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Who Spooks Mexico’s Elites More: Trump or AMLO?
When Donald Trump says he might not accept the result of the U.S. presidential election on November 8 (unless he wins), listeners in Mexico can be forgiven for thinking the claim sounds familiar: their own populist presidential contender, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has twice refused to accept defeat in national elections. The similarity is not … Read more
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Why Some Argentines Are Suspicious of Macri’s ‘War on Drugs’
“We have to win this war.” President Mauricio Macri’s blunt words in August announcing a new approach to combating Argentina’s burgeoning drug problem set off alarm bells with critics worried over a Mexico-style crackdown. Now, one of the country’s leading human rights organizations is warning that the armed forces’ increased role in fighting drug traffickers … Read more
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Los Venezolanos y la pregunta del millón: ¿Qué va a pasar?
Read in English Incertidumbre, temor, esperanza. Betsimar, una caraqueña de 55 años, viene de manifestar contra el gobierno en la multitudinaria concentración que se celebró este miércoles en la ciudad, la llamada “Toma de Venezuela.” Mientras camina de vuelta a su casa recapitula: “Volvimos a las calles y allí vamos a seguir.” En menos de … Read more
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Venezuela’s Million Dollar Question: What Now?
Leer en español At each new turn, Venezuela’s political crisis appears headed for climax. But amid political maneuvering and demonstrations by both the government of President Nicolás Maduro and his opposition, the mood on the ground in Caracas remains one of uncertainty – and determination. Betsimar, a 55-year-old woman from Caracas, was one of the … Read more
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The Double Standard Facing Latin America’s Women Entrepreneurs
Vilma Tellez Ballesteros has been a coffee producer for most of her life, running a successful business from her home in northern Nicaragua for more than two decades. But when she goes to the bank to negotiate loans, she brings her husband with her. “They listen to him,” her daughter, Carmen Davila Tellez, told AQ. … Read more
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Nicaragua’s New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
It’s election season in Nicaragua, but a visitor to Managua could be forgiven for not noticing. No catchy political jingles blare from car radios, and the only campaign posters and billboards are the same as ever: the pink and baby blue offerings of the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Less than a month until … Read more
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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
