Our lead editorial View PDF Past Issues VIEW PDF Past Issues Under Lula, Brazil Can Take On Regional Leadership. Will It? A diplomatic heavy hitter is back at the helm of Latin America’s largest country—but the path to an influential international role is full of obstacles. By Oliver Stuenkel | Q&A: Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on the “Lula Doctrine” An exclusive interview with Brazil’s top diplomat, on the relationship with China, the U.S., the need for multilateral reform, and more. By Brian Winter | March 23, 2023 Susan Segal: Lula’s Opportunity to Lead the Region Brazil’s president is in a unique position to direct the region towards an integrated and productive future, writes AS/COA’s president. By Susan Segal | April 25, 2023 Thinking Abroad: Latin America’s Foreign Policies AQ tracks priorities in external relations, including positions on Venezuela and China, in eight countries. By Emilie Sweigart | April 25, 2023 Why Mexico Is a Quiet Presence on the World Stage Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s insular foreign policy, in the region’s second-largest economy, is a missed opportunity. By Olga Pellicer | April 25, 2023 Brazil Needs a Feminist Foreign Policy Diplomacy has a major role to play in advancing a gender-conscious approach to trade—its benefits will impact the whole economy. By Camile Leal and Carolina Paranhos and Christiane Aquino Bonomo | April 25, 2023 Iván Velásquez Is Facing His Toughest Challenge Yet As Colombia's defense minister, the former anti-corruption crusader is challenging criminal groups—and the military tasked with confronting them. By John Otis | April 19, 2023 Why Did Costa Rica Really Abolish Its Military? Politics, not pacifism, led the country to eliminate its armed forces in a decision that still resonates today. By Cristina Eguizábal | April 25, 2023 One Year Later: Slow Progress on a Key Migration Initiative A year after AQ’s report on the Summit of the Americas, an agreement on migration risks missing the chance for true regional cooperation. By Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian | April 25, 2023 Cultura Fernanda Melchor’s Gritty Dispatches from Veracruz In a darkly humorous collection of stories and “crónicas,” the Mexican writer channels life in this chaotic port city. By Daniel Rey | April 25, 2023 The Intergenerational Heartbreak of Bolivia’s Urbanization Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s “Utama” looks at the human side of environmental crisis in the Bolivian highlands. By Ena Alvarado | April 25, 2023 The Complex Legacy of Brazilian Explorer Cândido Rondon The general was an early advocate for Indigenous people—but reality has fallen brutally short of his ideals. By Amanda Audi | April 25, 2023 Who Gets to Map Latin America’s Natural World? A Peruvian artist’s ghostly landscapes raise questions about objectivity and authority in documenting the region’s environment. By Rachel Remick | April 25, 2023 AQ’s Spring Playlist: A “Most Unconstitutional” New Album Roundup This selection of recent releases features desert-inspired guitars from Ecuador, folk wisdom from Chile and tongue-in-cheek Brazilian wordplay. By Sebastián Zubieta | April 25, 2023 Q&A: The Chilean Architects Building High-Rises—Out of Wood A 12-story wood building in Patagonia will be the first of its kind in the country. By Emilie Sweigart | April 25, 2023 Photo Essay: What Lithium Extraction Looks Like in Rural Argentina In Catamarca province, multi-billion-dollar projects are bringing changes to daily life for rural and Indigenous communities. By Anita Pouchard Serra | April 25, 2023