The Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

LatinAmer The week’s must-read article: Jaime Darenblum’s Four Things You Need to Know about Venezuela
The Chávez regime is increasingly sustained by China, Cuba, drug-trafficking generals, and a paramilitary militia.

(1). The regime is financially dependent on China.
(2). The regime is run partly by Cubans.
(3). The regime’s senior military allies are complicit in the drug trade.
(4). The regime has trained thousands of pro-government paramilitary fighters, who represent a serious long-term threat to domestic peace and stability.

Darenblum also touches on the Iranian and Hezbollah presence, and the increasingly violent Venezuelan society. Go read every word.

ARGENTINA
Tests Mount for Argentine Economy

BOLIVIA
Bolivian migrants ride out hard times

BRAZIL
Chevron Mea Culpa in Spill
Oil Company Underestimated Pressure in Well Off of Brazil

A Path to Victory in the Drug War
Brazil’s Fernando Henrique Cardoso on why legalization of marijuana will reduce the cartels’ threat to Latin democracies.

CHILE
A Year Out of the Dark in Chile, but Still Trapped

CUBA
“Pedro Pan” is 50: The story of how 14,000 Cuban children were sent to the US!

The Relajo of the Obama administration’s Cuba travel policy

CENTRAL AMERICA
Stratfor report:
The Mexican Drug Cartel Threat in Central America

ECUADOR
Ecuador loses a great statesman

Edgar Terán: R.I.P.

HONDURAS
Weapons, weapons, who’s got the weapons? More here.