AS/COA's Chris Sabatini takes a look at what the victory of Enrique Peña Nieto will mean for U.S.-Mexican relations for Mexico's El Universal. (en español)

The first two countries are taking steps toward legalizing possession of small amounts of narcotics, while Uruguay creates a legal framework for the sale and regulation of marijuana.

Many countries are increasing expenditures on militaries and arms imports, ranging from higher salaries for soldiers to updating aging air force fleets.

"There is an opportunity, and we have to take advantage of it, not as a government but as a country," said the technical secretary to El Salvador's president Alexander Segovia, speaking about the challenge of taking the gang truce announced on March 9 to implement a broader, and sustainable national security agreement. (en español)

"The solution is not the prisons, but how we can bring the youth onto the academic and employment sectors through a comprehensive integration policy," said the technical secretary to El Salvador's president Alexander Segovia during a May 18 discussion at COA.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s five-day tour of Colombia, Brazil, and Chile focused on regional defense, disaster preparedness, and arms exchanges.

AS/COA co-hosted a panel at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, discussing fragile judicial systems, high rates of inequality, and unemployment as obstacles to enforcing security policy in Central America.