizona immigration legislation, but I have two points to make about President Obama's claim that federal legislation is needed and that Arizona's bill is misguided

Latin American Economy Will Do Well, but Not Great

The news that Brazil and Mexico have come out of the recession and are poised for solid growth in 2010 should be celebrated, and both countries' leaders should be given credit for their sound economic management. But in the global economic context, the two Latin American giants' recovery will be modest.

The Real War in Mexico

Mexico is engulfed by escalating violence. The question is not whether the Mexican state will fail. It will not. The actual risk of the violence today is that it will undermine democracy tomorrow.

Most Illegal Immigrants Come From Mexico

A new congressional report sure to stir up the heated immigration debate finds that about 1 in 4 foreigners in America are here illegally and that 62 percent of them come from Mexico through America's most porous border

Confusing Reports of a Battle in Matamoros

Details of the confirmed firefight remain unclear, but from all indications, a large movement of Zeta forces into a Gulf stronghold did occur, and it suggests a heightened operational tempo in the war between these two cartels. In the coming months, this increasing violence is likely to continue in Gulf-held Reynosa and Zeta-held Monterrey as well as Matamoros

Implications of El Chango's Arrest

To understand what the arrest of El Chango -- the leader of one of the factions of the La Familia Michoacana cartel -- means, we have to really go back and look at the flow, or really the context, of what has been happening with the Mexican cartels over the last year

Former Mexican Attorney General Suspected of Helping Drug Cartels

Former Mexican Attorney General Arturo Chavez Chavez is suspected by the U.S. government of having assisted drug cartels to hide their illegal activities, according to recent Wikileaks reports

New Mexican President, Same Cartel War?

In any democratic election, opposition parties always criticize the policies of the incumbent. This tactic is especially true when the country is involved in a long and costly war. This strategy is what we are seeing now in Mexico with the opposition parties criticizing the way the Calderon administration has prosecuted its war against the Mexican drug cartels

How Will Mexico Escape Its Season in Hell?

A scary new reality arrived with the long Christmas season in Mexico. This year, the Mexican government put out stark warnings to such merry travelers. Travel in convoys, in daylight and if possible, contact federal authorities for a military escort through the portions of Mexico where the drug cartel violence has been particularly gruesome

Latin American Leaders Could Have Learned From South Korea

When the presidents of Brazil, Mexico and Argentina attended the G-20 meeting of the world's biggest economies in South Korea, they should have taken some time off from the conference to take a look at the host country. They could have learned why South Korea has done so much better than their own nations

Stoned on Righteousness

If Californians legalize marijuana on Nov. 2, maybe Mexico will end its horrific drug war. The 'war on drugs,' like the war on terror, is a simplistic and brutally stupid solution imposed on a complex, multifaceted human problem, born out of the notion that you can take evil out of context and eradicate it with the firepower of righteousness

Obama Could Help Stop Mexico's Bloodshed

Mexico's drug cartels have become well-equipped armies thanks to a flood of semi-automatic U.S. weapons, which have been easier to get since the U.S. government allowed a 10-year ban on sales of assault weapons to expire. Does Mexico have a point in blaming Washington for part of its bloodshed? Or is it conveniently passing on the blame to the United States for its own drug violence?

Mexico's Big Hope: Get 5 Million U.S. Retirees

Mexico is silently working on proposals aimed at drawing millions of U.S. retirees to this country, which could eventually lead to the most ambitious U.S. - Mexican project since the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

Mexico Facing Six Wars Not Just One

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to Mexico drew a lot of media attention to the bloody U.S.-backed war on the drug cartels along the border. But Mexico is facing five other wars that nobody is talking about, and that may pose even bigger threats than the drug lords.

Mexican Violence Rising but Less Than in Washington

A dispassionate look at Mexico's murder rates shows that some parts of the country are indeed dangerous, but the country as a whole is safer than what the latest headlines suggest.

Street Blockades Breed 'Anything-Goes' Culture

The street blockades that almost paralyzed Mexico City and Buenos Aires in recent days, interrupting traffic and keeping millions of people from going to work, are becoming a major economic problem. But their invisible costs may be larger than their immediate monetary impact