Following a rare meeting between Cuban President Raúl Castro and Roman Catholic Church leaders, reports revealed that the Cuban government agreed to transfer political prisoners to jails closer to their hometowns and to move sick prisoners to hospitals.

The Green Party's Antanas Mockus and the U Party's Juan Manuel Santos are neck and neck in Colombia's presidential race, according to polls released ahead of May 30 elections. Neither is expected to win the needed absolute majority, making a June 20 runoff likely.

President of Mexico Felipe Calderón travels to Washington this week amidst ongoing security worries and rising U.S. tensions over immigration. But experts say the meeting also provides a chance to boost bilateral relations and cooperation.

As Brazil seeks to increase its clout on the global stage, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled to Tehran this weekend to play a role in a deal that would see Iran deposit nuclear fuel in Turkey. But the deal is unlikely to curtail a push for further sanctions on Iran.

South American leaders convened in Buenos Aires May 4 to cover issues ranging from immigration to regional integration.

Laura Chinchilla takes the reins in Costa Rica on May 8. The country's first female president initiated her policy agenda beforehand, naming ministers and touring Central America to promote regional unity and security.

A tough new Arizona immigration law relaunched debate about immigration reform this week. The Mexican government issued a travel warning against Arizona and critics say the law could lead to racial profiling as well an economic drain on the state.