With Mexico's press freedoms under threat by transnational crime syndicates, Mexicans increasingly turn to social media—particularly Twitter—to share crime updates. But state governments are presenting new legal challenges to sharing information via social media.

Mexican bloggers are under attack for using social media to report drug related crimes. The Washington Post refers to Americas Quarterly's recount of civilians in dangerous areas of the country using Twitter to denounce crimes.

COA's Eric Farnsworth says that, besides the U.S.-Mexican trucking agreement reached in July 2011, the White House has done "little in terms of direct promotion of economic development in Mexico," with a sharp increase of federal funding directed to law enforcement on the border only helping indirectly.

During an August 11 event co-hosted by Council of the Americas, Ambassador William Brownfield provided insight into democracy and transnational crime in a Central American context. View C-SPAN's video recording of the event.

Trade pacts remain on hold ahead of the summer recess, but Congress has taken up hemispheric issues such as diplomatic posts and a debate over OAS funding.

"There remains much to do, but the progress is substantial," writes former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio O. Garza in an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News, citing specific steps Mexico has taken to strengthen the rule of law.

The victory of Eruviel Ávila in the race for governor of the State of Mexico is the latest in a string of PRI victories.