Brazil: The human cost of COVID-19

May 12, 2019

Legendary music shop Casa Latina keeps the beat alive in New York’s Spanish Harlem

Our Urban Voice is the owner of Casa Latina…Vicente Barreiro.

May 12, 2019

A Mexican hotel serving up rooms made out of tequila barrels

A hotel using giant tequila barrels located in the town where the elixir was invented.

May 5, 2019

Anemia poses a major risk to young children in Peru

Anemia is a blood disorder that results from a lack of iron which is needed to carry oxygen to the blood. And in Peru it affects 2-in-5 children under the age of 3, slowing their development.

May 5, 2019

Salvador da Bahia is Brazil’s most African city and their culture is thriving

Salvador da Bahia is the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia. It’s located along the country’s coast. Also known as Salvador, it’s been called the blackest city outside of Africa.

May 5, 2019

Nature is the key to a happy kitchen for an eco-friendly chef in Ecuador

Rodrigo has created workshops in Ecuador with his partner from Netflix’s “Final Table.” He and Charles Michel teach their method of sustainable cooking and show participants how to transform overlooked local ingredients into fine cuisine.

May 5, 2019

Flamenco artists gather in Miami for the “Flamenco Rave”

In Miami, Florida, a new generation of Flamenco aficionados is pushing the boundaries of the intimate music.

May 3, 2019

Panama to pick new president after term boosted ties with China

Panama to select it’s next president this weekend. The current head of state leaves legacy of increased ties between Panama and China.

May 1, 2019

Trump administration declares support for uprising against Maduro

While events play out on the streets of the Venezuelan capital more than three thousand kilometers north, in Washington, the Trump administration is ratcheting up pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro.

April 30, 2019

US President Trump calls for asylum seekers to be charged fee

White House wants overhaul of asylum system amid jump in Central American migrants.

April 29, 2019

Colombia orders arrest of ex-rebel leader for dodging courts

On Sunday, Colombia’s Defense Ministry issued a million dollar reward that would lead to the arrest of the fugitive FARC leader.

April 22, 2019

Brazil’s scientists wary of President Bolsonaro’s budget cuts

Brazil’s president seeks government budget cuts in funding for science and tech research. Scientists warn it may weaken nation’s ability to produce innovations.

April 21, 2019

Chile’s historic evergreen trees are endangered

The trees have been described as “living fossils” and were proclaimed to be part of Chile’s National Heritage in 1976.

April 21, 2019

Elkin Robinson and his Caribbean band create their own sounds from the past

One Colombian artist started singing in churches at age 6 and by 10 he mastered the guitar. He is now taking his “creole vibration” to international crowds. Meet our Urban Voice, Elkin Robinson.

April 21, 2019

Instilling values and citizenship in Colombian kids with rugby

In Colombia, a rugby player has been teaching the sport to kids from a working-class town and is seeing the same results. For our Game Changer on “Americas Now” meet Lucas Marroquin.

April 21, 2019

The rise of Narco-Rap in Mexico

The desire for good Public Relations has led narco-traffickers to recruit some of the best talent to speak out – or “sing out” – on their behalf.

April 21, 2019

Forensic scientists in Argentina are solving crimes dating back decades

The Argentina Forensics and Anthropology team is an independent organization that’s been lending its experience to investigations for more than 30 years.

April 9, 2019

Peru declares a state of emergency on illegal gold mining

Illegal gold mining has been having a devastating effect on forests across South America for years. The Peruvian government recently launched a formidable operation to stop the epidemic. It’s called “Operation Mercurio.” Dan Collyns reports.

April 7, 2019

Profuturo finds a “smart” way to engage kids from Guatemala in the classroom

In the rural highlands of Guatemala education is considered sub-standard. A non-profit organization is enriching the education system by providing classrooms with smart computer tablets. Our Game Changer on “Americas Now” is Profuturo.

April 7, 2019

Could indigenous communities in Brazil’s Amazon have their land rights revoked?

Throughout his political career, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has made his view on the country’s indigenous population clear. He believes they were given too much land and too many concessions over the decades. Paulo Cabral reports.

April 7, 2019

A “scorching” celebration that praises the chile pepper in New York City

Chile Peppers originated in Mexico over 6,000 years ago and are one of the oldest crops in the Americas. Today, more than 25% of the world’s population consumes chile peppers. Take a look at our Urban Voice on New York’s Annual Chile Pepper Festival.

March 31, 2019

New discovery in Mayan ruins helps rewrite history of Chichen Itza

Archaeologists are working to learn the true story of the demise of ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza. A cave uncovered last year within the city is revealing a treasure trove of ancient Maya artifacts,

March 31, 2019

Illegal border crossings by immigrants are constant in Roma, Texas

In Roma, Texas there’s no fencing, no barbed wire, no barriers of any kind. And illegal immigration is continuous. Mike Kirsch was there as it happened and shows us what he saw in this report.

March 31, 2019

Bolivian farmers keep crops underground to protect them from extreme weather

In Bolivia traditional farming has been a way of life for thousands. And now some are looking to the past to deal with changing climate patterns. Harris Whitbeck reports from La Paz.

March 31, 2019

Teaching girls in Guatemala to empower themselves with education

More than 50% of the population is indigenous in Guatemala. Karla Rax is trying to provide underprivileged girls with the knowledge they need to move forward.

