Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has never been one to shy away from enacting divisive measures. Indeed, his presidency has been marked by a series of controversial decisions that have infuriated the United States and its allies. Recently, Chavez has been involved in numerous questionable political maneuvers, most of which have focused on consolidating his own [...]

On October 31, Workers’ Party candidate Dilma Rousseff handily defeated opponent José Serra in the runoff of Brazil’s presidential elections, making Rousseff the first female president of the country since its founding in 1822. She has joined the ranks of powerful female leaders in the region such as Argentina’s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Costa [...]

Today, the United States has an opportunity to take action and redefine its Central and South American policy through its response to the ousting of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. By conditionally acknowledging the new Honduran election and punishing the Honduran military for its actions, the United States can defuse a dangerous situation without evoking the legacy of American imperialism.

Given Brazil’s strategic significance, the U.S. must embrace closer relations with its Latin American neighbor, granting it some long-due political and economic concessions.

The U.S. needs to reconsider its stance on this summer’s coup in Honduras and start pursuing a wiser policy.