The first 2011 Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Welcome to the first Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean of the new year 2011.

LATIN AMERICA
2010: Latin America by the Numbers

The Americano’s Top Ten Stories for 2010

ARGENTINA
The Year in Argentine Beef 2010: Good Luck Finding Grass-fed Beef in Argentina; It´s All Feedlot Now.

Argentina’s Forgotten Terror Victims
Thousands suffered in the leftist rampage that precipitated the 1976 military coup.

BARBADOS
Caribbean warmth

BOLIVIA
Gasolinazo part 3

Bolivians Protest Marxist Leader Morales – Torch Che Guevara Statue & Venezuelan Flag

BRAZIL
Our Southern Mirror

Raining on her parade, but still smiling

Rousseff Takes Reins in Brazil

CHILE
Yet another earthquake,


COLOMBIA
How Property Rights Might End Colombia’s Guerrilla War

CUBA
Raúl Rodríguez Soto, Cuba Political Prisoner of the Week, 1/2/11

Elsa Morejón Hernández publishes open letter asking for release of 11 political prisoners (morning roundup)

Cuba Un-Libre

Telecom Italia Tired of Tapping Cuban Phones

“Moral Certainty”

MEXICO
Dilemma for 2011 (and 2012, 2013, et cetera)

41 Guards charged for role in Nuevo Laredo prison break

La Familia on the Ropes

2010 Death Toll: Over 10,000 Die in Afghan Violence… Over 13,000 Die in Mexican Violence

Failed State Watch: How Much Longer for Mexico? (Part One)
We know about barbarous cartels. But more terrifying is their cancerous spread through Mexican government, and societal decay caused by a state with no justice. There is no avoiding the problem: we need to know all of Mexico, now.
NICARAGUA
Detienen en Nicaragua a pandillero hondureño

PANAMA
The status of Social Security in Panama

PARAGUAY
Palestinian FM: Chile, Paraguay to recognize Palestinian state in coming weeks
Uruguay also expected to recognize independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders in March; Ecuador also due to open PA embassy.

PERU
Peru extends reserve requirements to bank units overseas

PUERTO RICO
Pfizer Must Pay $1.5 Million in Prempro Damages, Jury in Puerto Rico Says

VENEZUELA
Venezuelan Minister of Finance announces sharp devaluation of currency

After a legislative coup, a sort of economy coup: massive devaluation in Venezuela

Hugo and Hillary have a ‘friendly chat’

EL PAQUETE CHÁVEZ-GIORDANI-FIDEL HARÁ DEL 2011 EL AÑO DE LA MÁS AGUDA CONFLICTIVIDAD SOCIAL

The week’s posts and podcasts:
Hillary and Hugo BFFs
Silvio Canto’s podcast, Let’s talk about Cuba 2011
Hillary to Hugo: “Use me! Abuse me!”
PBS’s Ray Suarez can’t believe the truth about Cuba’s healthcare, also at Hot Air.
Finally! The US shows some gonadal fortitude to Chavez VIDEO
Bomb explodes at Greek Embassy in Argentina
El Cuchillo druglord killed in Colombia
NewsHour’s Cuban healthcare fairytale