Civic Innovator: Carlos Cruz
Carlos Cruz knows how dangerous it is to investigate crime and violence in Mexico. Since joining the mass of organizations and individuals demanding answers for the September 2014 disappearance of 43 Mexican students in the state of Guerrero, Cruz and his organization, Cauce Ciudadano (Citizens’ Way)—a nonprofit that addresses youth violence—have been warned not to … Read more
Arts Innovator: Favianna Rodriguez
Speaking out against injustice is nothing new for Favianna Rodriguez. In high school, the Oakland native led marches and walk-outs against California’s Proposition 187, a ballot initiative that prohibited undocumented immigrants from accessing state services. Today, Rodriguez’ butterfly imagery, together with the slogan “migration is beautiful,” has become a national symbol for the immigration reform … Read more
From the Think Tanks
Despite record economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2003 and 2010, the region has not yet succeeded in overcoming external constraints. In Regional Integration: Towards an Inclusive Value Chain Strategy, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) details how the rise of geographically defined value chains has made … Read more
A Dash of Color: Latin America’s Color Runs
Chalk it up to the running craze in Latin America. Or to the revitalization of the region’s cities. Either way, the U.S.-based Color Run is turning the hemisphere’s streets into a rainbow of vibrant color. The urban running events—which are billed as “the happiest 5K on the planet”—involve a 3.1-mile sprint through a city while … Read more
10 Things to Do: Yucatán Peninsula
Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, also called the Mayan Riviera, is home to extraordinary pre-Columbian ruins and stunning beaches. Spanning three Mexican states and parts of Belize and Guatemala, the Yucatán is also turning into one of the premiere music and nightlife meccas. All prices are in U.S. dollars.— Wilda Escarfuller 1. Climb a pyramid. The Chichén … Read more
Patron Saint Festivals in the Americas
In Latin America, the party doesn’t end between Christmas and Carnival; the first three months of the year are also dedicated to numerous fiestas patronales, or patron saint festivals. The celebrations reflect a common Catholic heritage, but also incorporate elements of the region’s African and Indigenous roots. In Puerto Rico, the merriment kicks off after … Read more
Film Review: Casa Grande
In the locker room of his private, all boys high school, 17-year-old Jean bickers with his classmates over an unpaid debt. “Like father, like son,” says one of Jean’s friends before the boys collide in a classic locker-room brawl. It’s an emotional and revealing scene in Casa Grande (literally “the big house,” but released under … Read more
Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants
Latin America’s restaurant scene and its chefs are enjoying their moment in the spotlight. From Mexican chef Enrique Olvera’s New York outpost, Cosme, to Brazilian chef Alex Atala’s 150,000+ Instagram followers, these chefs are joining the ranks of culinary rock stars. Nothing confirms the region’s place in the global foodie scene like hosting a spinoff … Read more
Latin America and UN Climate Talks: Not in Harmony
When it comes to climate change, Latin American citizens and their leaders get the big picture. According to surveys, the region’s citizens are very worried about global warming, and its leaders frequently cite climate change as a major national security threat at United Nations conferences. However, the consensus appears to largely end there. National positions … Read more
A Post-Hegemonic Paradise in Latin America?
Click here to view the table of contents for the Winter 2015 issue of AQ. As Latin America tries to get a better grip on the precise contours of the post-Great Recession world order, a few assumptions have calcified into conventional wisdom. The first assumption is that the United States is no longer the hegemonic … Read more
Cuba: The New Leaders
Yoani Sánchez smiles during a news conference that was part of her 80-day tour of South America, Europe and the U.S. in 2013. Photo: UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS. Read profiles of: Miguel Díaz-Canel Yamina Vicente MalPaso The Faculty of Economics Yoani Sánchez Miguel Díaz-Canel By Michael Voss Up from the provinces: Miguel Díaz-Canel waves to the crowds … Read more
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Can Cuba’s Economic Reforms Succeed?
The impression most casual observers receive today from Cuba is that since Raúl Castro assumed power in 2006, the country has been going through a dramatic transition to a market economy. But while what the younger Castro brother has called “structural reforms” are important steps toward a market under Cuba’s revolutionary government, they are a … Read more
Why Entrepreneurship Matters in Cuba
For almost two decades, I have watched entrepreneurship explode across Latin America and the Caribbean, empowering citizens, transforming economies and changing lives. In sectors ranging from restaurants and small manufacturing to high tech, entrepreneurs are changing the economic and social landscape of the region. Perhaps most important, they are also generating jobs. Across the region, … Read more
The Myths of the Colombian Peace Process
From its very beginning, Colombia’s peace process has aroused enormous expectations, not only within Colombian borders, but also in the international community. The negotiation is, in good measure, the result of the “Policy of Democratic Security” adopted by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez during his two terms (2002 to 2010), which helped limit the Fuerzas Armadas … Read more
The Obstacles to Political Integration Post-Peace
After three years of negotiations with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia (Revloutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—FARC) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has decided to go all-in on securing peace for his country. His political and personal commitment became clear earlier this year when he staked his entire campaign for his second term in office … Read more
