January 5: Chile

Chile’s former military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, is put under house arrest after the Supreme Court rules he is fit to stand trial. Pinochet faces charges of murder and kidnapping during his 17 years of rule in Chile.

January 11: Venezuela

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez signs a decree on land reform aiming to reduce the size of the massive estates and distributing the land among the rural poor. Chavez insists the government wants to negotiate with the individual owners. The decree establishes a new presidential commission to review land ownership and land use throughout Venezuela.

January 21: Grenada

China announces that it has reestablished diplomatic relations with Grenada during a meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries. Grenada was one of 27 countries, mainly from Africa and Latin America, which maintained relations with Taiwan. Taiwan accuses China of paying millions of dollars in aid to countries that switch their allegiances from Taipei to Beijing.

February 5: Guatemala

The constitutional court in Guatemala dismisses the trial of 16 soldiers charged with one of the worst massacres that took place in 1982 in the village of Dos Erres during the country’s civil war. The court rules that a 1996 amnesty law covers massacre cases. Human-rights groups express their outrage at the court’s decision.

February 10: Colombia

Rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ambush government troops and kill at least 17 soldiers in a jungle area in the northwestern part of the country. The attack is the deadliest since President Alvaro Uribe took office over two years ago.

February 11: Venezuela

Russia rejects U.S. claims that its planned arms deal with Venezuela breaks international law and poses a danger for the arms to end up in Colombian rebel hands. Russia says Venezuela is just modernizing its armaments. The shipment consists of 100,000 automatic rifles and a number of helicopters. Venezuela also considers purchasing Russian MiG-29 fighter jets.

February 16: Uruguay

Two former left-wing rebels who fought Uruguay’s military government in the 1970s are sworn in to chair the two houses of congress. Jose Mujica, a Tupamaro rebel leader, will head the Senate, and Nora Castro, a Tupamaro dissident, becomes the first woman to lead the Chamber of Deputies. It is also the first time that Uruguay’s parliament is dominated by a left-wing party.

March 2: Uruguay

Uruguay swears in its first left-wing president, Tabare Vazquez, who ends 180 years of two-party rule. Tabare immediately restores full diplomatic relations with Cuba broken three years ago by outgoing President Jorge Battle. Uruguay becomes the fifth Latin American country to choose a leftist leader.

March 9: Bolivia

Bolivia’s congress unanimously rejects President Carlos Mesa’s resignation. The vote comes after talks between Mesa and the main political parties, two of which agree to support the president. However, the main opposition party, Movement for Socialism (MAS), does not sign the agreement. Opposition and labor unions vow to continue to protest against the government, demanding higher taxes on foreign energy companies.

April 14: Venezuela

As part of his new military doctrine, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela swears in the commanders of a new military reserve that will be under his direct command. Chavez wants to build the militia, consisting of 20,000 troops now, to two million troops in the near future.

April 20: Ecuador

Ecuador’s President Lucio Gutierrez is deposed by a unanimous vote in Congress. Elected in 2002 on a left-wing platform, his free-market agenda in office alienated many of his supporters. Gutierrez’ opponents had been recently galvanized by the president’s attempts to pack the Supreme Court with his supporters. He is granted political asylum in Brazil.

April 27: Colombia

Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe fires four generals who disagree with Uribe’s plans to fight inter-service rivalry in the armed forces. One of the sacked generals, Major General Roberto Pizarro, publicly states that he is being fired for his criticism of the president’s scheme. The Colombian Defense Ministry gives no reason for the dismissals.

May 7: Venezuela

Two Venezuelan activists, Carlos Melo and former mayor of Caracas Claudio Fermin, form a new opposition party called the Popular Assembly. The two men both oppose the rule of President Hugo Chavez for stifling political discourse. Fermin says that the Popular Assembly will take part in municipal elections in August.

May 10: Haiti

The Supreme Court in Haiti overturns the murder and torture convictions of dozens of military leaders. In 2000, they were found guilty of mass killings of supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the shantytown of Raboteau in 1994. The critics say that this reversal is politically motivated, but the current government claims the Supreme Court acts independently.

May 11: Latin America

The first summit of 34 leaders from Latin America and the Middle East ends in Brazil. The summit aims at developing closer ties between the two regions as a counterbalance to the EU and the U.S. The closing declaration criticizes the U.S. and Israel and calls for reform of international trading regimes and of the United Nations. It also calls for the elimination of farm subsidies through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

May 21: Cuba

Cuban dissidents hold the country’s first ever pro-democracy public meeting. About 200 participants call for the release of political prisoners and greater democracy in Cuba. However, some pro-democracy dissidents do not attend, accusing the organizers of working with the Cuban security forces.

