Latin America in Focus
206 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★ - 58 ratingsGo in depth on the latest trends in Latin American politics, economics, and culture in this podcast series by Americas Society/Council of the Americas.
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Episodes
How the Dominican Republic Breaks Latin America’s Election Mold
April 25, 2024 19:13 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBThe Dominican Republic’s Luis Abinader is one of the most popular leaders in Latin America, if not the world, so it may come as little surprise that Abinader appears to be on comfortable footing to win in the first round of the country’s presidential vote on May 19. But then again, the country’s political climate differs from that of the rest of Latin America in that presidents tend to be popular, elections don’t usually go to runoffs, and polarization levels remain low. In this episode, Tem...
Is Latin America Ready for Another Pandemic
April 11, 2024 04:05 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBPod dek: An old adversary of Latin America is back: Dengue. The current outbreak of the mosquito-transmitted disease is the worst in years. Across the region, from Argentina to Brazil to Puerto Rico, images of hospitals filled with patients are coming into view. Four years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, how well-equipped is the region to tackle this one—or those to follow? In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mariangela Simão, the head of the Brazilian Instituto Todos pela Saude and ...
Is Latin America Ready for Another Pandemic?
April 11, 2024 04:05 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBAn old adversary of Latin America is back: Dengue. The current outbreak of the mosquito-transmitted disease is the worst in years. Across the region, from Argentina to Brazil to Puerto Rico, images of hospitals filled with patients are coming into view. Four years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, how well-equipped is the region to tackle this one—or those to follow? In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mariangela Simão, the head of the Brazilian Instituto Todos pela Saude and formerly ...
What's on the Economic Agenda for Panama's Next President?
March 27, 2024 04:05 - 32 minutes - 30 MBPanama is facing a moment of uncertainty amid an electoral race with eight candidates, droughts affecting the Panama Canal, and fallout over massive 2023 mining protests. But Felipe Chapman, chairman and managing partner of economic and financial advisory firm INDESA, remains optimistic about his country’s future. In a conversation with AS/COA Vice President Randy Melzi, he says Panama’s challenges are “fixable” as he outlines the economic agenda for the next administration. This is the thi...
Brian A. Nichols on the Biden Administration's Latin America Policy
March 13, 2024 04:05 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBJust hours before Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, the State Department’s Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere Brian A. Nichols joined AS/COA in an event covering the state of U.S. policy in the Americas. In a conversation with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, Ambassador Nichols laid out the administration’s positions on regional quagmires, such as Haiti’s humanitarian and political crises and the fairness of Venezuela’s July elections. But he also delved into opportun...
As Mexico’s Election Fires Up, a Look at Youth and Democracy
February 22, 2024 05:05 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBIn Mexico’s 2024 vote, more than a quarter of eligible voters are under 30 and nearly half are under 40. That means younger voters have an opportunity to play a major role in an election not only for president, but one that will see more than 20,000 seats up for grabs. But they have to participate if they want to have an impact. Me Veo, an organization focused on getting out the vote in this election, is seeking to do just that. Its director, Alexandra Zapata, joined the podcast to spells ou...
How Courts Can Make or Break Latin America's Corruption Battle
February 08, 2024 15:56 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBWhen it comes to corruption perceptions, Latin America is stagnating. And what’s one major obstacle to improvement? Judiciary independence, explains Transparency International’s Luciana Torchiaro. In this episode, she dives deep into how the region fared in her organization’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, released in January 2024, and tells AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme why attempts to weaken the judiciaries in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras are hindering the battle again...
Online Reach and Expat Votes in El Salvador’s Election
January 25, 2024 05:05 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MB2024 will be a big year for Latin American elections, and the first one takes place in El Salvador. Popular President Nayib Bukele is likely to win a race that showcases his regional—and global—influence. Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas’ Roberta Braga explains how Bukele’s social media strategy spreads beyond El Salvador’s borders and calls for a rethink of how online disinformation. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Michael Paarlberg delves into how that message is being receiv...
Ten Years in, What's the Future of Mexico's Morena Party?
