7:08am

Castro to step down, but not until 2018

Cuba's new vice-president Miguel Diaz-Canel, right, listens to President Raul Castro during the closing session at the National Assembly in Havana ©AP

Cuban leader to retire at end of second five-year term

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa reacts after hearing the election results at Carondelet Palace in Quito February 17, 2013. Correa claimed a re-election victory on Sunday that would allow him to strengthen state control over the OPEC nation's economy and gives a timely boost to Latin America's alliance of socialist leaders. ©Reuters Feb 22, 2013

Ecuador’s president glows from poll win

Leader plans to use last term to make socialist change irreversible

Feb 22, 2013

Jamaica aims to restore market confidence

Country restructures domestic debt to stave off economic crisis

Feb 21, 2013

Venezuelan TV station claims exclusion

Globovisión says Chávez criticism will force it off public airwaves

Notebook from COMMENT Feb 20, 2013

A spa treatment for Brazilian corruption

A politician became the target of a derisive petition signed by 1.5m people, writes Joe Leahy

An Argentine twenty peso note ©Bloomberg Feb 19, 2013

Argentina in no hurry to devalue peso

No policy change likely before October midterm elections

Feb 18, 2013

Correa rides socialist wave in Ecuador

Third term for president with redistributive agenda

Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez take part in a gathering at Plaza Bolivar in Caracas February 18, 2013. Chavez made a surprise return from Cuba on Monday more than two months after surgery for cancer that has jeopardized his 14-year rule of the South American OPEC member. The 58-year-old socialist leader underwent a six-hour operation in Cuba on December 11. He had not been seen or heard in public since then until photos were published of him on Friday ©Reuters Feb 18, 2013

Chávez makes surprise return to Venezuela

Elated crowds gather outside hospital where leader is staying

Feb 15, 2013

Smiling Chávez pictured in Cuban hospital

Breathing tube makes it hard for him to speak, say officials

From AMERICAS FINANCE Feb 14, 2013

Caracas warns businesses on price rises

Venezuela insists devaluation will not increase inflation

Feb 14, 2013

Firebrand Correa on road to third term

Ecuador leader’s expected poll win would bolster socialist agenda

From GLOBAL ECONOMY Feb 10, 2013

Venezuelan devaluation sparks panic

Shoppers rush to stock up after bolívar’s latest fall

Global Insight Feb 8, 2013

In Castro, a glimpse of Chávez’s future

The leaders of Cuba and Venezuela may be fading, but their charisma means their regimes endure

Editorial from COMMENT Feb 4, 2013

Argentine pride

Or how ‘hurt feelings’ came to dictate national policy

From AMERICAS FINANCE Feb 3, 2013

Argentina proposes new debt swap

Central bank reserves are not an ‘open till’, US court told

From GLOBAL ECONOMY Feb 3, 2013

Tomato deal averts US-Mexico trade spat

Washington agrees to reset terms of imports

From AMERICAS FINANCE Feb 2, 2013

Fund steps up legal fight with Argentina

Elliott claims new evidence in default tussle

From GLOBAL ECONOMY Feb 1, 2013

IMF acts over flawed Argentine economic data

Concerns over quality of inflation and GDP data

Jan 31, 2013

Argentine minister turns down Hague meeting

Invitation to Falklands representatives angers Héctor Timerman

From COMMENT Jan 30, 2013

Mexico: Aztec tiger

The country has emerged from Brazil’s shadow to become the darling of investors

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