Chile struggles to change its relationship with water, while Brazil suffers draught and the long-term effects of mismanagement.  

According to plans by the Chinese company HKND Group, 106.8 kilometers of the planned interoceanic Grand Canal of Nicaragua will go through Lake Cocibolca or Lake Nicaragua, as it is also called.  The largest freshwater body in Central America, the lake is known as the “Galapagos of Central America” because of its great biological diversity. 

Cuba’s Raúl Castro celebrated the thaw with the U.S. but stood firm during his speech in Costa Rica; observers noted, however, that Cuba and the U.S. could be catching a glimpse of a possible future. 

Brazilians thought that a Democratic president would be different from a Republican as far as U.S.-Latin American relations were concerned.  

The issue of Puerto Rican independence came up unexpectedly at the CELAC summit in San José, Costa Rica. 

Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López should be set free say politicians and pundits, but Venezuela denies former presidents of the region a visit to the political prisoner; critics say that the democrats of the region have let the people of Venezuela down.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) celebrated its third summit in Bethlehem, Costa Rica though some of its hosts wondered about its usefulness; poverty was on the agenda; Uruguay’s José Mujica criticized capitalism and emphasized peace in the Americas, while Bolivia’s Evo Morales called on the Colombian guerrillas to embrace democracy. 

The Attorney General’s office says the 43 normalistas in Iguala, Guerrero were killed and then their bodies were incinerated.  Yet the parents of the victims reject the official version, and say that they will not allow the government to close the investigation.  The parents, by the way, are now in dire financial straits.  President Enrique

Reintegrating FARC fighters could cost $1.1 billion dollars, according to Colombia’s comptroller; Colombians wonder what the true role of victims in the end of the conflict should be; and there are growing suspicions that the “post-conflict” may be more complex than the conflict.

Leaders of MS-13 and Barrio 18 have ordered a reduction of murders in El Salvador and a study projects that by 2019, 42,000 young people between 12 and 19 years will have been murdered in Brazil. Experts say impunity and lack of opportunities are among the main reasons.