"The mistakes the U.S. has made in Latin America-and the high price it will pay for them Washington has long told Latin American countries how to run their economies: bring in multinationals, eliminate the social safety net, keep government debt low, court U.S. politicians, and sign free trade...

For too many of us, Latin America exists "below the fold," an echo barely heard beyond the roar of U.S. economics, politics, and culture; the source of little more than dance steps, mesmerizing soccer, spicy food, and questionable politics. But Latin America has been a vital part of the global...