Contributions from Carin Zissis
With a new administration taking the reins, pundits, politicians, and the press offer up ideas for how Barack Obama should handle policy toward Latin America. Top issues include drug violence in Mexico, Cuba relations, and pending trade deals.
In his first meeting with a foreign head of state since the U.S. election, Barack Obama talked with Mexico's Felipe Calderón Monday about how they can tighten bilateral relations to boost each country's economy and address security concerns.
From the resignation of Fidel Castro to the election of Barack Obama, the Americas served as a stage for history. AS/COA Online looks back at events that shaped the region in 2008, from the Andean crisis to Mexico's drug war to Brazil's emergence as a global leader.