Dilma Rousseff, heir apparent of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, won Sunday's election but fell a few points short of the majority vote needed to avoid a second round. She faces José Serra in an October 31 runoff and remains the favorite.

In the September 26 parliamentary election, an opposition coalition ended the two-thirds majority control over the National Assembly held by President Hugo Chávez’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

In what President Juan Manuel Santos called “a decisive blow,” a Colombian strike this week claimed the life of the FARC’s top military leader Jorge Briceño Suárez, known as Mono Jojoy.

Against the backdrop of sustained regional growth, Chile, Colombia, and Peru moved one step closer to an integration of stock markets that could add a new dimension to their strong economic performance.

Mexico celebrates its bicentennial this week amid a glut of pulse-taking media coverage that reflects on the country’s direction.

Control over Venezuela’s National Assembly is at stake in the September 26 legislative election.

With attention turned to the rescue of 33 trapped miners, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera unveiled a new bill to raise taxes on the country’s lucrative mining industry. The rescue efforts could also spell reform of the agency overseeing mining safety.