Full Text Articles

New information technologies are constantly redefining the ways in which politicians and businesses are interacting with consumers and voters. The result is a changing paradigm in the fundamental order of societies—a fact welcomed by many but greeted with apprehension by others. La revolución horizontal: El poder de la comunicación en manos de la gente (The … Read more

Panama Canal Zone, 2050. After years of growing tensions, the armies of the Southern Alliance (a confederation of all South American nations) and the North American Union (formed by Mexico, Canada and the U.S.) clash in what comes to be known as the Seven-Day War. Hostilities cease when the Southern Alliance president is removed from … Read more

On North America’s northeastern coastline, fishing is a way of life. Entire communities in coastal New England states of the United States and in Canada’s Atlantic provinces depend on the fishing industry for their survival. In New England—stretching from Connecticut northward to Maine—686 vessels landed 76 million live-weight metric tons (mt) of cod, haddock, flounder, … Read more

China usually tops the list of new investors in Latin America—and with good reason. Roughly half of China’s $50 billion in overseas investments in 2008 went to the region. Between 2000 and 2008, Latin America-China trade—driven by Chinese interest in the region’s natural resources—grew tenfold to $142 billion. But the attention focused on China has … Read more

In the heat of the global recession, Latin American policymakers took unprecedented actions to break the downward spiral in aggregate demand. Beyond aggressively supporting financial markets, including interest-rate cuts and liquidity injection measures in some cases, many governments also pursued significant fiscal stimulus packages. Success in mitigating the crisis reflected a country’s overall fiscal preparedness. … Read more

As Brazil’s economy has expanded, the number of Brazilians connected to the Internet has soared from 5 million in 2000 to 67 million in 2008. That represents a rich opportunity for companies hoping to connect to a growing online consumer market. But how? In Brazil, the person to call is Gustavo Caetano, a 28-year-old former … Read more

Voters in the Dominican Republic may know Faride Raful best as the face of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano’s (PRD) daily official television program, “PRD TV,” which she has produced and hosted since 2003. But the 30-year-old lawyer from Santo Domingo is pursuing another and potentially more far-reaching goal: encouraging Dominican youth to play a more … Read more

To some, Santiago is a city of smog, congestion and contaminated waterways. But David Assael wants the world to know that Chile’s capital city is also home to world-class green spaces, vibrant cultural centers and eco-friendly design. If you don’t believe it, check out Plataforma Urbana (www.plataformaurbana.cl), a website that has become a world-renowned window … Read more

In the last decade, Latin America’s participation in peacekeeping operations has increased 725 percent. What this means for the region and for women is the subject of a new book by Red de Seguridad y Defensa de América Latina (RESDAL). La Mujer en las Instituciones Armadas y Policiales (Women in Military and Police Institutions) analyzes … Read more

With Internet connectivity rates around 22 percent, many Central Americans are missing out on the digital revolution’s potential for greater communication. Guatemalan-American journalist and U.S. Fulbright fellow (and AQ blogger) Kara Andrade is working to reverse that trend with a new portal (HablaCentro.com) that allows citizen journalists to upload stories from their cell phones. Seeking … Read more

Aurelio Martínez, a musician from the village of Plaplaya on Honduras’ Caribbean coast, has bridged the worlds of music and politics to bring greater recognition to the Garifuna people. Ultimately, it’s through his art that Martínez has had the greatest impact. Thanks to his work, listeners around the world have been introduced to the traditional … Read more

Brazil’s self-perceptions and aspirations as an emerging global power are a key to understanding why the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has chosen this particular moment in time to deepen ties with an Iranian regime that is facing crisis, both at home and abroad. Brasilia’s actions are chiefly driven by a desire … Read more

The release of the iPhone in 2007 has created a new global software development industry. The refrain, “there’s an ‘app’ for that,” has not only sparked creativity in the Unites States, it’s also prodded a whole new generation of software innovators in Latin America. Nowhere is this truer than in Brazil. Carros, an app developed … Read more

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s visit to Iran in mid-May is part of Brazil’s wider bid to foster trade and investment with the Middle East—and in the process may provide a useful channel for ameliorating Iran’s face-off with the West. Fears that warming relations between the two countries will weaken the West’s united front … Read more