Honduras found itself caught in an political stalemate after the June 28 overthrow of Manuel Zelaya. Explore a timeline of key dates in the months-long crisis.

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo reshuffled his country's top military commanders last week, sparking concerns about whether he has a secure hold on his post. The former priest faces a challenge from the opposition-controlled legislature and a string of paternity suits.

Deposed leader Manuel Zelaya declared a U.S.-brokered accord “dead” after the de facto government announced a cabinet and declared the provisions of the deal accomplished. The latest events place Washington at the center of the long-running crisis.

"Allowing a government that came to power through unconstitutional means to ride out an interim period to the next election and then transfer power would set a perilous precedent," write AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini and AQ blogger Daniel Altschuler. "The [power sharing] deal struck last week offers a responsible, democratic exit from the four-month political crisis in Honduras."

The country's Senate voted out Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis on October 30. The news was met with relative calm in Haiti and President René Préval quickly named a replacement, but some worry the prime minister's dismissal could raise concerns of instability at a time of optimism about the country's fate.

The candidate from the governing party, José Mujica, is likely to win in the second round of Uruguay’s presidential voting on November 29 even though his party, the Frente Amplio, has seen a mild drop in support in recent years.

"Countries where democracy is weak...have proven, time and time again, to be the most likely portals through which unhelpful influences such as Iran are introduced into the region," explained COA's Vice President Eric Farnsorth in testimony to U.S. Congress.