South America
Reproductive Rights Laws Remain Stringent Across South America
According to one study, 97 percent of women of reproductive age in Latin America live in countries with restrictive abortion laws.
Viewfinder: With a Border Bridge Closed, People Cross the Táchira River on Foot to Get Out of Venezuela
People cross through the low waters of the Táchira River after the closure of a border bridge on February 27th, 2019, in Cúcuta, Colombia.
Viewfinder: Humanitarian Aid Arrives at the Venezuela–Colombia Border
Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid for Venezuela arrive in Cucuta, Colombia, a city on the Venezuelan border, on February 7th, 2018.
Mapping Bat Communications With Artificial Intelligence Could Be Key to Conversation
Scientists have developed an open-source artificial intelligence algorithm for acoustic identification of bat species that could help save them from the threat of wind farms.
South American Jaguars Are Losing Critical Habitat Due to Agricultural Deforestation
This has led to over-hunting and persecution by cattle ranchers becoming even bigger threats to the survival of the big cat.
Human Beings Have Dramatically Reduced Mammal Populations in the Atlantic Forest
A new study shows that human interactions have hurt the once ecologically "exuberant" and "megadiverse" South American region.
Several South American Countries Struggle With Influx of Urban Refugees
As a result of the Venezuelan crisis, refugees are flooding into cities and towns across the region, an example of a growing global trend.
The Increasingly Fraught State of Brazil's Presidential Elections
The outcome of this year's election will likely set the stage for the murky years to come, be those years of recovery—or persistent chaos.
Dispatches: South America's Migrant Crisis
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
Viewfinder: Venezuelans Fleeing an Economic Crisis in Their Home Country Apply to Stay in Peru
A policeman takes fingerprints of a Venezuelan migrant as a group of migrants wait to apply for resident visas or temporary stay permits at an Interpol facility in Lima, Peru, on August 29th, 2018.
Will Venezuela Be Able to Curb Its Hyperinflation?
Nicolás Maduro's government is taking desperate steps to try stop the bleeding in the country's economy.
Amid Violence, Brazil Decides Not to Close Its Border With Venezuela
After an unprecedented outbreak of violence in a border town that has become the main entry point for Venezuelan migrants, the Brazilian government on Monday ruled out closing the border.
Viewfinder: Thousands of Nicaraguans March for the Release of Political Prisoners
Anti-government protesters play traditional music and dance as they take part in a march demanding the release of political prisoners in Managua, Nicaragua, on August 15th, 2018.
Five Barriers to Regime Change in Venezuela
While many are calling for regime change in the embattled country, two foreign policy experts breakdown why Nicolás Maduro may hang on to power for the foreseeable future.
In South America, Researchers Work to Save a Disappearing History of Movement
Teams of scientists are hurriedly attempting to save ancient sites that could provide insights into how people moved across Mesoamerica—before they are lost forever.
How Do You Make a Living, Travel Journalist?
Nell McShane Wulfhart talks to Noah Davis about the value of being where other writers are not, paying her own expenses, and how Gangnam Style helped launch her career.
Punishment Wins Over Prevention in Brazil
Brazil's Congress is considering a measure to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16. But this proposal misses the mark as an effort to reduce crime. We should try creating new norms for masculinity instead.
The Stories We Tell: Adopting From a Troubled Country
Adele Barker brought Noah home from Paraguay in 1987. Now, 28 years later, she’s not sure whose story is accurate. Can we ever really know?
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Alisha Holland, 29, Political Science
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
Falling Inequality Leads to Rising Unrest in Brazil -
The Brazilian middle class is bigger than ever, and that's why they're so fed up.
Guinea Pigs, an Adorable—and Tasty—Dinner Companion
A delicacy in the Andes is making its way to the United States in ever-growing numbers.