Americas Now

November 21, 2021

Venezuelans Entrepreneurship is on the Rise Despite All Odds

Venezuela has been in a deep recession since 2013. And like many other countries, it has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. But it’s not all gloom and doom. Perhaps because of the crisis, Venezuelans are showing more resilience. Despite all odds, some entrepreneurs […]

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November 21, 2021

Lagoon of Seven Colors in Mexico Threatened by Development

Mexico´s Lake Bacalar, on the border with Belize, attracts tourists from across the world. The lake is famous for its stunning colors. This geographical wonder is also a scientific gem concealing a unique organism. But as tourists come to see its crystal-clear waters, Alasdair Baverstock […]

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November 14, 2021

Close and personal with Bolivia’s president

From accounting to banking, public service to politics and from academia to Bolivia’s leader. Americas Now anchor, Elaine Reyes, sat down with him to talk about the pandemic, climate change and, of course, Bolivia´s economic situation.

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November 14, 2021

Pirates in the Gulf of Mexico

Pirates and robbing ships at sea may seem like a thing of the past. But in Mexico, a region famous for pirates, the practice continues. Alasdair Baverstick reports.

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November 11, 2021

The Parana River is at its Lowest Level in Living Memory

The Parana River in South America is the second-longest river. It runs almost 5 thousand kilometers through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. But the Parana is at its lowest levels since the 1940s. Joel Richards reports on the economic and social impacts.   

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November 11, 2021

California Becomes Ground Zero for Wildfires 

Wildfire season in the U.S. normally runs from June to November. But this year began with frightening numbers and some very destructive activity early on. Mike Kirsch deployed to what has become ground zero for wildfires. The state of California.   

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September 1, 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic Devastates Argentina’s Economy

The pandemic has brought about the biggest shock to the global economy in decades. No country was prepared, but some were less prepared than others. Argentina was already two years into a recession when the first cases of the coronavirus were detected. And the country is […]

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September 1, 2021

Mexican Environmentalist Targeted With Violence

With nature under threat, you might think that defenders of the land and sea might be considered heroes. Not so in Latin America. For years, it has been one of the world’s deadliest regions for environmental activists. Colombia usually tops this tragic list. Mexico is […]

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September 1, 2021

Pedro Castillo: From Peasant To President

One month after taking office (July 28), Peruvian President Pedro Castillo finds himself with his back against the wall. Having won by the thinnest margin imaginable – just 44 thousand votes out of nearly 19 million – he is struggling to establish his legitimacy after […]

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September 1, 2021

The Monumental Task of Cleaning Mexican Cenotes

Mexico is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, with arid deserts and steamy jungles, raging coastlines and soaring mountain peaks. And in the Yucatan peninsula, a region home to the Mayan culture for millennia, local environmental activists are working to protect their unique subaquatic ecosystems – the cenotes. Mexico […]

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August 10, 2021

Antonio Diaz’s First And Last Olympic Games

He’s an icon in the world of karate. He’s won more medals than anyone else in the martial art during a career that’s lasted more than three decades. But there’s one prize that Venezuelan Antonio Díaz has never won: an Olympic medal. And that’s because […]

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August 10, 2021

Guatemalans Learn to Coexist With Active Volcanoes

Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano has been erupting for the last three weeks. Its 3,500 meter-long lava flow is now threatening two rural communities and countless agricultural fields. While the economic impact on agriculture is strong, there are those who are benefitting from an increase in tourists […]

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August 10, 2021

Labor Shortage Threatens Service Industry

During the height of the pandemic with everything in Lockdown/Shutdown, millions of people lost their jobs. Now, as nations are reopening, the restaurant and hospitality industries are struggling to find employees. Restaurants in Florida are closing one and two days a week because they don’t […]

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August 10, 2021

Anger Overflowing Into Colombia’s Streets

As Colombia reached its first month since anti-government protests erupted, correspondent Michelle Begue tried to find out the reason why people are so frustrated. She talked to parents, artists, teachers and young professionals who explained what’s behind the rage. The emotionally-explosive and conflictive situation has […]

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August 9, 2021

COVID-19 and the new traveling trend

COVID-19 vaccinations are starting to increase in most Latin American countries. But for months there was a scarcity of vaccines. Thousands traveled north looking for inoculations. Airports were full and airfares rose to pre-pandemic levels.

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May 17, 2021

Brazil Favelas Create Their Own Banking System

The economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic has hit Brazil’s favelas (slums) hard.  But they’ve emerged from the crisis with a plan for the future: launching their own bank.  The “G10 Bank,” offers micro-loans to small business owners and debit cards to favela dwellers excluded […]

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May 17, 2021

Police Brutality Victims Call For Police Reform 

People across the United States celebrated when former policeman Derek Chauvin was found guilty of three charges for the murder of George Floyd.  Police brutality cases have sparked a national debate about what needs to be done to stop them.  Dan Williams takes a deep […]

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May 17, 2021

Argentinean Youth Commit To The Climate Fight 

A group of young adults in their early 20s and late teens have set in motion a youth movement focused on climate activism. Americas Now went to meet four members of Jovenes por el Clima – Youth for Climate. Since that day, the group has been […]

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May 2, 2021

Florida Scientists Breed Coral To Restore The Damaged Reef

It’s the third largest coral reef in the world but it’s the closest to a high-density population that can potentially cause coral disease. But a group of scientists from Miami University and the Florida Aquarium are embarking on a two-day restoration effort to monitor previously transplanted corals. They will also […]

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May 2, 2021

Panama Could Get Herd Immunity For COVID-19 With Vaccinations

Panama, with a population of 3 million, has acquired 5.5 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. It’s become the first in the region to start a mass vaccination campaign that could make them the first country to achieve herd immunity.  The early negotiations with […]

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April 25, 2021

The reasons behind a crime drop in El Salvador

For several years, El Salvador, has been on the list of most dangerous countries in the world mainly due to street gangs like MS-13. But in 2020 the crime rates went down significantly. Harris Whitbeck has the answer. 

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April 6, 2021

Severe crisis is forcing Venezuelans to reinvent themselves

It’s in its seventh year of recession – one of the steepest ever recorded in the world. Its economy is partially sanctioned by the U.S. and it’s also had to contend with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The last 12 months have been exceptionally tough for […]

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April 6, 2021

Vaccination in the Galapagos Islands will bring back tourism

They serve as a treasure trove to scientists and a paradise for nature tourists. The Galapagos Islands. Located 1000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador, they feature plant and animal life found nowhere else in the world. On these islands, tourism has been the main industry […]

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April 6, 2021

Living on minimum wage

A national debate is underway in the United States over whether to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour from the current $7.25 an hour today, as more than 30 million U.S. citizens now live below the poverty line. The last time the U.S. […]

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