While speaking about the likelihood of Mexican cartel involvement in the claimed plot against the Saudi ambassador to the U.S., AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini said the sum allegedly offered to the cartel was "chump change compared to the money they're making from moving coke."

In conjunction with the opening of the UN General Assembly, Americas Society and Council of the Americas hosted a series of public programs with presidents of Latin Americas. Access materials from the events.

Felipe Calderón was presented with the Americas Society Gold Insigne, the organization’s highest honor, in recognition of his accomplishments as president of Mexico. Watch the video and access a transcript of his remarks.

Access a transcript of remarks from the 2011 Americas Society Gold Insigne Award Dinner honoring President of Mexico Felipe Calderón.

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.