Latin America

A helicopter carries VIPs to the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo in 2010. Politicians taking expensive helicopters and government planes have generated controversy in Brazil.

World News

Brazil's Highflying VIPs Face Backlash Over Air Travel

7:57pm July 19, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

The recent protests in Brazil highlighted poor public transportation services. Now, politicians who rely on frequent helicopter flights, even for short trips, are under scrutiny.

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World News

Panama Searches Impounded North Korean Cargo Ship

7:45am July 18, 2013

Authorities in Panama are continuing to search the North Korean cargo ship stopped last week as it moved through the Panama Canal. A search of the ship, which came from Cuba, found aircraft and missile parts hidden under thousands of bags of Cuban sugar.

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World News

Vicious Cartel Leader Arrested In Mexico

10:05pm July 16, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

The leader of the notorious Zeta drug organization was apprehended Monday in an operation involving the Mexican military. The capture of Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, 40, took place on a country road less than 20 miles south of the Texas border.

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Coca-Cola Life, a new product being rolled out in Argentina with a green label, is being marketed as a "natural" and therefore lower-calorie cola.

World News

In Argentina, Coca-Cola Tests Market For 'Green' Coke

6:40pm July 15, 2013

by Bob Mondello

Argentina is the site of the global kickoff of what Coke is describing as a "natural" and "green" lower-calorie cola. Coca-Cola Life contains stevia instead of sugar, and comes in a bottle that's made partially from plants.

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A soldier watches over public transport users during an operation in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in April. The crime rate is soaring in Honduras, and corrupt and ineffective law enforcement is widely seen as part of the problem.

World News

In Honduran Crimes, Police Are Seen As Part Of The Problem

6:13pm July 15, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

Honduras is the murder capital of the world, according to U.N. figures. Its police and military remain weak despite U.S. assistance earmarked for improving law enforcement. Critics say the security forces are involved in widespread corruption and violence.

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In his new book, Alfredo Corchado writes about the escalating violence in Mexico.

Drugs, Chaos And Violence Darken Mexico's 'Midnight'

2:11pm July 09, 2013

Journalist Alfredo Corchado covers Mexico for the Dallas Morning News. His new book, Midnight In Mexico, is part memoir and part recent history of the upheaval in the country. He talks to Fresh Air about the power of the cartels, the rampant corruption and the hopes for the future of Mexico.

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World News

Protests Dwindle In Brazil Due To Lack Of Leadership

9:52am July 03, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

Small-scale protests are continuing in Brazil but the massive movement has died down as quickly as it flared up. One of the reasons is protest confusion. The perils of having no leadership are that people don't know what protests are real.

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A family photo of Victor Tomas Barrios, who was killed by police when he was 17 years old, in this exact spot in Cagua, Venezuela. Victor is one of nine men in the Barrios family that was murdered by the police.

World News

In Venezuela, A Family Blames The Police For Their Misery

5:05pm July 02, 2013

by Steve Inskeep

The high crime rate throughout Latin America has many causes. In many countries, residents claim that police and security force members are part of the problem. In Venezuela, one family says the police are linked to multiple killings that have devastated the family.

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Members of the 18th Street gang announce a truce during a press conference at a prison in San Pedro Sula, on May 28. The gang is involved in drug trafficking that has brought terror to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

World News

Honduras Claims Unwanted Title Of World's Murder Capital

5:03pm July 02, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

When visiting San Pedro Sula, the bloodiest town in Honduras, it's advisable to arrive early in the morning, when the drug gangs are still asleep.

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Colombian army soldiers patrol Medellin's Loma de Cristobal neighborhood after warring gangs forced dozens of families to flee. Medellin used to be the most dangerous city in the world, but officials embarked on innovative projects designed to make life b

World News

Once Home To A Dreaded Drug Lord, Medellin Remakes Itself

5:03pm July 02, 2013

by Juan Forero

The Colombian city was the world's murder capital in the 1990s, but it managed to turn its fortunes around. Homicides were cut by 80 percent and made big gains on a number of fronts. But the city still faces many challenges in a region plagued by violence.

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