Temer’s Final BRICS Summit Is a Golden Opportunity for Brazil
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Geopolitical divisions in the West could give Brazil and its partners a chance to increase their influence.
Foreign Relations
A Puzzle Awaits Colombia’s Next President – and Washington
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Soaring coca cultivation and a troubled peace deal will demand attention, but most voters are worried about other priorities.
Sadly, Foreign Pressure Won’t Be Enough to Dislodge Maduro
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To trigger a transition, the government’s beleaguered opponents will likely need to turn up the pressure.
As Tensions Mount, Brazil Hedges Its Bets on Russia and the West
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While the U.S. and others expel diplomats, Brazil’s decision not to criticize Russia reveals its uncertain position in the changing global order.
From Rio to Bangui: Brazil’s Armed Forces Face Toughest Challenge Yet
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While all eyes are on the military intervention in Rio, Brazil’s generals are preparing for one of the world’s most complex peacekeeping missions.
Brazil’s Foreign Policy Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Hibernating.
The government of Michel Temer has dealt Brazilian foreign policy a body blow. Not only has the president traveled abroad less than any of his predecessors since Itamar Franco in the 1990s, but, more importantly, Brazil nowadays contributes remarkably little to dealing with urgent regional challenges. These include the crisis in Venezuela, transnational crime, China’s … Read more
What Trump’s “America First” Means for Latin America
Smart great powers ensure their safety by befriending smaller neighboring countries. China is engaged in a high-profile charm offensive to overcome long-standing animosities and draw its Southeast Asian neighbors into its orbit, through trade agreements and massive infrastructure projects. The Russia of Vladimir Putin is working hard to regain influence in territories of the former … Read more
Luisa Ortega Díaz: The Venezuelan Opposition’s Unlikely Ally
Few question whether Venezuela’s former Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz is a true chavista. As Venezuela’s top law enforcement officer for nearly a decade, she followed the government line to the letter, including in the prosecution of demonstrators arrested in a wave of protests against President Nicolás Maduro in 2014. That is, until recently. In … Read more
Brazilian Diplomacy: From First in Class to Disappearing Act
Brazilian foreign policy has always been an unpredictable affair. In the 1930s, dictator Getúlio Vargas had sympathies with Nazi fascism, even modeling labor laws after Benito Mussolini’s and fostering a militant wing vaguely resembling Adolf Hitler’s. But he ended up siding with the Allies during World War II. In the 1970s, during another authoritarian period, … Read more
Are Bolivia and Chile Ready to Ease Rising Border Tensions?
LA PAZ – When Bolivian and Chilean border officials gather on July 25 – their first meeting in six years – they will have a seemingly simple agenda: to restore functional relations along their border without regular resort to courts, threats or name-calling. It won’t be easy. The 528-mile border has been a source of … Read more
How Venezuelan Refugees Are Surviving in Brazil
For most Brazilians, the disaster unfolding in neighboring Venezuela is little more than another passing topic on the evening news. The daily protests in Caracas are more than 2,500 miles away from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, cultural ties between the two countries are limited, and the current political and economic crisis in Brazil … Read more
Now Is Latin America’s Chance to Rally Against Maduro
Latin America should face an inconvenient truth – it has no workable strategy to confront the Venezuelan crisis. When the region’s foreign ministers meet at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington on May 31, they will have an opportunity to develop such a joint approach. They should do so. The clock is ticking … Read more
5 People Who Bring Mexico and the U.S. Closer Together
This article is adapted from AQ’s special issue on the U.S.-Mexico relationship. To receive AQ at home, subscribe here. | Leer en español Whether in sports, politics, food or the arts, the U.S. and Mexico have enriched one another in countless ways. That’s why AQ has selected its Top 5 Border Ambassadors to highlight those who … Read more
AQ Top 5 Border Ambassadors: Rebeca Vargas
This article is adapted from AQ’s special issue on the U.S.-Mexico relationship. To receive AQ at home, subscribe here. Leer en español | See the rest of our AQ Top 5 Border Ambassadors Gathered around a square table in Mexico City, a group of U.S. Dreamers and Mexican senators spoke candidly, sharing their hopes for a better future. A meeting between the … Read more
Here’s What Happens When the U.S. and Mexico Fight
This article is adapted from AQ’s special issue on the U.S.-Mexico relationship. To receive AQ at home, subscribe here. I recently asked a group of mostly American students to identify important military figures in wars involving the United States. They easily produced names from the War of Independence, the Civil War and World War II. But they went blank trying … Read more
