News stories by Danilo Valladares, page 9

Soaring international prices for oil and gas are driving the expansion of renewable energies in Central America, a region that has plenty of untapped potential for producing hydroelectricity, wind power and geothermal energy.

'My brother was murdered, and we're still the victims of threats and harassment, which is why we filed the petition' under the free trade agreement signed with the United States by Central America and the Dominican Republic, (DR-CAFTA), said Guatemalan trade unionist Noé Ramírez.

Thousands of small-scale fishers in Central America are fighting for survival in the face of free trade deals, transnational corporations, mega tourism projects and pollution that is harming marine life.

'We have nowhere to plant our corn, we have nothing,' Jorge Chocoj told IPS while waiting with his wife and three children for the police to evict them from the land they farmed in northwestern Guatemala.

Most of the countries of Central America are lagging behind the rest of the tourist destinations in Latin America, despite their impressive natural and archaeological treasures. To turn this situation around, the area is increasingly focusing on alternatives like rural tourism.

Central America's security problems will be front and centre at a summit meeting between United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and leaders of seven countries, to be held Mar. 16 in the Guatemalan capital.

Concepción González, 42, never went to school. She remembers with frustration having to stamp her fingerprint because she couldn't sign official documents, and having to respond 'I don't know' to her children's homework questions.

Central America is cautiously hoping that the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to El Salvador Mar. 22-23 will give tangible form to Washington's commitment to protecting immigrants and fighting organised crime in the region, analysts told IPS.

Guatemalans will go to the polls to elect a new government in September. But the failure to implement in-depth reforms in the political system, including a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution, means structural changes that could improve the social and economic situation are unlikely, according to experts and political leaders.

Central America has suffered the highest rate of forest loss in Latin America over the last 10 years, despite a growing number of plans aimed at curbing the decline, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports.