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The Missing Piece of U.S. Aid for Central America
When the road is clear, the drive from Guatemala City to Izabal, about 205 miles away, takes just over five hours. Jose Rodríguez was lucky to make it in eight. Rodriguez, who travels all over the country as a contractor refurbishing pharmacies and supermarkets, was on his way to a job in Izabal this September … Read more
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What Mexico Can Learn from Haiti’s Development Plans
The idea sounds simple: Special Economic Zones (SEZs) offer tax exemptions and cheap labor as hooks to attract investment from foreign companies. Money trickles in, local suppliers get a foothold and the middle class begins to grow. At least, in theory. Mexico is betting big on SEZs, with a new federal law that will create four of … Read more
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Venezuela’s Odd Transition to Dictatorship
Venezuela proved last week that it can still defy regional trends. By suspending the process to carry out a recall referendum on President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela became the only country in Latin America since the late 1970s to experience the transition to a full dictatorship. When I started studying Venezuela in the early 1990s, the … Read more
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Fighting Corruption: Why Argentina Might Not Be the Next Brazil
Argentina has seen an unprecedented wave of corruption charges this year against high-profile individuals, plus the arrest of members of the business elite, union leaders, and former government officials. Even former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007-15) was formally charged in May over her alleged role in the sale of future dollar contracts by the … Read more
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AQ Event Thursday: Fixing Brazil
How can Brazil get past its current crisis? After dazzling the world with strong, inclusive growth last decade, it’s no secret that Brazil has struggled the past two years. Its current recession is the worst on record, with unemployment above 11 percent and only mild economic growth forecast for next year. Brazil remains the most … Read more
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Why Women in Argentina Called for a National Day of Mourning
(Updated on October 20) On October 19, tens of thousands of women across Argentina – and others across the hemisphere – protested a rash of violence against women. The particularly chilling murder of a 16-year-old girl has inspired women’s rights movement Ni Una Menos (Not One Less) to call for a day of mourning dubbed … Read more
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The Coming Fight Over Chile’s Strict Abortion Laws
On October 2, the amplified thump-thump-thump of babies’ heartbeats echoed in front of Chile’s La Moneda Palace. A dozen pregnant women, loudspeakers attached to their protruding bellies, stood with some 100 supporters to protest pending legislation that would liberalize the country’s harshly restrictive abortion laws. Calling their campaign “La Voz del Corazón,” or “The Heart’s … Read more
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Peace in Colombia: Unexpected Reasons for Hope
Salvaging peace in Colombia might still be possible, according to several positive signs from all actors in Colombia’s conflict over the past week or so. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, just days after the peace accord between the government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was … Read more
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AQ Top 5 Jóvenes Políticos: Patricia de Ceballos
Read in English Patricia de Ceballos podría haber hervido de la rabia después de que su esposo, Daniel Ceballos, el alcalde de la ciudad venezolana de San Cristóbal, fue encarcelado tras una protesta nacional en 2014. Pero decidió no ser, dijo a AQ, “la esposa del prisionero que se queda en la casa y sólo … Read more
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AQ Top 5 Jóvenes Políticos: Eduardo Leite
Read in English Cuando Eduardo Leite se lanzó a la alcaldía de la pequeña ciudad de Pelotas en Rio Grande do Sul, el estado más meridional de Brasil, este hijo de profesores universitarios no contaba con una red política apreciable en la cual apoyarse. Así que ¿cómo es que, cuatro años después de su sorpresiva … Read more
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AQ Top 5 Jóvenes Políticos: Soledad Chapetón
Este artículo ha sido actualizado. Read in English Cuando Soledad Chapetón derrotó el año pasado al alcalde de turno para convertirse en la primera alcalde mujer de El Alto, Bolivia, le dio un gran golpe al establecimiento político en lo que muchos consideran la ciudad más influyente de Bolivia. La joven ciudad de más o … Read more
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AQ Top 5 Jóvenes Políticos: Pedro Kumamoto
Read in English Con tan sólo 26 años, Pedro Kumamoto le dio la vuelta al libreto de la élite que gobierna México cuando ayudó a liderar una cruzada exitosa en contra de su privilegio más sagrado. En julio, cuando el Congreso del Estado de Jalisco votó a favor de quitarles a todos los funcionarios públicos … Read more
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AQ Top 5 Jóvenes Políticos: Verónika Mendoza
Read in English Verónika Mendoza había sido congresista en Perú por menos de un año cuando decidió alejarse del Partido Nacionalista Peruano que estaba entonces en el poder y que ella había ayudado a construir por casi una década. El entonces presidente Ollanta Humala había enviado a la policía a pueblos de los Andes para … Read more
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Why Mexico’s PRI Is Cleaning House
Mexico’s ruling party faces a difficult task convincing voters that its anti-corruption efforts are sincere.
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Did an Anti-LGBT Panic Help Defeat Colombia’s Peace Deal?
When thousands of Colombians protested on August 10 to demand the resignation of the country’s openly gay education minister, few saw any greater political significance. But as the world struggles to understand why Colombians voted “No” on Sunday to a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group, the seemingly unrelated … Read more