March 31, 2019

Languages in danger of being lost get rescued by Mexican composer’s music

Leticia Armijo is the founder of Yolotli, an all-female choir singing songs in languages that could become extinct.

Rival demonstrations in Venezuela amid a new round of power cuts

March 30, 2019

Rival demonstrations in Venezuela amid fresh blackouts

Supporters and opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rallied Saturday, as news of that millions of dollars worth of humanitarian aid is on the way and the third blackout to strike the country within the past month crippled the capital.

Bolsonaro to meet Netanyahu in effort to bolster Brazil-Israel ties

March 30, 2019

Bolsonaro meets Netanyahu in effort to bolster Brazil-Israel ties

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro begins a three-day visit to Israel Sunday. It’s part of the new government’s push to strengthen bilateral ties. It’s led to concerns in Brazil that a shift toward Israel could threaten relations with Arab states.

March 24, 2019

Guatemala continues to recover from the eruption of Fuego Volcano

The 2018 eruption of the Fuego Volcano in Guatemala decimated entire villages. Whitbeck travelled to Los Lotes, Guatemala to bring us an update on the region’s recovery.

March 24, 2019

Former Ford executives found guilty for aiding in the 1970s torture of workers

Two former Ford executives have been sentenced to more than a decade in prison. They were convicted for assisting in the torture of union workers in Argentina over forty years ago.

March 24, 2019

South America’s Dakar Rally is the most dangerous race in motorsports

Drivers put their lives on the line for an eight thousand long kilometer race across South America. It’s called, the Dakar Rally and it spans from Argentina to Bolivia. Christian Cajica is our Urban Voice on “Americas Now.”

March 24, 2019

Mexico City’s Second-Chance Canines

Mexico has the largest number of stray dogs in Latin America.

March 22, 2019

Founded in Mexico, beer yoga gains popularity

Yoga has diversified from working out with goats and horses to doing a downward dog with a beer. Beer Yoga has been gaining global popularity and is now being practiced in Mexico City.

March 20, 2019

Mexico closes infamous island prison

Mexico has closed down a prison on an island some 100 kilometers off its Pacific Coast. More than 500 inmates living there were either transferred to other prisons or set free.

March 19, 2019

US President Trump hosts Brazil’s Bolsonaro at White House

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visits the White House on his first official U.S. visit. He’s welcomed by President Donald Trump who promises backing for NATO membership bid.

March 17, 2019

A tragic end for a migrant child on his journey from Guatemala to the U.S.

The number of children travelling with relatives to cross the U.S. border has increased. Harris Whitbeck reports on the circumstances surrounding from one of the families from Guatemala.

March 17, 2019

A Colombia man “transforms” his life at a traffic light

He makes a living entertaining commuters at traffic lights in a costume he created himself.

March 17, 2019

A Cuban artist renowned for his paintings of the sea

Reynaldo Villamil is a Cuban artist famous for his paintings of the ocean. His work often depicts historic battles and shipwrecks that took place in the waters surrounding Cuba.

March 17, 2019

Venezuelans cross the Colombian border desperately seeking healthcare

Venezuelans have fled their country by the thousands to go to neighboring Colombia. A large number have been pregnant or chronically ill and hope to receive medical treatment. Toby Muse filed this report before the Venezuela closed its border.

March 12, 2019

Venezuelans struggle to survive in nationwide power outage

The lights went out last week, and officials have said they’re working hard to put the power back on across the country. At least 20 people have died as a result of the outage.

March 11, 2019

Power station blast as Venezuela’s outages enter fifth day

Transformers burned up in Caracas during Venezuela’s days-long mass power outages. Maduro’s government blames the U.S. as Washington enacts a new sanction on Moscow-based bank.

March 10, 2019

Fireworks industry helps drive economy of small Mexican town

When it comes to fireworks, one of the best displays you’ll witness anywhere in the world is in a tiny town close to Mexico City. It’s the little town of Tultepec, and it runs on pyrotechnics.

March 10, 2019

Colombian wrestling that’s a combination of martial arts and a comedy show

“Lucha Libre” shows were very popular in 1970s-Colombia and fans want a comeback. Take a look at these images of the masked fighters at a recent Lucha Libre match.

March 10, 2019

Medellin becomes Colombia’s musical capital

For more than a century Colombia’s second largest city has taken music not native to the country, like Tango and Reggaeton, and made them their own.

March 10, 2019

Former Dreamer lends a hand to U.S. deportees arriving in Mexico

Israel Concha was taken to Texas by his Mexican parents when he was just four years old. Thirty years later he was deported. Our Game Changer is former Dreamer Israel Concha and his organization, New Beginning.

March 10, 2019

Will lands given to the ancestors of slaves be affected by Brazil’s new government?

Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery. Thirty years ago the government started granting land titles to communities of people descended from runaway slaves. Stephen Gibbs visits a quilombo in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.

March 10, 2019

Orphans of Mexico’s drug war could be susceptible to a life of crime

Since 2006, the War Against Drugs in Mexico has left more than 150,000 people dead. Alasdair Baverstock reports from the U.S. – Mexico Border.

March 3, 2019

Beautiful but deadly lionfish disrupt the Caribbean coast

The predatory lionfish are endangering the existence of hundreds of species of native marine life from Panama to Honduras to Cuba. Correspondent Harris Whitbeck reports.