PBS NewsHour: Latin America Archive | 2009

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LATIN AMERICA


	2009 DECEMBER Dec. 29, 2009 Preview: Cash Incentives for Healthy Families in Mexico Getting paid to keep your family healthy? That's the idea behind Mexico's innovative conditional cash transfer program, Oportunidades, which gives cash payouts to parents who take steps to keep themselves and their children well.

	Dec. 28, 2009 Preview: When Americans Head to Mexico to Avoid Healthcare Costs Among the sidebars in the debate over health care reform is the trend of U.S. citizens without health insurance or comprehensive coverage making their way south of the border to Mexico, where major surgeries are often performed for a fraction of the price.

	Dec. 25, 2009 GlobalPost: Christmastime Dispatches From Around the World During this holiday season, our partners over at GlobalPost have filed a number of holiday reports from around the world, including one on Santa's humble roots on Turkey's Mediterranean Coast and another on how a lack of tourists spells financial trouble for vendors in and around Bethlehem.

	Dec. 21, 2009 Mauna Loa Birthplace of Global CO2 Monitoring As nations move forward with managing carbon dioxide emissions, how will they track their progress? The answer comes in part from a global network of CO2 sampling sites that was born decades ago at Mauna Loa in Hawaii.

	Dec. 18, 2009 Obama Urges Action, Meets With Chinese Premier President Barack Obama told world leaders Friday that it was time to come together on a climate change agreement, calling out stubborn positions that have stood in the way of progress, namely between rich and poorer countries.

	Dec. 16, 2009 Nations Pledge $3.5B to Cut Carbon Emissions, Deforestation Six nations pledged $3.5 billion to cut carbon emissions and deforestation through a new program called REDD. Jonathon Miller of Independent Television News examines how the United Nations-sponsored plan will work.

	Dec. 15, 2009 Nicaraguans Seek Better Life Across the Border Because of extreme poverty and lack of jobs, Nicaraguans in greater numbers are heading to Costa Rica and Mexico. Director General of the International Organization for Migration William Lacy Swing describes the impetus for their move and how the IOM is trying to address the situation.

	Dec. 4, 2009 Mapping Tribal Lands in Peru Gregor MacLennan helps indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon map their land to better inform the government when it decides where oil and logging companies can go. He describes how it all works.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 30, 2009 After Political Turmoil, Hondurans Back Conservative Candidate After months of tensions following the ousting of Honduras' top leader, the country elected a new president on Sunday. Margaret Warner reports.

	Nov. 30, 2009 Hondurans Elect Conservative Rancher as President In an election overshadowed by the country's recent political upheaval, Hondurans voted on Sunday to make conservative rancher Porfirio Lobo their next president.

	Nov. 29, 2009 Hondurans Vote for New President, Hoping to Leave Political Chaos Behind Hondurans voted for their next president Sunday, with exit polls showing a sizable lead for the opposition party. In addition to a change in party leadership, many voters expressed the need to put the country's political troubles behind them.

	Nov. 23, 2009 Honduran Elections Come at Critical Point in Political Standoff Presidential elections this Sunday give Hondurans a chance to vote on their next leader, but may do little to clear up the political crisis that has gripped the small Central American country for five months.

	Nov. 6, 2009 Political Pact in Honduras Appears to Fall Apart A U.S.-brokered deal meant to mend the political crisis in Honduras by forming a unity government has fallen apart, ousted President Manuel Zelaya said Friday.



	OCTOBER Oct. 30, 2009 Honduras' Rivals Resolve Leadership Dispute Representatives of deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, signed an agreement late Thursday that could lead toward reinstating Zelaya four months after he was forcibly removed by the military.

	Oct. 21, 2009 Brazil Works to Clamp Down on Drug Violence Ahead of Olympics A firefight between drug gangs and the downing of a police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro last weekend heightened concerns about the city hosting the Olympic Games in 2016. Seth Kugel of GlobalPost provides an update in this Reporter's Podcast.

	Oct. 20, 2009 Reporter's Notebook: Opponents View Zelaya as Polarizing Figure Marcelo Ballve of New America Media has been reporting in Honduras on efforts to resolve political turmoil over the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. In this dispatch, he explores the roots of the opposition to Zelaya's governance.

	Oct. 16, 2009 Tensions Surround Honduras Leadership Talks With presidential elections just weeks away, negotiators in Honduras continue to work on an agreement that would temporarily return ousted president Manuel Zelaya to power. Ray Suarez reports.

