The agreement will bring only small gains to Colombia—and these will come at a significant cost.
The now-official U.S.–Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will dampen growth and make it harder for Colombia to put in place policies for innovation and industrialization. Colombia will also have fewer tools to confront financial instability, thus forcing it to work twice as hard to maximize the benefits of the agreement. The agreement will bring only … Read more
The new agreement will drive economic growth in Colombia for decades to come.
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will generate some immediate benefits, but its most important contribution is over the long term, improving the competitiveness of the Colombian economy and attracting new investment. We know that the FTA places in sharper relief the challenges that the country and, more specifically, the business community face. For example, the … Read more
From The Think Tanks
A new report from the Center for Democracy in the Americas on economic reforms in Cuba argues that the Cuban government has accepted that market forces can play a role in economic policy and that economic growth must be the central criterion for judging economic success. Cuba’s New Resolve: Economic Reform and Its Implications for … Read more
South American Cup (slideshow available)
When you think of the world’s top ski destinations, your mind jumps to the European Alps and the American Rockies. But over the past decade, Andean resorts like Cerro Castor in southern Argentina and Chile’s Valle Nevado have begun attracting world-class skiers to train and compete. The Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS)—skiing and snowboarding’s global … Read more
Colombia Lider
There are trophies for actors, athletes, writers, and musicians, but reelection is the only recognition politicians earn for a job well done. Bogotá-based Colombia Líder is working to promote good governance by presenting awards to the best Colombian mayors and regional governors of every four-year election cycle. Launched in 2006, Colombia Líder evaluates elected officials … Read more
10 Things to Do: Salvador, Brazil
Chosen in November 2011 as the Afro-descendent capital of the Americas by leaders of the Encontro Ibero-Americano do Ano Internacional dos Afrodescendentes, Salvador is also the capital of Brazil’s northern Bahia state. Also once the seat of national government after independence, Bahia delights tourists with its historical sites, music, architecture, beaches, cultural diversity, and the … Read more
Books Unlimited
Publishing insiders and Latin American bibliophiles know that every December, Mexico’s fifth-largest city, Guadalajara, plays host to one of the most important international gatherings in the book industry. Now in its 25th year, the nine-day Guadalajara International Book Fair is the second-largest book fair in the world, after the Frankfurt Book Fair. According to the … Read more
Agri-Tourism in Central America
For most leisure travelers to Central America, trip highlights include white sand beaches, ancient Mayan temples and dance-filled nights on the town. But for a rising number of socially and environmentally conscious visitors, the big draw is the opportunity to promote sustainable products they enjoy every day at home, such as coffee and cocoa—and learn … Read more
Ask The Experts: China’s Global Rise
Congressman Connie Mack Answers: China’s economic expansion is rapidly filling spaces vacated and ignored by the United States. In the Western Hemisphere, the lack of a coherent U.S. foreign policy has left the door wide open for a variety of actors. China hasn’t hesitated. While the U.S. waited five years to pass free-trade agreements with … Read more
Going Places?
Following concerted unilateral, regional and multilateral trade liberalization efforts in the 1990s and 2000s, Latin American countries have seen a significant increase in trade. Latin American exports grew by 9.8 percent annually from 1980 to 2010, compared to a world average of 8.5 percent. And from 1986 to 2010, the region’s share of world exports … Read more
Media 1.5
*Listen to an interview with Silvio Waisbord. With the media under attack in many parts of Latin America, social media is increasingly seen as providing a new opportunity to promote democracy. But can it live up to those hopes? Historically, Latin American newspapers, magazines and broadcast outlets have been dominated by large media companies that … Read more
Memo to Washington: China’s Growing Presence in Latin America
What is China doing in the Americas? It’s a good question—and an increasingly important one for policymakers in Washington. According to one U.S. analyst, it’s about “goodwill, good business and strategic position.”1 Perhaps. But the jury is still out, mostly because China’s interest in the Western Hemisphere is barely a decade old. For many years, … Read more
Much in Common
China and Latin America may be distant geographically, but they share a long history of friendship and common challenges. Both are at similar stages of development, and both seek more development. As our economies grow closer, we are pursuing even greater opportunities for mutual understanding and closer cooperation. The Chinese government views its relations with … Read more
Time for a Strategic Reset
*Watch an AQ Q&A interview with Elizabeth Economy. Chinese foreign policy has had a good run. With a booming economy as its calling card, Beijing has pushed to the forefront of the emerging economies, negotiated wide-ranging free-trade agreements with its neighbors, and rejuvenated previously moribund economies through its demand for natural resources. Its vast foreign … Read more
China’s Military Activity in Latin America
One headline in the Asia Times Online proclaimed: “China on the March in Latin America.”1 Another, in Military Review, warned of China’s threat to the United States: “In Uncle Sam’s Backyard: China’s Military Influence in Latin America.”2 Such language underlines fears about China becoming a military rival to the U.S. —or worse, undermining U.S. security … Read more
