A farmer who received death threats after reporting illegal logging to authorities was shot dead as he left his house in the eastern Brazilian city of Tucurui

Brazilian citizens are mobilizing to combat dengue fever, which has infected over 57,000 people and killed 67 so far this year.

Traditionally, carnaval is a period for people of the Catholic faith to let their hair down and enjoy the vices they are going to be giving up for the 40 days of Lent. Nowadays the religious roots of carnaval are arguably taking more of a back seat, meaning that carnaval typically extends well into the Lenten period. It is not uncommon for festivities to take place throughout the first three months of each new year. See carnaval celebrations in Argentina, Brazil and Boliva for the complete experience.

Arriving alone and under cover of night at the bus station (which is never the nicest place in Brazil to be), I began to think I had committed a grave error. Little did I know that in Florianópolis (or Floripa as it’s affectionately known by locals) I would find some of the nicest scenery, best beaches and friendliest company in all of Brazil.

News from around Latin America. Yellow fever spreads; Colombian rebels free four hostages; Ecuadorian government promises further protection to it’s Indigenous peoples; Air and boat disasters leave 72 dead in Brazil, Venezuela, Chile; Guatemalan hostages released.

A looming energy crisis has Boliva, Argentina and Brazil in negotiations.
Drug traffickers in Mexico City attempt to car bomb police officials.
Fidel Castro announces his resignation , ending the longest uninterrupted reign of any modern world leader. Fidel’s Cuba in Facts & Figures .
Bolivia experiences massive floods leaving 48,000 homeless and officials fearing that their provincial [...]