	Oct. 15, 2009 Reporter's Notebook: World Cup News Turns Political in Honduras The news that Honduras qualified for next year's World Cup brought a welcome respite from the country's recent political unrest -- but just briefly. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from the capital Tegucigalpa.

	Oct. 14, 2009 Gustavo Santaolalla, Making Music For Both Stage and Screen The first thing Argentine musician Gustavo Santaolalla wants people to know about him is that he is an artist: one who works with a guitar rather than an easel. The 57-year-old has spent the last four decades recording, producing and composing music for his various labels, bands and movies.

	Oct. 13, 2009 Honduras in Turmoil Three Months After Coup More than three months after a coup removed him from office, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, remain at loggerheads. Ray Suarez speaks with Marcelo Ballve of New America Media about the situation.

	Oct. 13, 2009 In Honduras, Elections Pose Test for Diplomats With presidential elections just weeks away, diplomats are struggling to resolve the standoff in Honduras between deposed president Manuel Zelaya, and his ouster, Roberto Micheletti.

	Oct. 13, 2009 Zelaya Forecasts Dim Prospects for Honduras Negotiations Manuel Zelaya, who Hondurans elected president in 2005, has now been out of office for more than 100 days. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media spoke with him Monday night in the Brazilian Embassy there, where the deposed leader has taken refuge.

	Oct. 12, 2009 Reporter's Notebook: Negotiators to Renew Talks in Honduras Honduras' political crisis deepened this week as negotiators for ousted President Manuel Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti prepared to resume talks Tuesday, and candidates revved up for elections without a political solution in sight.

	Oct. 10, 2009 Reporter's Notebook: Protesters in Honduras Criticize U.S. Response to Crisis In late June, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in the middle of the night by an opposition angered by his efforts to extend presidential terms. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from Honduras on tensions within the country.

	Oct. 2, 2009 Rio de Janeiro to Host 2016 Olympics Chicago's Olympic hopes were dashed Friday when it was eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2016 host city, following a star-studded bid that featured personal appeals by President Barack Obama, the first lady and Oprah Winfrey.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 30, 2009 Paul's Full Interview with Pres. Lula da Silva We were only able to air sections of Paul's wide-ranging interview with Brazilian President Lula da Silva at the G-20 late last week. In the interest of letting viewers see Lula's complete takes on global warming, the situation in Honduras, emerging economies, and more, here's the full video interview.

	Sept. 29, 2009 Welcome Home: A Look at Living in Slums A multimedia exhibition from Norwegian photographer Jonas Bendiksen on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., documents the experiences of families living in unplanned, off-the-grid slums in Nairobi, Mumbai, Caracas and Jakarta.

	Sept. 25, 2009 Paul Interviews Brazilian President Lula da Silva Paul Solman answers your questions on business and economic news on "The Business Desk."

	Sept. 24, 2009 U.N. Passes Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution Thursday aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

	Sept. 24, 2009 Extended Interview: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the G-20 In an interview with Paul Solman from the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clarifies his infamous remarks on 'blue-eyed' bankers and weighs in on where emerging markets like Brazil fit in the global economy. Read the full version of their conversation here.

	Sept. 23, 2009 President Obama Tells U.N. World Can't 'Wait for America' to Lead In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Barack Obama bluntly said world leaders who once accused the United States of acting alone must now join with him to solve global crises rather than "wait for America" to lead.

	Sept. 21, 2009 News Wrap: Deposed Leader Zelaya Returns to Honduras In other news, Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president of Honduras, announced Monday he has returned to the country, and AIG repaid the federal government $60 billion.

	Sept. 16, 2009 Conversation: Considering Clarice A major literary celebrity in Brazil, Clarice Lispecter's work ran the gamut from articles in women's magazines to compelling, philosophical novels.

	Sept. 3, 2009 Clock Ticks as U.S. Mulls Solution to Honduran Stalemate With less than three months until presidential elections in Honduras, the White House is running out of time to resolve a coup that resulted in the ouster of the nation's now deposed president, Manuel Zelaya. The dispute has also strained U.S.-Honduran ties.

	Sept. 3, 2009 U.S. Cuts Millions in Aid to Honduras in Support of Ousted Leader After meeting with exiled President Manuel Zelaya on Thursday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the termination of millions of dollars in non-humanitarian aid to Honduras that had been suspended after Zelaya was deposed in June.

