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Peruvian cuisine is a mix of many influences and cultures, including Asian. Two restaurants in Lima have been among the best in the world for few years now but great local food with fresh ingredients and low prices can be found literally in any neighborhood market or eatery. Correspondent Dan Collyns has been reporting how Peruvians have managed to master the art of combining highland Andean products like local potatoes with seafood from the Pacific Ocean.

The US-Mexico border has long been an area of treacherous terrain. And with the number of migrants trying to illegally cross into the US increasing, the number of migrant deaths has risen as well. Since 2020, migrants have been choosing more dangerous routes to the US to avoid apprehension. Hundreds perish from heat exposure and dehydration in the desert. Others drown trying to cross rivers and canals. On this episode of the Americas Now Podcast, correspondent Alasdair Baverstock shares insight, with host Elaine Reyes, from his deployments to the border to cover the migration story.

Illegal mining is a big problem in South America. Thousands of small-time miners are digging up and destroying parts of the Amazon in different countries. The police and the army seem to be a step behind as the miners keep operating. Correspondent-Producer Armando Guerra shares his experience, with host Elaine Reyes, covering illegal gold mines in Peru and Ecuador.

Vallenato is likely Colombia’s most popular musical genre and part of the country’s identity. Played with an accordion, it’s a combination of African, Indigenous and European sounds. Traditionally, the genre has been dominated by male musicians but lately it’s female performers who are making themselves heard. Correspondent Michelle Begue discusses the Women of Vallenato with Anchor Elaine Reyes.

Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine producer and the cultivation of coca plants, the main ingredient of the drug, is increasing. Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Toby Muse, who recently reported on the Gulf Clan, the leading drug cartel in Colombia. Muse, who is based in the South American country, deployed to the epicenter of cocaine production and met with coca growers and drug smugglers.