Latin America

Woman prepare food for orixas in the kitchen of the Candomblé temple. The priest and the people dressed as the spirits pass through to enter the main room for the ceremony.

Brazilian Believers Of Hidden Religion Step Out Of Shadows

5:45pm October 09, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion, has been widely practiced by people of African descent in Brazil but mostly in secret — until now. After centuries of slavery and discrimination, Brazil's Afro-Brazilian community is proudly celebrating its African roots.

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Maria Carlotta Santa Maria is a single mother in Mexico and is the sole wage earner in her household. Women like her are becoming more common there, and the stigma once associated with having children out of wedlock is fading.

World News

As Stigma Eases, Single Motherhood In Mexico Is On The Rise

7:25pm October 07, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

Single moms have faced a tough time in Mexico for generations. But as in the U.S., the number of households headed by a woman has been rising, and now accounts for a quarter of all families in Mexico.

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Dressed in the black and neon orange colors of the new transit police, these women are slated to replace a force of notoriously corrupt traffic cops in Mexico State.

World News

Mexican State's Anti-Corruption Plan: Hire Female Traffic Cops

7:25pm October 07, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

In the central State of Mexico, authorities are trying a new approach to fight corruption: replacing notoriously crooked male traffic cops with women. But the state hasn't authorized the female force to issue tickets yet, and some question whether women will avoid bribery any more than men.

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Trade Dispute With Mexico Over 'Dolphin-Safe' Tuna Heats Up

11:38am October 04, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

The fight over Mexican tuna, and whether it is truly fished using dolphin safe practices, rages on. Mexico recently won a two decade long fight to get its tuna labeled dolphin safe. The WTO this month ruled in its favor. But the U.S. still refuses to allow Mexican tuna with a dolphin safe label on store shelves. Mexico says it's had enough and is preparing to retaliate with trade sanctions on U.S. imports. Ensenada, Baja California, was once the thriving heart of the Mexican tuna industry.

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Cuban Athletes Can Finally Go Pro (Outside Of Cuba)

5:17pm September 27, 2013

For the first time in over 50 years, Cuba is letting its athletes sign professional contracts in other countries. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis talks to Robert Siegel about the historic announcement.

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The wild population of the golden lion tamarin, which lives only in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, fell to just 200 in the 1970s. Conservationists have helped the species rebound, but the monkeys are still at risk as development encroaches on their remaining h

Beloved Brazilian Monkey Clings To A Shrinking Forest

11:15am September 20, 2013

by NPR Staff

Brazil's Atlantic Forest, home to the golden lion tamarin, was once a massive ecosystem stretching along the Brazilian coast. But centuries of human activity have encroached upon the forest, leaving the future of this tiny, lion-maned monkey in doubt.

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The Brazilian city of Olinda has a novel approach to taming its ever-growing traffic problem: traffic clowns known as palhacos.

World News

Brazil's Traffic Is A Circus, So Send In The Clowns

8:01pm September 18, 2013

by NPR Staff

The northeastern city of Olinda is trying to tame its chaotic roads with "traffic clowns," who hit the streets in full costume, encouraging drivers to slow down, don a helmet or buckle their seat belts.

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Brazil's President Postpones U.S. Visit Over Spying Concerns

4:27am September 18, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has put off her state visit to the United States over allegations that the National Security Agency spied on her, ordinary Brazilians and the state oil company. This was supposed to be the first state visit by a Brazilian leader in two decades.

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A woman looks at clothes inside a shop in Rio de Janeiro. Consumption has been a huge driver of the Brazilian economy, but the boom years are over, and economists say the outlook isn't good.

World News

As Economy Cools, Brazilians Find Themselves Trapped In Debt

8:44pm September 17, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

Brazil's banks started giving easy credit about eight years ago. The country was booming, and a new consumer class was created, fueling growth. But that boom is now over, and Brazilians are some of the most indebted people in the world.

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Tlacoyos can be filled with beans, potatoes, mushrooms or cheese and are often topped with grilled cactus, onions, cilantro, and salsa.

Tlacoyos: A Mexican Grilled Snack That Tempted The Conquistadors

2:10pm September 04, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

Tlacoyos are a doughy corn tortilla of sorts that's cooked on a grill. Whether enjoyed on a plastic plate as street food or fine china in a high-end restaurant, it's been a favorite snack for centuries.

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