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
Brazil’s Foreign Policy Is “Back In the Game”
Latin America faces many challenges to ensure a better life for its citizens. The best tool to tackle such challenges is improving democratic governance, which does not always find fertile ground to thrive. The main obstacle to democratic governance continues to be populist politicians and their shaky commitment to democracy. The making of a democratic … Read more
Why Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro Doesn’t Look Finished Quite Yet
While it’s tempting to describe President Nicolás Maduro’s government as crazy or erratic, a closer analysis reveals that decision-makers in Caracas operate according to a clear – and effective – set of principles. Indeed, Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez have long been aware of the fact that high-profile ruptures of democratic order – such … Read more
Brazil Should Do More for Venezuela’s Refugees and Migrants
Venezuela’s protracted political and economic crisis is reaching a breaking point. Over the past few months thousands of Venezuelans fled across the border to seek sanctuary in northern Brazil, many of them taking only what they could carry on their backs. Although the humanitarian emergency has been brewing for some time, the Brazilian authorities appear woefully … Read more
Amid Old Rivalries, South America’s Silver River Promises New Riches
It’s 8 a.m. on a rainy Monday morning in Argentina, and Captain Humberto Duarte is stuck in traffic. A tugboat pushing 16 barges laden with soybean is taking an age to pass under the bridge that spans the river here at Corrientes on the Paraguay-Paraná hidrovía (waterway). The captains of nearby ships voice their frustration … Read more
Three Top Challenges for Brazil’s Next Foreign Minister
José Serra’s tenure as Brazil’s Minister of Health from 1998 to 2002 was highlighted by a successful effort to overcome the resistance of U.S. pharmaceutical giants and provide Brazilians with universal access to generic AIDS drugs, a move that saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Serra was unable to make such a significant mark in … Read more
Five Goals for Brazil’s New Foreign Policy
This article is adapted from AQ’s most recent issue, “Fixing Brazil.” To receive the print edition at home, subscribe here. Not long ago, Brazil was at the forefront of the emerging-country movement to transform the global order. As a key member of the BRICS group, it was a vocal advocate for reforming the U.N. Security … Read more
Temer and Refugees in Brazil: Off the Mark
At a United Nations summit in New York last week, Brazil’s President Michel Temer proudly declared that his country was home to more than 95,000 refugees. The revelation stirred admiring nods from diplomats in attendance at a time when the number of global refugees has surpassed that of World War II, creating a serious threat … Read more
