A preview article from Americas Quarterly Winter 2012 issue discusses the recent elections in Guatemala and Nicaragua, where chose two competing symbols of their pasts to address modern socioeconomic and security challenges. How will they fare?

Daniel Ortega's re-election as president is not being recognized by his challenger, Fabio Gadea. What happens next? James Bosworth analyzes the Nicaraguan elections in this Americas Quarterly web exclusive.

"Sunday’s elections in Guatemala and Nicaragua were notable for their relative lack of controversy, despite the conclusion of virtually all independent analysts that the former risks a return to the violence of the past and the latter was contrary to Nicaragua’s own constitution," writes COA's Eric Farnsworth.

The two countries headed to the polls Sunday. Retired General Otto Pérez Molina won Guatemala’s runoff, while former rebel leader Daniel Ortega gained reelection in Nicaragua.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega won congressional approval of three laws that some observers say will deepen executive and military powers. Such moves reflect other regional bids to strengthen or extend presidential power.

A dispute over a piece of land in the San Juan River delta has ramped up tensions between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. AS/COA Online takes a look at the roots of the Central American row.

Central American leaders gathered in San Salvador July 20 to coordinate strategies for stemming the rising tide of violence caused by organized crime, particularly in the “northern triangle” of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.