U.S. Senador Hagel to Travel to Central and South America

Brasília, August 27, 2008 – U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) will travel to Panama, Colombia and Brazil August 27 through September 3.  Hagel will meet with host government, U.S., business, and non-government leaders to discuss a full range of issues.  Hagel will also visit the United States military’s Southern Command in Miami, FL to discuss regional military, security and counternarcotics policies. “The United States’ relations with our Western Hemisphere neighbors should be a top-tier foreign policy priority.More...

Next U.S. President Unlikely to Alter U.S. Latin America Policy

Atlanta - The next U.S. administration, whether led by Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain, will offer continuity in American policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, State Department official Charles Shapiro. Shapiro, State’s senior coordinator for the Western Hemisphere Affairs Free Trade Task Force, said the U.S. vision for the region will remain one of “more prosperous, stable countries, with inclusive, representative democracies with open economies delivering the benefits of good governance to their citizens.” More...

U.S. School Principals exchange experiences with Brazilian counterparts

Brasília, August 15, 2008 — A group of eight U.S. school principals visited Brazil from August 4-15 to meet with Brazilian public school principals to exchange best practices on school management and leadership. The principals, who come from the states of California, Illinois, Maine, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin, participated in programs in the states of Ceará, Maranhão, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Sergipe, Tocantins and the Federal District. More...

Latin American Countries Should Develop New Business Sectors

Washington -- Latin American countries need to improve their overall business climates and encourage new industries if they expect to continue to thrive in the global, knowledge-based economy. So says Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.  He joined political and business leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere in Washington May 6-7 for the 38th annual meeting of the Council of the Americas. More...

New requirement for traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program

Brasília, July 25, 2008 -  As of January 12, 2009, all visa waiver travelers to the United States will be required to have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) number provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The new requirement applies only to nationals of countries in the Visa Waiver Program: More...

U.S. and Brazil work together in “Continuing Promise” humanitarian mission

PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua -- Lt. Cmdr. Louis Cimorelli, assigned to Fleet Surgical Team 4 embarked aboard the USS Kearsarge, performs a check-up on a Nicaraguan child at one of several medical sites set up in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua.  The Kearsarge is deployed as the primary platform for the Caribbean phase of “Continuing Promise.” More...

Good Governance Measures Reflect New Global Consensus

Washington - With growing support from such disparate sources as the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations (G8), the World Bank, and the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation, many nations are making steady -- if sometimes overlooked -- progress in strengthening their democratic practices and successfully combating corruption. More...