Christian Science Monitor | Latin America Monitor

Guatemalan court hits rewind button on Rios Montt's genocide conviction

Guatemala's Constitutional Court overturned former dictator Gen. Efrain Rios Montt's genocide conviction – seen as a landmark human rights ruling – and called for a re-do of closing arguments.

What does genocide conviction of Ríos Montt mean to Guatemalans abroad?

Many in the Guatemalan diaspora celebrated the historic conviction of ex-dictator Ríos Montt. But some say one conviction alone can't resolve the aftermath of the 36-year-long bloody conflict.

'People of corn' protest GMO strain in Mexico

Mexico has 59 strains of native corn. While the country has some GMO corn as well, activists are concerned about expanding its reach.

Safety check: Are some car models sold in Latin America held to lower standards?

Car companies around the world appear to be cutting corners in models sold in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

What will the Rios Montt genocide conviction do for Guatemala?

Rios Montt was one of the world's first former presidents tried for genocide in a national court. Many hope his conviction means positive steps for the justice system and healing wounds of war.

Move over Beyoncé: Another American explores Cuba, 'people to people'

Like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, the Monitor's Linda Feldmann travels Cuba on a 'people to people' tour. Since 2011, such trips have had the sanction of the Treasury Department – a legal way for Americans to see the long-forbidden island.

Study abroad in Mexico? Fewer US students make the trek.

One announcement from Obama's Mexico trip was a bilateral forum on higher education. Educational exchanges between the US and Mexico have stagnated or fallen over the past decade.

Venezuelan tools of protest? Pots, pans, and smartphone apps.

The popular Latin American protest tactic of banging pots and pans took on a new form in post-election Venezuela. Some opposition members protested Maduro's victory by downloading a noisy app.

Obama in Mexico: Little talk of human rights (+video)

The US has noted Mexico's 'significant human rights-related problems' in the past, but some say it and the Mexican government haven't done enough to encourage change.

Mexico's got theater in unusual spaces

With stages set up in street cars, Mexico City is celebrating its first Festival of Theater in Unusual Spaces and giving a new outlet for the city's emerging artists.