Dominicans cast their votes for president on Sunday, giving the incumbent party candidate enough votes to avoid a runoff. But the opposition candidate refused to concede, alleging vote-buying fraud.

Haiti is seeing potential for growth, with investments in the mining, tourism, and coffee sectors.

Ahead of the 2012 U.S. presidential election, recent surveys show the issue of same-sex marriage may have limited impact on the Latino vote, which is increasingly tolerant of gay rights.

A large diaspora vote could influence the Dominican Republic’s May 20 election. The same may not be true for the Mexican and Venezuelan elections to be held this year.

Needing to fuel one of the region’s fastest-growing economies, the Southeast Asian country seeks to expand exports to Latin America and gain access to agricultural goods and hydrocarbons.

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera introduced education and tax reforms to address student protester demands, though some question if the legislation goes far enough.

With May 3 marking World Press Freedom Day, recent legislation in Brazil and Mexico seeks to expand freedom of information, while new and proposed laws in Ecuador, Guatemala, and Peru impose limits.