January 20: Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) end its two-month unilateral ceasefire declared at the beginning of the peace talks with the government. The Colombian government says it will stop military operations only after both sides reach an agreement, and accuses FARC of trying to use the ceasefire to regroup and rearm.
February 24: Cuba
The Cuban National Assembly reelects 81-year-old President Raul Castro for his second term and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez as Castro’s first vice president. Castro announces that he will step down at the end of his second term and calls for a two-term limit on the presidency in the future. Diaz-Canel is seen as Castro’s successor.
March 5: Venezuela
Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chavez, dies after a long battle with cancer at the age of 58. This polarizing politician who stayed in power for 14 years led a socialist Bolivarian revolution and was a staunch opponent of the United States. Vice President Nicolas Maduro takes over the duties of the president until an election next month.
March 12: Falkland Islands
The people of the Falkland Islands vote almost unanimously to remain a part of the British overseas territory. Argentina’s response to the results of the referendum is that it is irrelevant to its claims of the islands.
April 15: Venezuela
Venezuelan Interim President Nicolas Maduro narrowly wins presidential elections, defeating opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. Hundreds of both government and opposition supporters take to the streets. As president, Maduro faces many challenges governing this deeply divided country, some of them being high inflation and soaring crime rates.
May 20: Bolivia
The Bolivian parliament passes a controversial law allowing President Evo Morales to run for a third term. Although the country’s constitution says that the president can only serve two terms, the Bolivian Supreme Court rules that because the constitution was changed during Morales’ first term, this term should not count. Opposition condemns the ruling as unconstitutional. Next presidential election is scheduled for 2014.
May 31: Cuba
The Cuban government says it is expanding internet access, but to surf the web will cost Cubans $4.5 an hour. An average salary on Cuba is about $20 a month. Cuba has one of the lowest internet access rates in the world, and most Cubans can connect only at work or at school.
July 16: Mexico
Mexican army captures Miguel Morales, the brutal leader of the world’s most infamous drug cartels, the Zetas. During his arrest, Morales was in a possession of several guns and $2 million in cash. The Zetas is Mexico’s largest drug cartel geographically. Its revenue comes both from drug trafficking and other criminal activities. They are known for their brutal tactics, including beheadings.
September 24: Peru/Colombia
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Peru takes over Colombia in becoming the world’s main grower of coca leaves, the raw ingredient in production of cocaine, despite a slight drop in the area of cultivation. Colombia’s eradication program was more successful, leaving Peru with the cultivation area 20 percent higher than in Colombia.
October 22: Cuba
As part of its reforms, Cuba announces it abandons its two-currency system that has been in place since early 1990s. It will phase out the more valuable convertible peso that was pegged to the US dollar and used in foreign trade and tourism sectors. Most Cubans have been paid in the lower-value peso.
December 10: Uruguay
The Uruguayan parliament approves the government-sponsored bill that legalizes the production, sale and consumption of marijuana, making Uruguay the first country in the world to do so. The supporters of the move say this will tackle drug cartels. Opponents claim the move will expose more people to drugs and addiction. The United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) accuses Uruguay of breaking the international drug treaties.