While the hurdles facing our hemisphere have evolved, the need to respect international treaties and support strong institutions remains as pressing as ever. Contributors to the Summer issue of Americas Quarterly discusses hemispheric human rights at a launch for the issue.

COA hosted a panel focusing on the plans of Argentina's Propuesta Republicana party, which gained seats in the recent midterm election. Panelists outlined PRO’s agenda, which includes revitalizing Argentina’s economy and improving transparency.

In light of the June 28 overthrow of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, the Council of the Americas hosted a July 9 discussion of the recent political crisis. Panelists debated about factors contributing to the crisis, the U.S. and OAS responses, and the road ahead for Honduras.

Chilean Minister of Finance Andrés Velasco, Canadian Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, and World Bank President Robert Zoellick joined AS/COA's Santiago conference. Topics included the global economic downturn in Latin America, Chile's response, and the role that hemispheric integration and investment will play in recovery.

In an AS/COA panel, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and New York Times science reporter Andrew Revkin outlined how the economic gains of a trans-South American highway come at environmental costs.

AS/COA brought together a panel of experts to examine polls ahead of Mexico's midterm elections. Topics also included possibilities for fiscal reform given the probably political make-up of the country's congress after the July 5 vote.

With an eye to the recent conflict in Peru's Amazon region, the Council of the Americas hosted a June 18 briefing in Washington by Peru’s Ambassador to the U.S. Luis Valdivieso.