December 14, 2023 05:05 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MB2024 doesn’t just mark Mexico’s biggest elections ever, but the tenth anniversary since Morena, the party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, became an official party. And it now faces a test: will it build on its expanding control or find itself reined in by Mexican voters in June 2024? In this episode, long-time pollster Lorena Becerra and CIDE political scientist Javier Aparicio cover whether Morena could become a hegemonic party akin to the PRI, the challenges for López Obrador’s c...
Beyond the Boom: Latin American Writing in Translation
November 30, 2023 17:11 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBEarlier this year, Latin American literature lost a champion when Edith Grossman, one of the foremost Spanish language translators, passed away. Grossman not only translated some of the region's master writers, but she advocated for her profession and for the value of reading in translation. In this episode, two acclaimed translators, Megan McDowell and Esther Allen, speak about her legacy, the titles grabbing attention in the United States, the role of women authors in a current Latin Ameri...
Did Colombia’s Local Elections Spell Problems for Petro?
November 09, 2023 05:05 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBOn October 29, Colombians voted for mayors and governors across the country, and President Gustavo Petro’s candidates fared poorly in an election that many say served as a referendum on his leadership. Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, talks with AS/COA Online’s Jon Orbach about what we can learn from mayoral races in Bogotá and Medellín, how the overall results provide a window into the mood in Colombia, and why Washington should pay attention to the country’s domestic poli...
Venezuela’s Energy Sector Primes for a Thaw
October 26, 2023 05:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBOctober was a busy month for Venezuela. The United States eased sanctions on the country’s oil sector, the opposition and the Maduro regime sketched out an electoral roadmap, and María Corina Machado triumphed in the opposition primary. What does all this mean for the country’s energy sector? "I estimate that instead of getting half a billion dollars per month, they will be getting closer to a billion dollars per month. So, it's a very important amount of money that Maduro could use to imp...
Can Carbon Markets Finance Brazil’s Green Transition?
October 12, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBAs the world falters in its 2015 Paris Agreement goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Brazil is helping turn the tide. As the country’s Senate approved a bill that would regulate companies releasing more than 10,000 tons of CO2 per year, it looks to start making a profit on emissions too. In this episode, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Emilio La Rovere talks to Luisa Leme about the benefits of putting a price on emissions, Brazil’s comparative advantage, and why Latin...
Dollarization, Inflation, and Voter Frustration in Argentina
September 28, 2023 04:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBArgentines face a three-horse race when they vote for a president on October 22. Each contender has distinct ideas for resolving the country’s economic and security woes. One of those candidates— libertarian Congressman Javier Milei—has brought back the idea of dollarizing the country’s economy. Are voters open to the idea? In this episode, Reuters Correspondent Anna-Catherine Brigida speaks from Buenos Aires about how each candidate is pitching themselves to voters and the interplay between...
How Women Won Political Parity in Mexico—and What Comes Next
September 14, 2023 04:05 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBWith Mexico’s two main political alliances selecting Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez as their 2024 contenders, it’s looking likely that the country’s next president will be a woman. But already in Mexico, women hold a range of top political seats and have achieved gender parity in Congress. In this episode, Mónica Tapia talks with Carin Zissis about the history of how Mexican women carved a path to rising political representation, the role of a resurgent women’s movement, and the two wo...
What AI’s “Tectonic Change” Means for Latin America
July 26, 2023 07:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBArtificial intelligence may spark job loss fears across the Americas, but businesses and people in the region are increasingly adopting the technology. Ángel Melguizo, partner at Argia and Latin America advisor to UNESCO on ethics and AI, outlined what countries need to do to benefit from the AI revolution without leaving people behind. He also covers the urgent need for a “coalition of the good” in terms of AI regulation, and where Latin America stands on the matter. Learn more about the A...
Michael Reid on This EU-Latin American Moment
July 12, 2023 06:20 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBThe second half of 2023 will see Spain take over several EU leadership posts, and Madrid has pledged to deepen its focus on EU-Latin American relations. Could this lead to aflourishing regional relations? Ahead of the EU-CELAC summit in July, author Michael Reid explained the roadblocks to trans-Atlantic integration. From Ukraine to a Mercosur-EU free trade agreement to Venezuela, Reid explains how a lack of a unified Latin American front affects its relationship with Europe and beyond. T...
