An OAS task force will examine proposals, including one from Washington, which could pave the way for Havana to rejoin the OAS. But the Obama administration has indicated that Cuba must adhere to democratic principles before gaining readmission.

The Colombian Senate brought President Colombia's Álvaro Uribe a step closer to a third term when it approved a bill allowing for a reelection referendum. But the president has not yet made his intentions clear about a possible candidacy. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos resigned and may join the race.

Hispanic immigrants stand out for their ability to weather the housing crisis. A number of programs offered by financial institutions and community groups in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Nashville help support Hispanic homeownership.

The AS/COA Energy Action Group hosted a panel on energy and climate change in the Western Hemisphere. Following the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago in April and in advance of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

On May 3, Panama's voters chose a business leader who chaired the Panama Canal Authority over a former housing minister from the party currently in power. As the winner, Ricardo Martinelli will oversee the country as it faces economic challenges and a multi-billion dollar expansion of the canal.

Health organizations and governments are on the move to control and find answers about a swine flu epidemic originating in Mexico.

"The Summit of the Americas provides a forum for Obama to shift focus from energy independence to a more practical and even a more desirable goal—energy interdependence," writes Lisa Viscidi in an op-ed for The Houston Chronicle. The original version of this article appears in the Spring 2009 issue of Americas Quarterly.