Contributions from Carin Zissis
As his country gains global influence, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva brought his warnings against protectionism to the White House. Trade, energy, and hemispheric relations were the topics that dominated the meeting with U.S. leader Barack Obama.
After a year in office, Cuban President Raúl Castro shuffled top ministerial posts, raising questions about what the shakeup signals. The move comes as Washington ponders changes to its own Cuba policy.
As violence related to organized crime takes its toll in Mexico, the debate deepens over hemispheric drug policy. Proposals on the table range from stepped-up security cooperation to drug decriminalization. Meanwhile, Washington announced widespread arrests of suspects linked to Mexican cartels.