Empowering North American Goals
June 28, 2023 16:56 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBIn a world struggling with geopolitical uncertainty, how can North America offer a secure environment and economic stability? In this episode, conducted in collaboration with the U.S.-Mexico Foundation (USMF), we explore the answer to this question and more. USMF Managing Director Enrique Perret interviews AS/COA’s Susan Segal about how Canada, Mexico, and the United States can build on 30 years of free-trade ties to drive exponential trade growth. The conversation emphasizes the need to eli...
Guatemala's Electoral Crossroads
June 07, 2023 18:58 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBGuatemalans head to the polls June 25 with their country’s democracy at a crossroads. Despite nearly two dozen presidential candidates on the ballot, three key contenders were eliminated and dozens of the country’s corruption-battling prosecutors and journalists face exile or imprisonment. What does this mean for the election? What is the U.S.’s role? How do Guatemala’s youth see their country’s prospects? Veteran journalist Juan Luis Font, a radio anchor with ConCriterio covering his countr...
Life after “Crossed Death” in Ecuador
May 24, 2023 20:08 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBEcuador’s Guillermo Lasso chose to do something unprecedented on May 17, invoking a constitutional clause that dissolved the National Assembly and triggered a new set of elections for the executive and legislative branches. Now that he’s Lasso ruling by decree, what can Ecuadorans expect in this period of uncertainty? And who are the big players ahead of the upcoming election? Atrevia’s Quito-based Carmen Sánchez-Laulhé talks with AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison about the road ahead as the ...
The Story of Unlikely Art Genius Bispo do Rosario
May 04, 2023 16:00 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBArthur Bispo do Rosario never intended to become an artist. But he’s now recognized as a pioneering force in Latin American art. After experiencing hallucinations at the age of 29, he was checked in to a psychiatric institution where he spent the rest of his life. While there, he heard voices that told him to recreate all existing materials on earth. It’s from this idea that Americas Society drew the name for its exhibition, Bispo do Rosario: All Existing Materials on Earth. In this episode,...
The China-Taiwan Tussle in the Americas
April 19, 2023 14:43 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBWith Honduras having switched sides to Beijing in March 2023, only 13 countries worldwide recognize Taiwan over China. More than half are in Latin America and the Caribbean. Why are so many of Taipei’s allies based in the region? What happens after a country chooses China? And what do upcoming elections in Paraguay and Guatemala—the two biggest economies that still recognize Taiwan—mean for the future of this East Asian diplomatic tug of war? Florida International University’s Leland Lazarus...
What the SVB Collapse Signals for Latin America
April 05, 2023 17:31 - 19 minutes - 18 MBLatin America’s startups have spent the past three years navigating the tricky macroeconomic environment wrought by the pandemic. Now, they’re fending with high interest rates, a tightening pool of venture capital, and—oh yeah!—the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. AS/COA CEO and President Susan Segal explains why the collapse won’t rattle Latin America’s markets and how the region’s startups can thrive amid uncertainty, and she offers her short-term macroeconomic concerns. Check out other...
Could a Clash over Corn Upend U.S.-Mexico Trade Ties?
March 15, 2023 14:38 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBWhen thinking about challenges for U.S.-Mexico ties, corn might not be the first thing to come to mind. But a simmering trade dispute over a potential Mexican ban of GMO corn could have enormous consequences for these intertwined economies. In this episode, North American trade expert Diego Marroquín tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about the potential impact of such a ban and why the case is a “litmus test for Mexico’s commitment to USMCA.” The music in this podcast is performed by Tembembe Ens...
A Decade of Nicolás Maduro
March 01, 2023 05:15 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBMarch 5, 2023 marks 10 years of President Nicolás Maduro’s rule in Venezuela. Maduro has overseen a decade of economic turmoil, democratic backsliding, and a mass exodus of more than seven million Venezuelans. How does the government operate? And what will the 2024 elections bring? Bloomberg journalist Fabiola Zerpa and Amherst College professor of political science Javier Corrales discuss Venezuela’s political history and prospects with AS/COA Senior Director Guillermo Zubillaga. Check out...
Can a Lawsuit Stem Spyware Use in Central America?
