LATAM POLITICS TODAY -Corruption rife across Latin America; Guatemala, Nicaragua reach all-time lows: report

Speaking at an event hosted by Credit Suisse, he said that this topic arose prematurely and highlighted that the decision on the inflation target would be taken in June by the National Monetary Council, which consists of the central bank governor, the finance minister and the planning minister. Honduras' Castro says fighting US ruling on CAFTA grains tariff The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, on Monday said that she has asked the U.S. government to review agricultural trade to protect Honduras' production. "The CAFTA...

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Corruption rife across Latin America; Guatemala, Nicaragua reach all-time lows: report SAO PAULO - Guatemala, Nicaragua and Cuba reached all-time lows on Transparency International's corruption index released on Tuesday due to increased organized crime by public institutions, co-optation by political and economic elites and increased human rights abuses.

"Weak governments fail to stop criminal networks, social conflict, and violence, and some exacerbate threats to human rights by concentrating power in the name of tackling insecurity," said Delia Ferreira Rubio, head of Transparency International, a Berlin-based anti-corruption group. Brazil's Finance Ministry not discussing changes to inflation targets

BRASILIA - Brazil's economic policy secretary Guilherme Mello said on Tuesday that discussions on changing inflation targets were not on the agenda of the Finance Ministry, stressing that the role of the economic team is to focus on reforms to reduce inflation and interest rates. Speaking at an event hosted by Credit Suisse, he said that this topic arose prematurely and highlighted that the decision on the inflation target would be taken in June by the National Monetary Council, which consists of the central bank governor, the finance minister and the planning minister.

Honduras' Castro says fighting US ruling on CAFTA grains tariff The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, on Monday said that she has asked the U.S. government to review agricultural trade to protect Honduras' production.

"The CAFTA... free trade agreement with the US... eliminates tariffs on grains such as rice and corn, exposing our producers to near ruin and threatening our food security," Castro said. "I have asked the US government to review the agricultural trade clauses to protect national production and we are getting the support of all Central American countries and the Dominican Republic."

Colombian state responsible for violence against members of leftist party, court says BOGOTA - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights said on Monday the Colombian state was responsible for assassinations and other crimes against more than 6,000 members or supporters of the leftist Patriotic Union (UP) political party over the course of two decades.

An alliance meant to stop the UP from gaining power existed between right-wing paramilitary groups, traditional political sectors, the armed forces and business groups, the court said, and persecution of members was carried out through forced disappearances, massacres and other violence. (Compiled by Steven Grattan; editing by Diane Craft)