At least until the referendum, the president conformed rather closely to a classic Latin American type that of the populist caudillo or strongman.

ECONOMIST: Hugo Ch��vez's Venezuela

Aged 51, Mr Garcia is burlier than he was, but still has the looks, oratory and political skills of a classic Latin American populist, as he showed at a packed election rally within hours of his arrival.

ECONOMIST: Peru

But at least one pundit, reckoning that the voters are still unlikely to give Mr Morales the landslide he craves in the legislature, says Bolivia is suffering a classic bout of Latin American populism: personalised politics, mild paranoia, bad economic policy and a weak opposition.

ECONOMIST: Bolivia's divisive president

"Floribbean" cooking mixes elements of traditional Caribbean cookery with modern techniques and an emphasis on fresh produce, while the style known as "Nuevo Latino" revisits classic recipes from all over Latin America, using choicer cuts of meats, healthier ingredients and an added an North American sensibility.

CNN: Sample the culinary treats of Miami

Set to Latin house music and classic Cuban crooning, this piece has a gender-bending freshness that flouts the country's macho stereotype.

ECONOMIST: A jubilant Cuban dance company returns to Britain