February 15, 2023 05:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBAfter his phone was hacked with Pegasus spyware four times, El Faro journalist Roman Gressier and 17* colleagues at the Salvadoran outlet decided to sue a software manufacturer in a U.S. court. His lawsuit is part of a growing effort to regulate the exploding market for digital surveillance worldwide. But can anything stop governments from using these tools? Gressier tells AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison about the case, the role of Pegasus in Central America, and why he is pessimistic about t...
Will the Anti-Incumbency Wave Reach Argentina and Guatemala?
February 02, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWhat’s the mood on the ground in Guatemala and Argentina, both of which hold presidential elections this year? Given voter dissatisfaction, will they follow the regional trend of backing the other side and bucking the status quo? Universidad del Valle de Guatemala’s Marielos Chang tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why voters in the Central American country are frustrated by corruption and a dizzying array of political parties. Meanwhile, Cefeidas Group’s Juan Cruz Díaz talks with AS/COA’s Luisa Le...
Three Stories You May Have Missed in 2022
December 19, 2022 19:11 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBHear some of the uncovered stories of the year. Sofía Ramirez Aguilar of México ¿Cómo Vamos? details why Mexicans, who long had one of the lowest vacation rates in the world, got some good news in time for the holiday season. Claudio Ruiz of Derechos Digitales explains Chile’s moves to be a digital rights pioneer. And journalist Simeon Tegel talks about the controversial Mayor-elect of Lima Rafael López Aliaga, who has his eyes on the presidency. The music in this podcast is Eric Kurimski Q...
Who Will Foot the Bill for Climate Adaptation?
December 02, 2022 14:28 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBIt could cost up to $6 trillion a year to finance the transition away from a carbon-intensive economy. That’s triple the current yearly global commitment. What would it take to rapidly expand the amount of financing available for decarbonization, sustainable infrastructure, and compensation for the effects of climate change? The UN’s Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez and Marsh McLennan’s Amy Barnes explains how the public and private sector are funding decarbonization and the transition to a green...
Superpesos? Coldplay Dollars? Inside Latin America's Currency Markets
November 10, 2022 21:14 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBThe U.S. dollar is stronger than it’s been in decades against currencies around the world. But that’s not true across Latin America where, in some cases, smart policies by governments and central banks have helped keep domestic currencies steady. XP Investment’s Alberto Bernal tells AS/COA Vice President Randy Melzi which countries have been successful and which are at risk. This episode features a quiz! Get the answers to the lightening round of currency trivia at: www.as-coa.org/podcast ...
Bonus Episode: Amb. Thomas Shannon on How Lula's Win Resets Brazi's Foreign Policy
November 03, 2022 16:20 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBIn January, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will start a third term as Brazil’s president two decades after he began his first—and in a remarkably changed world. In this episode, former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon tells Executive Producer Luisa Leme what Lula’s comeback means for Latin America, U.S. relations, China, and the world. To learn more about this year’s Latin American elections, visit: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this episode is "Tarde de Chuva" by Paulo Moura, perform...
Bonus Episode: Amb. Thomas Shannon on How Lula's Win Resets Brazil's Foreign Policy
November 03, 2022 16:20 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBIn January, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will start a third term as Brazil’s president two decades after he began his first—and in a remarkably changed world. In this episode, former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon tells Executive Producer Luisa Leme what Lula’s comeback means for Latin America, U.S. relations, China, and the world. To learn more about this year’s Latin American elections, visit: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this episode is "Tarde de Chuva" by Paulo Moura, perfor...
What the Guacamaya Hacks Reveal about Latin American Militaries
October 26, 2022 00:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBIn September, a group of hacktivists known as Guacamaya sparked reverberations across much of Latin America when it released millions of documents and emails from the military and police forces of Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru. In this episode, UC San Diego’s Cecilia Farfán Mendez explains the impact of the leaks in Mexico, which accounts for six of the 10 terabytes of data released. And Cybersecurity expert Juan Pablo Castro explains why Latin America’s militaries were so s...
