New interview series
Global Americans and the Canadian Council for the Americas presents “Two gringos with questions,” an interview series dedicated to the Americas. Your hosts GA Executive Director Chris Sabatini and CCA’s President Kenneth Frankel, two gringos who focus on and work in Latin America and the Caribbean, will ask policymakers, business leaders and cultural movers and shakers about their views on the region and its future. The series provides informal and unexpected information on what’s going on in Latin America and in the Western Hemisphere as a whole. Click here to access the interviews.
New interview series
Global Americans and the Canadian Council for the Americas presents “Two gringos with questions,” an interview series dedicated to the Americas. Your hosts GA Executive Director Chris Sabatini and CCA’s President Kenneth Frankel, two gringos who focus on and work in Latin America and the Caribbean, will ask policymakers, business leaders and cultural movers and shakers about their views on the region and its future. The series provides informal and unexpected information on what’s going on in Latin America and in the Western Hemisphere as a whole. Click here to access the interviews.
Deadlocked Venezuela
Juan Guaidó’s swearing in as interim president on January 23, 2019 and his recognition by more than 50 countries as Venezuela’s legitimate president has consolidated him as the leader of the opposition. But real power remains elusive for the young leader. What must happen to finally trigger change in Venezuela?
Candidates for the 2021-2024 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
On May 21st, five candidates presented their credentials for membership of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for the 2021-2024 term. Four posts need to be filled.
Tropical Stonewall
On May 11, Cuba’s LGBTQI community took to the streets of Havana for the island’s annual gay pride parade, despite the government’s ban. But, in responding to protestors with its usual counteroffensive, the state was met with a sort of tropical Stonewall.
The high cost of polarization for Mexico’s young democracy
With AMLO at the epicenter of his self-proclaimed campaign to personally save Mexico from corruption, Mexican politics are becoming polarized. The loser will likely be not only effectively ending corruption, but Mexican democracy.
Quo vadis Venezuela?
Despite ongoing mass mobilizations, Venezuela will likely remain in flux for the foreseeable future. Backed by powerful external (illiberal) allies, the Maduro regime doesn’t have to play by the rules.
Hope and promise in Guatemala
An economic development model developed in the Midwest United States and Colombia is helping economies grow in Guatemalan highlands. Here’s why it works.
An interview with former Costa Rican President, Luis Guillermo Solís
In the twelfth episode, President Solís talks to Chris and Ken about the rise of evangelicals in Costa Rica, China’s interest in the region and the situation in Nicaragua.
Presidential hegemony and democratic deterioration
Countering democratic backsliding driven by powerful executives is as relevant as eliminating corruption, the deficit of the rule of law and the scourges of inequality and violence that plague Latin America’s democracies. Yet the latter issues still dominate public debate.
Drug trafficking and Colombian ‘peace’
Since the disarming of the FARC two-and-a-half years ago, the actors, figures and methods have changed. But the conclusion is clear: drug trafficking in Colombia is more alive than ever before.
In a closer-than-expected race, Laurentino Cortizo wins Panama’s presidency
Panama’s presidential election quickly shifted from a safe bet to a close race. Nito Cortizo will hold the office for the next five years, but because of the narrow results his presidency is off to a weak start.
On Trump’s Latin American team: Trump announces intent to nominate Philip S. Goldberg to be U.S. Ambassador to Colombia
If confirmed, Goldberg will likely back U.S. ally Colombia’s push to oust Nicolás Maduro, the embattled president of neighboring Venezuela.
The third autocratic wave
Since the mid-nineties, a majority of established democracies have fallen victim to an autocratic wave. And while each country’s trajectory to autocracy is different, the tactical model of the aspiring dictator is evident in all of them.
Peru to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Peru has become an important partner for China in the Western Hemisphere both in terms of commerce and investment. But not all Peruvians share the government’s enthusiasm for Chinese investment.
Spain elections: As the right splinters, regionalists and the center-left gain
Despite gains by the PSOE, Pedro Sánchez will still have to govern from one of the weakest positions in Spain’s recent democratic history. Few would envy his daunting charge of navigating the contradictory challenges of growing nationalism and regionalism in the years to come.
Piñera, PROSUR and autocratic China
A month after promoting the establishment of PROSUR, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera contradicted the central principles of the new regional bloc during a trip to China.
An interview with Silvana Paternostro, Colombian journalist and author of “Solitude & Company”
On the latest episode of "Two gringos with questions," Chris and Ken speak to Paternostro about her new book, meeting “Gabo” for the first time, and the stories she gathered about his life.
21st century authoritarianism: Russia and Venezuela’s control over information and civil society
Aspiring autocrats in Latin America and around the world are increasingly taking pages from the playbooks of the Chávez/Maduro regime in Venezuela and Vladimir Putin in Russia.
IN THE MEDIA
Gobierno agotado apura carrera presidencial
A semanas de que el Presidente Piñera entregue su segundo discurso anual a la nación ante el Congreso Nacional, los chilenos no están pensando en la próxima elección presidencial. La elite política está preocupada de los candidatos para la próxima contienda, porque el gobierno no está logrando controlar la agenda y no puede poner sus temas y prioridades en el debate político.
Catalá y el fuego de la memoria
La obsesión de Catalá era dejar constancia por escrito de lo sufrido por los venezolanos por la represión dictatorial en la era de Marcos Pérez Jiménez.
La cooperación venezolana con Cuba superó a la que brindó la antigua URSS
El esquema de cooperación que brindó la extinta Unión Soviética a Cuba entre 1961 y 1989 representó unos 35.000 millones de dólares, con el valor actual de la moneda estadounidense...
El enemigo interno del gobierno
La forma en que Piñera ha gobernado en su segundo periodo demuestra que la derecha chilena predica un discurso de meritocracia —especialmente en su intento por revertir algunas de las más controversiales reformas que implementó el gobierno de Bachelet. Pero en la forma en que ejerce el gobierno, La Moneda sigue privilegiando una estrategia elitista y excluyente.