Drug smuggling and violent crime have become part of everyday life in Guatemala . Some voters are hoping that Sunday's election might be a chance to make a fresh start but it's unlikely that can happen when many of the criminals are on the ballot. Since the election campaign officially began in May this year, there have been 50 politically motivated murders in Guatemala including activists, candidates and their family members. As most of these murders have been reported in areas that are major points of entry for the transshipment of cocaine, experts have attributed this spate of politically motivated attacks to powerful drug cartels that are trying to worm their way into the most successful parties, particularly at a local level, in order to continue operating under a cloak of immunity once the new government comes to power. In the midst of Guatemala's most violent election campaign since Guatemala's first post-conflict elections in 1985, a group of civil society organizations have launched a forceful media campaign urging citizens not to vote for candidates suspected of involvement in organized crime.

Swedish diplomats recently announced their government will gradually withdraw financial aid from Nicaragua and Honduras, in order to concentrate on helping Africa and Eastern Europe . Reactions were quick to flare up, with opposition parties in the isthmus nations blaming the decision on their government's corruption. Swedish diplomats argue that this is not the case – that it is simply a part of their new global development strategy.

By: Nicolás Masci

Translated by: James Wilson

The government recently seized fuel storage tanks belonging to Esso Standard Oil (ESSO), then leased them to the state-owned PETRONIC to store Venezuelan oil. The move immediately generated controversy. The Nicaraguan government claims that it is merely doing its best to ease the energy crisis, further arguing that Esso had not paid some of its taxes, but the U.S. Embassy claims that seizing private property will discourage investment. Meanwhile, the private sector has befriended Vice President Jaime Morales Carazo, who has been more flexible in talks with ESSO than other government officials. The government has since announced that it will be returning the property to ESSO, but only on the condition that it respect the lease to PETRONIC. ESSO has refused and the controversy will likely continue.

A huge oil spill in the Bay of Chiriquí Grande resulting from damage to a ship owned by Petroterminal de Panamá (PTP) has left impoverished fishing villages in a dire plight. After the disaster deprived them of their livelihood, indigenous communities were granted a derisory compensation package from PTP and the company has denied charges of negligence despite complaints from international environmental organizations. Meanwhile, the government has clearly sided with PTP, which is hardly surprising, given that the state has a 44% shareholder stake in the company.

By: Sharon Pringle

Translated by: Dylan Ramshaw

The ruling ARENA party and the left-wing FMLN are in a state of upheaval, with prominent members from both parties resigning left, right and center. However, they have remained focused on their ultimate goal – winning the 2009 elections. In preparation for the elections, the FMLN and ARENA are expected to forge alliances with smaller parties, resulting in a more uniform political landscape.