Brazil

Lamia Qualalou, a journalist based in Rio de Janeiro, looks at Lula's ambitions for Brazil on the global stage.

Amazon communities have seized barges of hard wood to protest over illegal logging. Americas Report has the story

Where will Brazil go after Lula retires from power? Reed Kurtz explains

Chile: Government gets tough with looters in the middle of the chaos – Terrestrial communications restored – the earthquake tests progress ♦ Guatemala: drug traffic reaches the head of police ♦ Brazil: sugar cane production due

Chile: Army controls devastated areas – rescue efforts start – Why Chile coped better than Haiti ♦ Colombia: the end of the Uribe adventure, for now ♦ Argentina: politics makes inflation go up ♦ Meeting to prepare COP16

Argentina: Government fights on two fronts ♦ Cuba: Lula says farewell ♦ Venezuela: Government rejects report from Inter American Committee ♦ Brazil: Biggest bank increases profits ♦ El Niño goes heavy on Latin America

Argentina: President criticises the UK and expects regional support ♦ Latin America Summit: Colombia and Venezuela clash, again ♦ Latin America: An OAS without the Americans? ♦ Colombia: local currency in good health ♦ Brazil:

Argentina: Government “close” to getting continental support in Falklands dispute ♦ Haiti: final toll could reach the 300,000 ♦ Brazil: former guerrilla becomes presidential candidate ♦ Peru’s exports still dominated

Argentina: President revives the ghost of the Falklands ♦ Brazil: Presidential candidate proposes radical programme ♦ Venezuela to reconsider offer of electricity supplies from Colombia ♦ Argentina: local currency sinks ♦ Guatem

 Mexico: Calderón presents plan for Ciudad Juárez ♦ Haiti: US missionaries released ♦ Peru: “Accomplice” of Montesinos arrested ♦ Lula changes his party’s economic plans ♦ Forest fires continue in Venezuela