CUBA: Party Aims for Efficient, Inclusive Socialism

Cuba's communist leaders have mapped out a strategy to modernise their country's one-party socialist model and make it more efficient, which implies making it more inclusive and representative of a society that is increasingly diverse.

Guatemala Heeds the Cries of Femicide Victims

The relentless wave of femicides in Guatemala, which has one of the highest female murder rates in the world, has prompted actions by the government, civil society groups, and two Nobel Peace laureates to try to put a stop to this brutal violence against women, which has reached horrific proportions.

CUBA: Adapting to Climate Change Proves a Complex Challenge

No one who lives in this fishing village on the south coast, 70 km from the Cuban capital, can forget the devastation wrought by hurricanes in 2008.

Thematic Social Forum Awash with Criticism for Green Economy

Critical voices raised against what was dubbed "the gospel of green capitalism" resonated in every discussion and street march held during the Thematic Social Forum, which brought thousands of activists to the capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil.

HONDURAS: Support for President Lobo Hits All-Time Low

Last Friday marked two years since the inauguration of Porfirio Lobo as president of Honduras, amidst accusations of corruption, an unprecedented crime wave, and his lowest approval rating yet.

Chileans Disillusioned with Pinochet-Era Political System

Chile's political system is "exhausted" and urgently needs reform to truly represent its citizens, consolidate democracy and ensure governability, say experts consulted by IPS.

THEMATIC SOCIAL FORUM: Working Towards a Never-Ending Democracy

For five centuries, Europe has taken it upon itself to enlighten the world, teaching it ways to address and overcome crises, from ideas and wars to missionary work and genocides.

GUATEMALA: Rios Montt to Stand Trial for Genocide

After a hearing that lasted more than 11 hours, a Guatemalan court ordered the trial of former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt (1982-1983), who could face up to 30 years in prison if he is convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Falklands/Malvinas, From Rhetoric to Pressure

Although the latest rhetoric seems to signal a hardening of the historical sovereignty dispute between Argentina and Britain over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands, some experts are sceptical and say nothing will change in essence.

BRAZIL: Community Radio Flourishes Online

Community radio stations in Brazil are finding the internet and user-friendly information technologies to be valuable allies for their broadcasts, which focus on citizenship, social equity and human rights.

ARGENTINA: Drought Threat Looms Again

The low humidity in Argentina's most agriculturally productive region has already caused a decline in grain yield - in particular corn and soybean - with ensuing losses for producers and the government.

EL SALVADOR: Gangs May Be Scapegoat for Soaring Murder Rate

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in the world, with one of the highest murder rates. But the authorities cannot agree on whether or not most of the killings should be laid at the door of the youth gangs known as "maras".

ARGENTINA: In Famatina, Water Is Worth Far More Than Gold

Thousands of people in the northwest Argentine province of La Rioja are mobilising to stop an open-cast gold mining project in the Nevados de Famatina, a snowy peak that is the semi-arid area's sole source of drinking water.

SPAIN: Trials of Judge Garzon Called Scandalous by Rights Groups

Another trial opened Tuesday with Spain's best-known judge, Baltasar Garzón, in the dock for attempting to investigate crimes against humanity committed during the 36-year dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

Cuba Rebuts International Criticism Over Prisoner’s Death

The Cuban government energetically rebutted what it regards as another campaign to discredit it, following the death in prison of a man who, according to the authorities, was not a dissident nor on hunger strike, as the opposition alleges.

CHILE: Recovery from Forest Fire Could Take 80 Years

"It's extremely serious, a full-blown environmental catastrophe," environmentalist Sara Larrain told IPS, describing the impact of the fire that has been raging through the Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia since Dec. 27.

HONDURAS: Pressed by the U.S., Lobo Amends Extradition Laws

Following a surprise meeting between President Porfirio Lobo and U.S. government officials, Honduran lawmakers voted to amend the constitution to allow extradition of its nationals.

Mayans Demand Voice in “Doomsday Tourism” Boom

The indigenous people of southeast Mexico are demanding to be included in the official programmes planned for 2012 to take advantage of the world's interest in the "Mayan prophecy", while at the same time fearing a "doomsday tourism" that could damage and contaminate their sacred sites.

Guatemalans Long for Security, Fear More Abuses

Guatemala's new president, retired general Otto Pérez Molina, made campaign promises to deal with crime with a firm hand ("mano dura") in this country, one of the most violent in the world where impunity is almost absolute, giving rise to cautious hopes from civil society.

CUBA: Countdown to First Communist Party Conference

In the run-up to the first National Conference of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC), the insistence of government sources that the meeting will concentrate on internal party matters seems to imply that social issues are to be excluded from the agenda.

EL SALVADOR: Twenty Years of Peace Fail to Bring Prosperity

Two decades after the signing of the Peace Accords, together with the social commitments they contained, El Salvador's levels of poverty and violence are so high that academic and social leaders are proposing new accords to overcome the crisis.