Politics, Business & Culture in the Americas

Venezuela

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and President Donald Trump in a meeting in New York on September 22, 2026.
Can Venezuela’s Push for Elections Succeed?

The country’s democratic transition depends on Washington’s willingness to set an electoral timetable, an expert writes.

Brazil

Towels and caps for sale depicting Brazilian presidential candidates Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro are seen in a residential area of Brasília on September 11, 2026. Brazil will hold a presidential elections on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Sergio Lima / AFP via Getty Images)
What Washington May Misread in Brazil’s Election

President Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro have more in common than meets the eye on key issues, including trade with China and critical minerals.

China

Postal workers monitor humanoid robots on the sorting line at the Guangzhou Mail Distribution Center in China’s Guangdong province in September.
From China Shock to China Choke

The Asian giant is reshaping the global landscape with its trade preferences. Latin America and the world have a great deal at stake.

Latin America

Vendors sell personal and household products at Plaza Juárez in Mexico City in 2025.
Understanding Latin America’s Self-Employment

The region can reduce the bias against working in the formal sector to boost growth prospects, an expert writes.

Podcast

AQ Podcast | Brazil’s Scandal-Plagued Election

Political analyst Thomas Traumann on the mudslinging in the Supreme Court, and other factors in the October election

Mexico

A march in Mexico City on Aug. 30 2026 during the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
Mexico’s Homicides Are Falling, but a Broader Violence Crisis Persists

Sheinbaum’s security strategy has lowered murder rates but should address rampant extortion and disappearances and seek stronger federal-state cooperation.

Brazil

A customer shops at a butcher shop in Brasilia on September 3, 2026.
Brazil’s Economy Is Slowing. Will It Ruin Lula’s Chances?  

Voters are feeling the squeeze from high interest rates and other factors.

Canada

U.S.-Canada Tensions: Risks Beyond Trade

As the tariff war escalates and allies start talking like adversaries, disputes over sovereignty and strategic resources are emerging as risks.

Podcast

AQ Podcast | How Latin Americans Feel About the U.S., Democracy, Their Economies and More

Noam Lupu of Vanderbilt’s Center for Global Democracy on a new survey that shows a slight uptick in support for democracy, and shifting views on Trump, China, and emigration.

Latin America

Nicaraguans gather in front of the Organization of American States building in Washington, DC, during a protest against President Daniel Ortega in 2020.
Why a Shield for Democracy in the Americas is Under Strain

The OAS Democratic Charter remains a worthy bulwark against authoritarianism in the hemisphere.

Latin America

A protester in San José, Costa Rica, holds a sign expressing one definition of democracy in August.
Support for Democracy—but also Strongmen—Is Rising in Latin America

For the first time in a generation, democracy is considered the best form of government. At the same time, China is now more trusted than the U.S.

Peru

Peru's President Keiko Fujimori speaks in August at a ceremony in Lima marking one year until the 2027 Pan American Games.
Fujimori’s First Month: Economic Momentum, Questions Still to Come

Keiko Fujimori began with strong approval and a strong Peruvian economy. What she does with it will be decided before year-end.

Latin America

Staff at the Amazonas Regional Electoral Court test electronic voting machines in Manaus, Brazil, in July.
The High-Stakes Threats to Latin American Democracy

Latin America’s impressive progress on electoral democracy, perhaps its most important achievement of recent decades, could soon be rolled back.

Podcast

AQ Podcast | Colombia: An Early Test for the New Government

Former Finance Minister Mauricio Cárdenas on what the earthquake means for De la Espriella’s ambitious agenda, and whether he can get both things right.

Bolivia

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz visits Carreras in June after security forces cleared a road that protesters had blockaded.
Bolivia’s Post-MAS Transition Is at Risk

Institutional weakness is threatening to plunge the country into instability.

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