After a divisive election, El Salvador's next president, Mauricio Funes, makes calls for unity and a moderate route to help shore up his country's economy at a time of global financial insecurity. But some raise concerns about which way he may find himself pulled by some members of his party.

Fresh from meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Michel Ignatieff continue to haggle over the budget and jockey for power.

Leftist candidate Mauricio Funes won the March 15 election, unseating the ruling party by defeating Rodrigo Ávila at the polls. Ávila argued that Funes will mimic Venezuela's Chávez, but Funes said he looks to Brazil's Lula as an example.

After a year in office, Cuban President Raúl Castro shuffled top ministerial posts, raising questions about what the shakeup signals. The move comes as Washington ponders changes to its own Cuba policy.

Venezuelans gave President Chávez a token of trust on his government and allowed him to run for office in 2012. With renewed confidence, now Chávez must tackle a declining economy and rising insecurity.

Venezuelan voters approved a referendum lifting term limits for elected officials on Sunday, allowing President Hugo Chávez to seek reelection indefinitely. With nearly complete results, 54 percent voted for the proposal.

On February 9, AS/COA organized a public panel to look at the February 15, 2009, referendum in Venezuela that abolished term limits for all elected officials. The discussion focused on public opinion trends ahead of the upcoming vote, economic implications, and the legitimacy of the referendum.