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.

Obama Pressed To Submit Free Trade Agreements With Colombia and Panama For Vote

Today in Latin America Top Story — Leading Senate Republicans, a Fortune 500 company and a major newspaper are calling on U.S. President Barack Obama to send the proposed free […] Read More >

Peru’s Stock Market Plummets On News Of Ollanta Humala’s Victory

Today in Latin America Top Story — Peru’s stock exchange plummeted a record 12.5 percent and closed early after leftwing nationalist Ollanta Humala definitively won the country’s runoff presidential election Monday. […] Read More >

Ollanta Humala Expected To Win Peru’s Runoff Election

Today in Latin America Top Story — Leftwing nationalist Ollanta Humala held a very narrow lead as of late Sunday night over conservative Keiko Fujimori in Peru’s runoff presidential election, […] Read More >

Mexico Debates Drug War Death Toll Figure Amid Government Silence

Today in Latin America Top Story — With no official figure released for the death toll in Mexico’s drug war for the last six months, the country’s news media are […] Read More >

A special session of the OAS General Assembly voted to reinstate Honduras on Wednesday.

OAS Readmits Honduras To Regional Block After 32-1 Vote

Today in Latin America Top Story — The Organization of American States (OAS) readmitted Honduras to the regional bloc Wednesday, ending a two-year diplomatic hiatus that began with the June […] Read More >

FARC Kills Two Colombian Mayoral Candidates; Release Communique Calling For “Political Solution”

Today in Latin America Top Story — Guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) killed two mayoral candidates in the Colombian department of Antioquia over the weekend, a […] Read More >

Brazil Promises More Protection To Activists In The Amazon After Recent Killings

Today in Latin America Top Story — Following a meeting on Monday, the Brazilian government said that it plans to protect rural activists and increase policing in the Amazon rain […] Read More >

Venezuelans March In Caracas To Protest U.S. Sanctions On State Oil Company PDVSA

Today in Latin America Top Story — Thousands of Venezuelans marched in the capital of Caracas Sunday to protest U.S. sanctions imposed on the South American country’s state oil company, […] Read More >

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Immigration Law Designed To Deter Undocumented Workers

Today in Latin America Top Story — The United States Supreme Court ruled Thursday to uphold Arizona’s controversial immigration law, which penalizes companies that knowingly hire undocumented immigrants. The ruling, which passed […] Read More >

2 Environmental Activists Shot Dead In Brazil, As Congress Debates Loosening Restrictions On Clearing Amazon Rainforest

Today in Latin America Top Story — An environmental activist committed to protecting the Amazon rainforest was shot dead, along with his wife, Brazilian authorities said Wednesday. Rubber tapper José Claudio […] Read More >