Central & South America

Inside the church of San Pedro Apóstol is an ornate gold-leaf altar—earning it the moniker of "The Sistine Chapel of the Andes."

The Sistine Chapel of the Andes

Just miles from Peru’s Incan ruins lie artifacts from another era—beautiful Baroque churches that married Spanish design with indigenous culture

Given a safe passage, jaguars will wander hundreds of miles to breed, even swimming across the Panama Canal.

The Jaguar Freeway

A bold plan for wildlife corridors that connect populations from Mexico to Argentina could mean the big cat's salvation

Marco Fidel Torres has been portraying Juan Valdez in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle for nearly a decade.

Will the Real Juan Valdez Please Stand Up?

Being Colombia’s most famous folk figure has its perks, even if you're an impersonator

The dam, to be built at the confluence of the Inambari and Araza rivers, is one of dozens expected to power South America's economic ascent.

A Mega-Dam Dilemma in the Amazon

A huge dam on Peru's Inambari River will bring much-needed development to the region. But at what cost?

People of every income level and skin color mix comfortably on Rio's gorgeous beaches like here at Ipanema-Leblon.

Reinventing Rio

The dazzling but tarnished Brazilian city gets a makeover as it prepares for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games

"We had 12,000 to 15,000 paintings here," says Georges Nader Jr., with a Paul Tanis work at the remains of his family's house and museum near Port-au-Prince.

In Haiti, the Art of Resilience

Within weeks of January's devastating earthquake, Haiti's surviving painters and sculptors were taking solace from their work

As musicians, locals and tourists converge in Lapa, it has become the musical heart of Rio de Janeiro.

Rio’s Music is Alive and Well

Brazil’s music scene may be known for beats such as bossa nova, but newer sounds are making waves on the streets of Rio

Ancient Pyramids Around the World

No matter if the civilization was Mesopotamian, Egyptian, or Mayan, its legacy today is in part marked by towering pyramids

Buenos Aires' colorful Boca neighborhood.

Buenos Aires: a City's Power and Promise

The stylish and affordable capital of Argentina has become a big hit with growing numbers of foreigners

Partaking in an old but ambiguous rite, blue "devils" (in Paramin, with mouths colored by dyed bubble gum) offer spectators a deal: pay, or get rubbed with body paint.

Up Close at Trinidad's Carnival

What’s behind the raucous pre-Lenten rite? An intrepid scholar hits the streets of Trinidad to find out

Easter Island

The Statues of Easter Island

A riddle of engineering hasn't stopped archaeologists from debating how the giant carved stones were transported around the island

Tikal

The Mystery of Tikal

An ancient Mayan city, once hidden by overgrown jungle, evokes a childlike sense of wonder

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Mexico

To the surprise of many, Pinochet's free-market reforms led to unprecedented prosperity and growth (Santiago, Chile's booming capital). With its thriving middle class and profitable exports, the nation today is poised to become Latin America's most economically robust.

Chile's Driving Force

Once imprisoned by Pinochet, the new Socialist president Michelle Bachelet wants to spread the wealth initiated by the dictator's economic policies

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Venezuela Steers a New Course

As oil profits fund a socialist revolution, President Hugo Chávez picks a fight with his country's biggest customer the United States

On the lookout for enemies, a warrior named Ta'van leads a patrol through the jungle. Several hundred Indians—some never seen by outsiders—live in the Amazon's Javari Valley.

Out of Time

The volatile Korubo of the Amazon still live in almost total isolation. Indian tracker Sydney Possuelo is trying to keep their world intact

The Hatiguanico River, largely untouched by industry or farming, flows through the Zapata Swamp. Tarpon is the catch of the day.

The Nature of Cuba

Tiny frogs. Vast swamps. Pristine rivers. Whether by design or default, the island boasts the Caribbean's best-kept wildlands. But for how long?

Machu Picchu remained unknown to the outside world until the 20th century.

Winter Palace

The first major exhibition devoted to the Incas' fabled cold-weather retreat highlights Machu Picchu's secrets

Shadow Wolves officers (such as Scout and Nez) battle heatstroke and cramps in summer temperatures that can exceed 117 degrees.

Shadow Wolves

An all-Indian Customs unit possibly the world's best trackers uses techniques to pursue smugglers along a remote stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border

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Tracking a Vanished People Through the Sierra Madre

In 1890, Carl Lumholtz pushed into Mexico, on a search for the ancient culture now known as the Anasazi. Instead, he found the Mogollon

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