The White House has stepped up efforts to gain approval for the U.S.-Colombia trade deal. But the Bush administration could face a battle in Congress. 

Presidents of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela ended their standoff and the FARC appears increasingly weakened. But the contents of an assassinated FARC leader's laptop suggest the group's reach extends well past Colombia's borders. 

Spain voted Sunday as immigration and the economy took center stage. With a large South American immigrant population in Spain and Spanish conglomerates' holdings in the Americas, the election results hold implications for Latin America.

A Colombian strike against the FARC in Ecuador ignited tensions with Quito and Caracas, causing a diplomatic breakdown and economic repercussions.

Canadian and Mexican observers pay close attention to the hotly contested race for the White House, particularly as Democrats step up attacks on NAFTA.

At a weekend Buenos Aires summit, leaders talked about energy needs. As Bolivia falls short in meeting natural gas export demands, Argentina and Brazil may look to nuclear power as a solution.

Pemex struggles with declining oil production and a push for reform in the Mexican Congress that would allow private investment. Meanwhile, Petrobras is seen as a model for how national oil industries should be run.