The Battle For Brazil's Divided Electorate
October 13, 2022 20:55 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBOn October 2nd, Brazilians split the ballots—and the country—between former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Quaest pollster Felipe Nunes talks about whether the polls got the first round wrong, how Lula and Bolsonaro are now dueling for the battleground state of Minas Gerais, and why Lula needs to fight against voter abstention to secure a win in the October 30 runoff. Listen to our previous episode with Felipe Nunes on Brazil's first-round vote. https://bi...
What Do We Really Know about the U.S. Latino Voter?
September 29, 2022 18:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBEvery election cycle, both Democrats and Republicans are reminded of the power of the Latino voter—who are now the second largest demographic group in the electorate. However, is either party’s approach to this group effective? And are Latinos really a cogent voting bloc? Two experts, Clarissa Martinez-De-Castro of UnidosUS and Sabrina Rodriguez of The Washington Post, discuss Latinos’ top issues, how to perform effective outreach to this group, and how the landscape of Latino politics change...
What Do We Really Know about the Latino Vote?
September 29, 2022 18:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBEvery election cycle, both Democrats and Republicans are reminded of the power of the Latino voter—who are now the second largest demographic group in the electorate. However, is either party’s approach to this group effective? And are Latinos really a cogent voting bloc? Two experts, Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro of UnidosUS and Sabrina Rodríguez of The Washington Post, discuss Latinos’ top issues, how to perform effective outreach to this group, and how the landscape of Latino politics chang...
Mexico's March toward the 2024 Election
September 13, 2022 19:30 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBFrom the presidential state of the union to Independence Day, September in Mexico is a politically momentous time. This year, it saw President Andrés Manuel López Obrador usher through a deepening military control over public security just in time for independence celebrations. In this episode, political analyst Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about AMLO’s military moves, the building of his legacy, and how it all relates to a 2024 presidential race that’s alread...
Kingmakers and Key Issues in Brazil's Lula–Bolsonaro Showdown
August 11, 2022 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MBPollster Felipe Nunes talks with AS/COA Online about swing votes, electoral issues, and what’s at stake for the Lula and Bolsonaro presidential campaigns ahead of the October 2 presidential election. In addition, John Hopkins University’s Beatriz Rey explains why Congress matters more than ever to the next president of Brazil. Access polls and learn more about the Brazilian election at: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this podcast was “Sarará” by Yamandu Costa performed for Americas Socie...
Kingmakers And Key Issues In Brazil's Lula—Bolsonaro Showdown
August 11, 2022 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MBPollster Felipe Nunes talks with AS/COA Online about swing votes, electoral issues, and what’s at stake for the Lula and Bolsonaro presidential campaigns ahead of the October 2 presidential election. In addition, John Hopkins University’s Beatriz Rey explains why Congress matters more than ever to the next president of Brazil. Access polls and learn more about the Brazilian election at: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this podcast was “Sarará” by Yamandu Costa performed for Americas Soc...
Reissue: Emily Hersh on Whether Latin America Can Power Up Its Lithium Prospects
July 28, 2022 04:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBLatin America in Focus is taking a break to recharge and we’re reissuing one of our favorite episodes this year. We hope you get a chance to take time off and that you can join us for new episodes soon about Brazil’s elections, Chile’s constitutional vote, and more. Demand for lithium is expected to keep growing exponentially in the race to ensure we can power our smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. That could be a boon for Latin American economies, home to the lithium triangle co...
Cyber Attacks In Costa Rica Expose A Regional Threat
July 13, 2022 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBStarting in April, Costa Rica experienced a debilitating cyberattack that crippled the government and the private sector’s ability to operate. It also served as a warning to countries across Latin America about how high the stakes are on digital crimes. On the podcast, AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison talks to Belisario Contreras, the former head of cybersecurity for the Organization of Americas States, about how prepared the region is to protect its digital assets. The music in this episode ...
How Latin America Is Fighting Inflation
June 23, 2022 18:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBAs economies around the world face inflationary pressures, they may want to check the Latin American playbook. Otaviano Canuto, fellow at the Policy Center for the New South and former World Bank president, talks about why the region is positioned to avoid the runaway inflation woes of the past. But he also warns of social unrest on the horizon amid a shift toward populist leaders who make promises they just can’t keep. Also in this episode, AS/COA Vice President Brian Winter covers the res...
