As in the United States, the Mexican campaign season for president is now in full swing. One of the main issues being debated by the current crop of presidential hopefuls prior to Mexico’s July, 2012 presidential elections is whether or not the current policy of fighting the drug cartels is sustainable. President Felipe Calderon and his party, the Party for National Action (PAN) are being attacked by the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) and by the Democratic Revolutionary Party...

Crime and violence seriously threaten Venezuela’s medium and long-term stability, regardless of whether or not President Hugo Chávez retains power in the 2012 election. , the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses how the extensive presence of international organised crime, soaring impunity levels, millions of firearms in civilian hands as well as police corruption and brutality have entrenched violence in society. Positive steps such as constructive...

The Americas Report has previously written about the links between Hezbollah and the Venezuelan government’s support of the FARC, stemming from the unholy anti-American alliance between the presidents of Iran and Venezuela. Since the establishment of the Iran-Venezuela Joint Bank, the relationship has moved from a passive appreciation to a more active support role, which it is speculated will lead to increased funding for Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Troubling developments included...

Hizballah is a Shiite Muslim movement, Iranian-created and -funded, which strongarms Lebanon through threats and violence, assaults Israel with rockets obtained through Syria in contravention of UN resolutions, and is funded through massive criminal enterprises. And it has arrived in the Americas. Evidence for Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities in the Western hemisphere continues to build. The implications for the U.S., for Israel, and for Jews globally are ominous. Why, then, is...

The conviction of President Rafael Correa's critics for criminal defamation violates Ecuador's international human rights obligations and should be overturned on appeal, Human Rights Watch said today. Ecuador should abolish the defamation provisions in its criminal code, Human Rights Watch said. On July 20, 2011, a judge in Guayas province sentenced each of the four to three years in prison and ordered a total of US$40 million in fines against the men and the newspaper, El Universo, based in...

A number of Congressmen have requested an investigation of possible nuclear cooperation between Venezuela, Iran and Argentina. Suspicions of such connections are based on information made available by the State Department. According to sources, Iran is interested in a program of modernization of the Argentine nuclear plants. Argentina maintained a nuclear cooperation agreement with Iran that was suspended in the early 90’s by the Argentinean government. Then, tensions between the two...

It’s known that Hezbollah has established itself in the tri-border area (TBA) of South America where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. It uses the area to conduct fundraising activities to funnel money back to the Middle East. But over the last six years, experts say, Hezbollah has made substantial progress in widening its operations throughout Latin America. Experts agree that Hezbollah is digging-in in the Americas, but what they don’t agree on is whether the organization...

It is estimated that there are more than 130 political prisoners in Venezuela. One of the reasons Chavez is arresting greater numbers of his political opponents is that there are virtually no negative consequences for him doing so. The State Department and Human rights organizations have reported the existence of political prisoners in Venezuela but action on their behalf has not ensued. The main staff person from Human Rights Watch was expelled from Venezuela several years ago. Since then...

The Presidents of Venezuela and Colombia, Hugo Chavez and Manuel Santos signed an agreement in April that provided for a three month extension on trade preferences that were set to expire. This agreement is the result of several months of efforts to rebuild relations between the two countries. Relations have been tense in light of Chavez’s threats to Colombia including his purchase of arms, his protection and association with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and also...

Guatemala’s Elections: Clean Polls, Dirty Politics, the latest policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the approaching general elections (presidential, legislative and local) in the context of political institutions still haunted by the legacies of a 36-year civil war and now facing serious challenges from drug traffickers and other violent criminals. The presidential contest will likely pit Otto Pérez Molina, former head of military intelligence, against...