June 8: Organization of American States

The Organization of American States (OAS) concludes its summit in Florida, during which the organization turns down the U.S. proposal to monitor Latin American democracy. The move is seen as a defeat for U.S. policy in the region, in addition to the recent rejection of the U.S.’s pick for a new OAS leader.

June 9: Bolivia

Bolivian President Carlos Mesa resigns to quell protests over the nation’s energy industry and is replaced by Supreme Court head Eduardo Rodriguez. The speakers of both congressional houses declined the post. Demonstrators celebrate the inauguration of Rodriguez and the expectation of early elections, which must be held by the end of the year.

June 22: Haiti

The UN Security Council votes to deploy more peacekeeping troops to Haiti to secure the country for upcoming elections. Violence has plagued the capital of Port-au-Prince since the ousting of former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004.

July 22: Peru

Armed robbers steal more than $1 million in gold and silver bars from the Tucari mine in the Puno province, one of Peru’s poorest regions. Such a coordinated attack is extremely rare in Peru. Gold mining comprised 55 percent of Peru’s exports in 2004, and the country’s economy relies on the rising price of gold. Analysts fear the incident could affect foreign investment in Peru.

August 2: Costa Rica/El Salvador/ Guatemala/Honduras/Nicaragua/Dominican Republic

U.S. President George Bush signs the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) into law. The agreement between the U.S., Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic will open up the market for U.S. goods by eliminating tariffs. American opponents of CAFTA fear that the agreement will result in heavy job losses if textile and sugar industries move to Central America.

August 12: Peru

Peru’s president, Alejandro Toledo, removes his entire cabinet following the recent resignations of Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero and Housing Minister Carlos Bruce. The two ministers quit after the appointment of Foreign Minister Fernando Olivera, who is a close ally of Toledo and supports limited legalization of coca farming. The former finance minister, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, replaces Ferrero as the new Prime Minister.

August 26: Ecuador

Demonstrators in Ecuador reach an agreement with oil companies and the government after protests halt oil exports and the government declares an economic emergency. Protestors want more oil revenue to be spent on infrastructure and new jobs. Ecuador is South America’s fifth biggest producer of oil, and these revenues comprise about a third of the government’s income.

August 21: Cuba/Panama

Cuba and Panama reestablish diplomatic relations after a one-year hiatus. Ties had been broken when former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso pardoned four Cuban exiles accused of attempting to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. The exiles include Luis Posada Carriles, who is sought by Venezuela in connection with the bombing of a Cuban plane in 1976.

August 24: Venezuela/Jamaica

Venezuela and Jamaica sign an oil agreement as part of Venezuela’s Petrocaribe initiative. In what Venezuela labels “a call of conscious,” the country agrees to provide Jamaica with oil at a lower price than on the world market. Other Caribbean nations will take part in the deal with Venezuela, although Jamaica is the first nation to formalize its participation.

September 7: Venezuela/Caribbean

Nine Caribbean countries sign onto Venezuela’s discounted oil project, PetroCaribe. The project supplies the countries with oil at a lower cost, and allows them to pay for oil with goods. The nations are trying to keep down the cost of living in economies damaged by record high oil prices. Critics of the oil initiative claim that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is using oil to buy influence in the region.

September 8: Peru

Peru’s president, Alejandro Toledo, announces that the country’s poorest families will receive monthly subsidies of $30 in an attempt to tackle extreme poverty. The funds will be given to the female heads of families in 70 rural districts, although critics argue that corruption and red tape will prevent funds from reaching isolated Andean areas. Around 50 percent of Peru’s population lives below the poverty line.

October 12: Guatemala/Latin America

Officials in Guatemala concede that entire villages be declared mass graves after torrential rains from Tropical Storm Stan cause devastating mudslides in Guatemala, killing more than 650 people. Mud completely submerges two Mayan towns, Panabaj and Tzanchaj, and rescue efforts cease amid concern over disease and further mudslides. The decision to end the search causes controversy, as local traditional beliefs dictate that the bodies be recovered and buried. The storm also kills 131 people in other Central American countries and Mexico.

October 20: Colombia

The Columbian Constitutional Court overturns the single-term limit for presidents, allowing current President Alvaro Uribe to stand for reelection in 2006. Uribe enjoys high approval ratings and is one of the United States’ strongest allies in South America. Critics worry that the ruling will give Colombian presidents too much power and fear an increase in violence by leftist guerillas opposed to Uribe’s rule.

October 21: Brazil

A report by American and Brazilian scientists suggests that deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has been underestimated by at least 60 percent. Using an advanced satellite technology, the scientists also focus on selective logging, involving the cutting down of valuable trees while leaving other trees in place. The report claims that there are thousands of square kilometers of previously unrecognized deforestation.