Colombian Voters Buck the Presidential Status Quo
June 09, 2022 21:21 - 25 minutes - 23 MBColombians dealt a blow to the political status quo by picking two anti-establishment candidates to face off in the second round of their 2022 presidential election. The Washington Post’s Bogotá Bureau Chief, Samantha Schmidt, tells AS/COA Online’s Jon Orbach who they are, what they’re proposing, and tales from a recent trip to one of their hometowns. Editor's note: The introduction to this podcast indicates the Mexican political party know as the PRI will, following 2022 gubernatorial inau...
The Once and Future Summit of the Americas
May 26, 2022 17:45 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBIt’s been a bumpy road to the June 2022 Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, which comes as the hemisphere faces challenges like pandemic recovery, spiking inflation, and waning support for democracy. In this episode, AS/COA Senior Director Steve Liston, former U.S. deputy national coordinator for the Summits of the Americas, compares this round to its historic predecessors, explains what distinguishes the event from other summits, and covers what’s needed to make future ones a success. R...
Can Xiomara Castro Take Control of Honduras' Reins?
May 05, 2022 17:40 - 21 minutes - 20 MBIn her first 100 days, Honduran President Xiomara Castro has taken some steps forward on campaign pledges, but her leadership has been overshadowed by two former presidents: her outspoken husband and Juan Orlando Hernández, who was extradited the United States on charges of narcotrafficking. Can she take control of the reins? AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison spoke to journalist Jeff Ernst, who covers Honduras. The music in this episode is Aurelio Martínez performing at the Americas Society. W...
How VP Choices Are Shaping Presidential Races in Colombia and Brazil
April 25, 2022 18:48 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBThe choice of a running mate gives a presidential hopeful a chance to widen the net, solidify a profile, or win over a rival’s supporters. What can we glean from vice-presidential choices in Brazil and Colombia, both of which hold game-changing elections in the coming months? In this episode, we hear from Colombia Risk Analysis’ Sergio Guzman on VP choices for the top three candidates, as well as how Gustavo Petro’s running mate Francia Márquez reframed the race. Then Fundação Getulio Vargas...
Guillermo Lasso's Tricky Year
April 08, 2022 13:17 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBOne year ago, Guillermo Lasso beat the odds to capture Ecuador’s presidency. After some early successes, Lasso finds himself struggling to work with a fragmented Congress, as security problems mount. What’s the path forward for the business-friendly leader? Paolo Moncagatta of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito explains Lasso’s options. See AS/COA’s Brazil elections poll tracker: https://bit.ly/3v2H2NU The music featured in this podcast is Santiago Del Curto "Three Smiles for Tracey" b...
Why Is Mexico Holding a Presidential Recall Vote?
March 23, 2022 19:01 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBMexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has long pledged that voters would get to decide whether he should finish his six-year term. One constitutional reform and millions of signatures later, they’ll get to do just that in a recall vote on April 10. But, given that all signs point to voters of all stripes agreeing he should finish his time in office, why hold it? Journalist and political analyst Fernanda Caso of Gatopardo and Latitud 3°12 shares answers with AS/COA Online’s Carin Ziss...
From Fertilizers To Fuel—What The Ukraine Crisis Means For Latin America
March 10, 2022 20:43 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBJair Bolsonaro drew criticism for meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow a week before Russia invaded Ukraine. Why would the Brazilian president take such a questionable step? One big reason was fertilizer imports that power his country's agricultural sector, but it looks like the trip did little to stem rising food prices. In this episode, Samantha Pearson, São Paulo-based correspondent for The Wall Street Journal tells AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison how the conflict in the Ukraine is being f...
From Fertilizers to Fuel—What the Ukraine Crisis Means for Latin America
March 10, 2022 20:43 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBJair Bolsonaro drew criticism for meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow a week before Russia invaded Ukraine. Why would the Brazilian president take such a questionable step? One big reason was fertilizer imports that power his country's agricultural sector, but it looks like the trip did little to stem rising food prices. In this episode, Samantha Pearson, São Paulo-based correspondent for The Wall Street Journal tells AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison how the conflict in the Ukraine is being ...