While the coronavirus clearly triggered an economic meltdown, it would be an egregious error to solely attribute the economic decline to the virus itself.
The real crisis: A global debt bubble of historic proportions
By Benjamin Waddell /
Human Rights & Social Inclusion
Immigrants are the heartbeat of America
By Benjamin Waddell /
We need a system that recognizes the important contribution of immigrants to U.S. culture, politics, and, in particular, the economy.
Economics, Trade & Development
Migrants are the solution, not the problem
By Benjamin Waddell /
Over the years I’ve talked with hundreds of immigrants, and across all these conversations, one common thread stands out: migrants are risk takers.
Human Rights & Social Inclusion
Why people migrate: A plea for empathy from Nicaragua
By Benjamin Waddell /
The thousands of brave souls currently leaving Nicaragua are not doing so because they want to. Whether due to political persecution or out of economic necessity, they are fleeing for their lives.
Brazil and the Southern Cone
Does inequality drive corruption and unethical behavior?
By Benjamin Waddell /
Like their conservative predecessors, left-leaning presidents in Latin America have shown a tendency to fall for the vice of corruption. Recent studies argue the causes stem from more than just an absence of ethics but also high levels of inequality.
North America
Laying the groundwork for insurrection: A closer look at the U.S. role in Nicaragua’s social unrest
By Benjamin Waddell /
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For decades, the United States’ National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, has played a key role in shaping Nicaragua’s political arena. Today, NED grantees are at the forefront of the civil society groups supporting the current protests.
Human Rights & Social Inclusion
A Tropical Spring in the land of lakes and volcanoes
By Benjamin Waddell /
Like the Arab Spring in 2010-2011, students have been at the epicenter of Nicaragua’s uprising from the beginning, but their discontent has spread like wildfire. Nicaraguans around the world are calling for change.
Central America
Notes from the frontlines of protests in Nicaragua
By Benjamin Waddell /
Writing from Nicaragua’s colonial city Granada, the author gives a personal view of the upheaval on the streets.
Central America
The uprising in Nicaragua: Are Ortega’s days numbered?
By Benjamin Waddell /
Although it is impossible to know what will happen in the hours and days to follow, it is clear that the rioting and looting over the last 48 hours has severely shaken Nicaraguan politics and economics.