John M. Walsh of the Washington Office on Latin America says the failure of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s major reform proposals at the polls was a surprise, and represents a “heavy defeat.”

Latin America expert Kevin Casas-Zamora says that by putting its diplomatic weight behind a mediation effort by Arias to settle the Honduran crisis, the Obama administration has demonstrated sensitiv…

Shannon K. O’Neil, a Latin America expert, says President Obama’s initial exposure to regional leaders in the Americas was positive but no sweeping changes are expected on Cuba or trade policy.

Julia Sweig, the Council on Foreign Relations’ deputy director of Latin America Studies, says that strikes and demonstrations against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez could continue for months …