Posts By: Mike Samras

Mike earned degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating from college in 2006, Mike joined the Peace Corp and spent two and half years living and working in El Salvador. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in political management at George Washington University.

Great Reads Round-Up: Feb. 2-8

Crisis in Mexico: Who is Really Responsible for the Missing Forty-Three? Francisco Goldman. The New Yorker. February 7, 2015. More than four months have passed since 43 teacher-trainee students disappeared […] Read More >

High-Ranking Workers’ Party Official Testifies on Petrobras Scandal

Top Story — João Vaccari Neto, the treasurer of Brazil’s ruling Workers’ Party, testified on Thursday about his alleged involvement in the massive kickback scheme involving billions of dollars at […] Read More >

Argentine President Courts Controversy With Tweet From China

Top Story — Argentine President Cristina Fernández on Wednesday attracted renewed controversy with a social media post mocking the speech of Chinese people, her hosts on a trip taken in […] Read More >

Shares of Brazilian Oil Giant Petrobras Spike Due to Reports of CEO Resignation

Top Story — Shares of the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras on Tuesday soared by more than 15 percent — the company’s most significant one-day jump since 1999 — following newspaper […] Read More >

U.S. Expands Visa Restrictions for Venezuelan Officials

Top Story — The relationship between Venezuela and the United States reached new levels of animosity on Monday, as the U.S. State Department announced that Venezuelan politicians suspected of corruption […] Read More >

In the Dominican Republic, Many of Haitian Descent Left Effectively Stateless

Top Story — Thousands in the Dominican Republic could be made effectively stateless by the expiration at midnight on Monday of a deadline for those born to undocumented foreigners to […] Read More >

Great Reads Round-Up: Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Immigration Rules in Bahamas Sweep Up Haitians Frances Robles. The New York Times. January 30, 2015. Strict immigration laws in the Bahamas that require everyone to hold a passport have […] Read More >

German Couple Kidnapped, Shot Dead in Paraguay; Guerrilla Group Suspected

A German couple who had been working as farmers in Paraguay for 30 years were found dead on Thursday, and authorities are blaming members of an elusive guerrilla group that […] Read More >

Cuban President: Return of Guantanamo Bay Needed to Normalize Relations

Top Story — The United States must return the Guantanamo Bay naval base to Cuba, lift the half-century embargo completely and remunerate Cuba for the embargo’s economic damages before both […] Read More >

Mexican Attorney General Officially Declares 43 Missing Students Dead

Top Story — Evidence in the case of the 43 students missing from Iguala, Mexico, since Sept. 26 conclusively proves that they are dead, Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam announced […] Read More >