	Sept. 2, 2009 Reporter's Podcast: U.S.-Colombia Military Deal Raises Hackles at Summit An agreement that would give U.S. troops access to bases in Colombia stirred fiery opposition at a summit of South American leaders over the weekend. NewsHour senior producer of foreign affairs Michael Mosettig gets two perspectives in this report.



	AUGUST Aug. 24, 2009 Weekly Poem: 'Physical Portrait / Retrato fisico' Cecilia Vicuna's visual work has been exihibited at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, the Whitney Museum of American Art and MoMA. She is also co-editor of the Oxford Book of Latin American Poetry, which was published this month.

	Aug. 21, 2009 Peru Land Dispute Mobilizes Indigenous Effort A dispute over oil and logging development in the Peruvian Amazon, which at times has erupted into violent protests, has also spurred an organization of indigenous Amazonian communities not previously seen in Peruvian politics.

	Aug. 7, 2009 Radio Shutdowns in Venezuela Raise Controversy The ongoing tug-of-war between Venezuela's government and private media organizations has flared anew with the recent decision by President Hugo Chavez's administration to revoke the licenses of dozens of radio stations.



	JULY July 6, 2009 Diplomats Search for Political Solution to Honduras Standoff Amid continuing protests in support of deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, diplomats are attempting to negotiate a peaceful resolution with the country's new leader. A New York Times reporter gives an update on the situation.

	July 6, 2009 Ousted President Attempts Return to Honduras Amid Continued Protests Gwen Ifill reports on the ongoing political standoff in Honduras, where protests continued following the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya, who made an unsuccessful attempt to return Sunday.

	July 2, 2009 In Honduras, Controversy Grows over Questions that Presidential Ouster is a Coup In Honduras, the controversy grows over the question: was the presidential ouster a classic coup, or simply an attempt to uphold the Constitution? Experts debate over the issues.

	July 2, 2009 New Honduran President Tries to Restore Order as Opposition Mounts Supporters of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya took to the streets of Tegucigalpa, as the new president began appointing Cabinet members and boosted efforts to maintain order.



	JUNE June 30, 2009 Ousted Honduras President Vows to Return as Protests Continue Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said Tuesday that he would return to the capital of Tegucigalpa Thursday, as the country's interim government continued to battle street protestors supporting Zelaya.

	June 29, 2009 Leaders Call for Honduras to Reinstate Ousted President Honduras' newly appointed leader vowed Monday to resist pressure from world leaders to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya, as protesters burned tires and clashed with police near the presidential palace.

	June 10, 2009 American Couple Faces Charges of Spying for Cuba A former U.S. State Department official and his wife are accused of spying for Cuba for nearly 30 years. A Washington Post reporter updates the story.

	June 1, 2009 Missing Air France Plane Presumed to Have Crashed An Air France jet carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro to Paris ran into lightning and strong thunderstorms over the Atlantic Ocean and went missing Monday, according to officials.



	MAY May 15, 2009 Conversation: Boden, Fleck Discuss Their New Film 'Sugar' Anyone who's followed baseball over the last decade or so has noticed the rising number and rising prominence of players from Latin America, particularly from the Dominican Republic. The new film, 'Sugar,' is a dramatic telling of the story of one young Dominican-born player as he learns some lessons about baseball and life.



	APRIL April 22, 2009 On MoMA's Menu: 'Tangled Alphabets' Soup "Tangled Alphabets," on display now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is a dual retrospective of Argentine Leon Ferrari and Brazilian Mira Schendel, and the first major exhibition of their work in the United States.

	April 17, 2009 Bolivia's Lithium Resources May Prove Hot Commodity Bolivian leaders are debating whether the country's vast natural reserves of lithium -- a key ingredient powering electric cars -- should be nationalized in order to boost the nation's struggling economy. ITN's Channel 4 news correspondent Lindsey Hilsum reports.

	April 17, 2009 Cuba Open to Diplomatic Talks With United States In a significant policy shift, Cuban leader Raul Castro signaled that Havana is open to new diplomatic talks with the United States. Analysts examined the move as President Obama arrived in Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas.

	April 17, 2009 Global Recession, Drug Violence Top Summit of the Americas Agenda The pressing issues of the global recession, Mexico's drug war and Cuba's conspicuous absence are expected to emerge during the fifth Summit of the Americans, which begins Friday in Trinidad and Tobago.