October 24: Argentina

Supporters of Argentinean President Nestor Kirchner take control of the Senate in legislative elections and form the largest bloc in the lower house. The election is seen as a measure of public opinion of Kirchner, who came to power in 2003 with only 22 percent of the vote after his opponent, former President Carlos Menem, withdrew from the race. Election results strengthen Kirchner in an ongoing struggle for leadership of the Peronist Party, which has dominated Argentinean politics for the last 50 years.

October 28: Cuba

Cuba accepts an offer by the United States to send a disaster assessment team to Havana to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma. It is the first acceptance of such an offer in decades. The two nations have not had diplomatic relations since 1959, and the U.S. maintains a trade embargo against the island. The U.S. declined Cuba’s offer of aid following Hurricane Katrina in August.

November 6: Americas

The thirty-four-nation Summit of the Americas ends in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with no deal on a western hemisphere free-trade zone. The United States led a proposal to begin detailed negotiations on a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), but strong opposition from Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Paraguay ended the talks. The presence of U.S. President George W. Bush sparked riots and protests, one of which was addressed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

November 7: Chile/Peru

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who is wanted in his home country on corruption and human rights abuse charges, is arrested in Chile. Fujimori lived in self-imposed exile in Japan since 2000, but returned to South America to run in presidential elections next year. He denies any wrongdoing. Fujimori is in custody pending extradition procedures.

November 21: Argentina/Venezuela

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner arrives in Venezuela, where he will meet with his counterpart, Hugo Chavez. The two presidents will discuss the proposed $4 billion gas pipeline stretching over 7,500 miles involving also Brazil and Peru, as well as Venezuela’s membership in the MERCOSUR trading organization. The pipeline project is part of a plan to strengthen the regional integration.

November 23: Chile

Chilean authorities place former military ruler Augusto Pinochet under house arrest on charges of tax evasion and passport fraud after an investigation pointed to $27 million allegedly hidden in foreign banks under false names. Pinochet, who was declared fit to stand trial by psychiatrists the previous week, has recently lost immunity against charges of fraud and human-rights abuses. More than three thousand people died in political violence during Pinochet’s regime between 1973 and 1990.

December 1: Mexico

Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez condemns U.S. President George Bush’s plan to build border fences between Mexico and the U.S. The fences are intended to deter illegal immigration across the 2,000 miles of U.S.–Mexico border. Experts believe the fence will not deter migration because of the large wage gap between the two countries.

December 5: Venezuela

Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez take all 167 seats in parliamentary elections, which were boycotted by the five main opposition parties. Only one-fourth of Venezuela’s 14.5 million eligible voters participated, compared to 56 percent in the 2000 parliamentary election. The opposition argues that the low voter turnout invalidates the election.

December 8: Honduras

Porfirio Lobo, the ruling National Party’s candidate in the Honduran presidential election, concedes defeat to the Liberal Party’s Manuel Zelaya Rosales. Formerly an investment minister, Zelaya campaigned on reducing bureaucracy, making the government more responsive, and creating an open economy. Both candidates had vowed to reduce crime rates and poverty in Honduras, where 30 percent of people are unemployed.

December 8: Peru

Peru signs a free-trade deal with the United States, eliminating tariffs on U.S. goods entering Peru, as well as barriers to trade in services. The U.S. seeks to bolster trade agreements with Peru and its Andean neighbors, hoping to create new jobs outside of the illegal drug trade. Peruvian unions, however, are worried about potential job loss due to rising imports from the U.S.

December 12: Cuba

The governor of the U.S. state of Maine, John Baldacci, and a Cuban food agency, Alimport, sign a multimillion dollar trade deal. Although the United States has maintained a trade embargo against Cuba for over forty years, food sales on a cash basis were made legal in 2000. Many farmers and politicians support an end to the embargo. Maine is the first state to pass a resolution calling for an end of the trade and travel ban.

December 13: Haiti/Dominican Republic

Dominican President Leonel Fernandez meets with Haitian leaders in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, to discuss immigration and border security. Protestors demonstrate against the mistreatment of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. Although Fernandez vows to act to prevent abuse, he also reiterates that mass deportations of Haitians will continue. Haitians cross into the more affluent Domincan Republic in search of work.

December 21: Bolivia

Election officials confirm Evo Morales as the winner of Bolivia’s presidential election. The leftist candidate for the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) will be Bolivia’s first indigenous president. A former union leader and a coca farmer, Morales seeks to legalize coca leaf production, while also combating drug trafficking. Bolivia, the poorest country in South America, has had five presidents in the last four years.