In Costa Rica, an Easter surprise sees voters reject a conservative firebrand

Costa Rica

Democracy & Elections

In Costa Rica, an Easter surprise sees voters reject a conservative firebrand

By Lucas Perelló / lucasperello / April 4, 2018

In a surprise vote marked by high turnout and polarization surrounding same-sex marriage, Carlos Alvarado defeated Fabricio Alvarado. But Fabricio may not have been the biggest loser in the landslide election.

After a surprise vote, a showdown between Alvarados will determine Costa Rica’s next president

By Lucas Perelló / lucasperello / February 6, 2018

Following a surprising result on Sunday, Fabricio Alvarado and Carlos Alvarado will face off in a run-off election on April 1.

Democracy & Elections

In Costa Rica, uncertainty looms over Sunday’s presidential election

By Lucas Perelló / lucasperello / February 1, 2018

In a country long known as one of Latin America’s most stable democracies, a socially conservative outsider is leading polls ahead of Sunday’s first-round vote.

Foreign Policy & U.S./Latin America Relations

Violence in Central America: Do no harm, Mr. Trump

By Kevin Casas-Zamora / January 31, 2018

Crime and violence in the Northern Triangle is a regional issue that requires a collective response to the structural factors driving it: weak state capacity, corruption within police forces and the judiciary, and insufficient data. Deporting refugees back to the region doesn’t help.

Economics, Trade & Development

Ending the middle-income trap through policy design

By Javier Gutiérrez / jantgut / March 29, 2017

If Central America wants to get out of the middle-income trap it would do well to follow Uruguay’s lead and develop a focused, comprehensive industrial policy that builds on the region’s trade advantages.

Economics, Trade & Development

Trade in services: Central America’s big opportunity?

By Javier Gutiérrez / jantgut / February 3, 2017

While global trade in services is booming, most Latin American countries continue to export basic goods. Here’s what Panama and Costa Rica did to catch up. Other countries should follow.

Economics, Trade & Development

Can demographics and policy reform help Central America’s creative industries?

By Javier Gutiérrez / jantgut / August 30, 2016

Against grim economic news in Latin America, Central America is expected to grow by 4.3 percent this year. But that won’t be enough. Here’s how the region can grow further, leveraging its creative industries.

Human Rights & Multilateral Organizations

Going Down the Rabbit Hole of the UNHRC’s Universal Review Process

By Chris Sabatini & Amy Williams / January 7, 2016

Even in Latin America, a region often thought to share the same democratic orientation and values of the U.S. and Europe, there are some striking differences among groups of countries regarding supporting norms and practices on human rights internationally, with some countries lining up more with autocratic countries of the Global South.