1996
DECEMBER
December 30, 1996
Guatemala's Future
Wednesday, government and rebel officials signed a peace agreement ending 36 years of civil war.

December 23, 1996
Partial Release
Despite the release of 225 people last night, the Peru hostage situation still appears to be at a stalemate.

December 19, 1996
Hostage Crisis
In a stunning attack, a band of Peruvian rebels called Tupac Amaru stormed the Japanese embassy in Lima.

December 18, 1996
Embassy Takeover
The standoff at the Japanese embassy in Lima, Peru continues as an estimated 300 diplomats and businessmen are being held hostage by members of a Peruvian guerrilla group.

NOVEMBER
November 5, 1996
Forum: Crack and the Contras
Were the CIA backed Contra rebels selling drugs in the U.S. during the 1980s? Gary Webb, who broke this controversial story, joins the Online NewsHour for this forum.

OCTOBER
October 22, 1996
Nicaragua: Favoring Capitalism
The apparent victor for president of Nicaragua is Arnoldo Aleman, a former coffee grower and mayor of Managua, whose strong capitalist leanings made him the favorite over leftist Sandinista leader, Daniel Ortega Saavedra.

JULY
July 19, 1996
Forum: Cuban Discord & Helms-Burton
Who is right regarding the current American policy toward Cuba, the U.S. or its allies?

July 11, 1996
Ill Trade Winds
America has attempted to isolate Cuba since the revolution Fidel Castro led over 30 years ago. In March, President Clinton furthered the United States' anti-Cuba policy by signing the Helms-Burton Act, a law that penalized companies doing business with Cuba. Canada and other U.S. allies say the bill oversteps international law.

MARCH
March 21, 1996
Haiti's New President
President Rene Preval of Haiti discusses his country's future, his transition to power, and U.S.-Haiti relations.

March 20, 1996
Columbia's Samper And The Drug Link
Three weeks ago the United States said officially that it was not satisfied with Colombia's fight against drug traffickers. Colombia's embattled President, Ernesto Samper, talks to correspondent Charles Krause about his relationship with the drug cartels.

March 5, 1996
Diplomatic Stress
Secretary of State Warren Christopher analyzes the series of recent foreign policy challenges for the U.S. -- the downing of two civilian planes by the Cuban Air Force and troubles in the Latin America with the terrorist group Hamas.

March 4, 1996
Remaining Defiant
With the international community still debating the actions of the Cuban Air Force in the downing of two civilian planes, Cuban exiles staged memorials to the pilots.

March 1, 1996
Confronting Cuba
American-Cuban relations were strained last week when two small unarmed planes carrying American citizens were shot out of the sky in international waters off the coast of Cuba. This weekend, members of Brothers to the Rescue--the organization whose planes were downed--plan a commemoration near the Cuban mainland.

FEBRUARY
February 26, 1996
Cuba Warned
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Madeline Albright discusses the downing of two U.S. civilian aircraft.