	April 13, 2009 White House Fact Sheet on U.S.-Cuba Policy The White House announced a change to U.S.-Cuba policy Monday, including the easing of some travel and telecommunications restrictions. Following is the text of an official fact sheet on the policy change, as released to reporters by the White House.

	April 13, 2009 Obama Eases Some Travel, Policy Restrictions on Cuba Signaling a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Obama announced plans Monday to lift some travel restrictions to Cuba for Cuban-Americans and to improve telecommunications with the island. A reporter details the decision.

	April 8, 2009 Possible Cuba Policy Changes Spark Debate The Obama administration is expected to ease travel and financial embargoes with Cuba in broad policy changes that have sparked debate between those in favor of starting a dialogue with Cuban leaders and those who advocate continuing the restrictions. Analysts probe the policy issues.

	April 8, 2009 Lawmakers Eager for Cuba Policy Changes Meet with Fidel and Raul Castro Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus met with Cuban President Raul Castro and former leader Fidel Castro this week to discuss proposed relaxations in travel and financial restrictions. Calif. Rep. Barbara Lee, just back from Havana, talks about the conversations.



	MARCH March 26, 2009 Borders and Mexico's Drug War Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced plans to boost personnel and surveillance equipment at the U.S.-Mexico border and coordinate more with Mexican authorities to help contain Mexico's increasingly deadly drug war.

	March 17, 2009 What Is Global Warming? The Earth maintains an average temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 16 degrees Celsius -- temperatures that enable people, plants and animals to live safely within its atmosphere.

	March 17, 2009 Emissions Trading Ins and Outs Greenhouse gases harm the environment equally regardless of where they originate, so to slow climate change, it doesn't matter which region of the world cuts back on emissions as long as the global amount falls.

	March 16, 2009 Leftist Wins Presidency in El Salvador Former television anchor Mauricio Funes, a leftist from the former rebel group Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, won presidential elections in El Salvador on Sunday, ending two decades of conservative rule.

	March 13, 2009 Latin American Countries Worlds Apart in Economic Downturn With the global economy in a tailspin, some Latin American countries are feeling the effects of slumping trade and a drop in remittances from people in the United States, while others appear to have been spared for now.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 16, 2009 Referendum Results Empower Chavez to Continue 'Socialist Revolution' Venezuelans voted to lift a two-term constitutional limit on the presidential term, allowing Hugo Chavez to run for office again in 2012. Analysts discuss what this means for the future of Venezuelan politics.

	Feb. 16, 2009 Chavez Wins Referendum to Eliminate Term Limits Venezuelan voters passed a referendum Sunday to lift a two-term constitutional limit on the presidential office, allowing Hugo Chavez to run again in 2012 to continue what he calls the country's socialist revolution.

	Feb. 12, 2009 The Many Faces of Che In the mainstream, Ernesto "Che" Guevara -- the communist thinker, doctor and guerilla -- is a free-floating symbol of counterculture. But in the art world, a more nuanced and complex portrait has emerged.

	Feb. 12, 2009 Artwork Inspired by Ernesto Che Guevara In the art world, a nuanced and complex portrait of Ernesto Che Guevara has emerged. He is attached to many movements; depicted as Jesus, an African-American, a Mexican, a waterfall, peace, a map, or as himself, wearing lipstick, kissing another man.

	Feb. 6, 2009 Economic Crisis May Take Toll on Health Services in Developing Nations As the global economic crisis continues to unfold, concern is growing over maintaining funding for health services in developing countries that rely on foreign aid to provide necessary treatments.



	JANUARY Jan. 23, 2009 Conversation: Roberto Bolano's '2666' For most of the English-speaking world and certainly for this reader, Roberto Bolano was unknown only a few years ago. Since then, he's become a literary phenomenon--his novels read, reviewed, discussed, widely praised. Bolano was born in Chile in 1953.

	Jan. 1, 2009 Cuban Government Celebrates 50th Anniversary On the 50th anniversary of the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in Cuba, analysts mull U.S.-Cuban relations and efforts to reform the economy and politics of the Latin American country.

	Jan. 1, 2009 As Revolution Reaches 50, Cuba Under Raul Castro Gradually Undertakes Reforms When Raul Castro stepped into his older brother Fidel's shoes as Cuba's president, he promised to usher in new economic reforms. And while Cubans can now get cell phones and plant crops in unused farmland other reforms are coming at a slower clip.