Isabel Oronoz
Isabel Oronoz is a Uruguayan journalist, writer and researcher.
Sink or Float: Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance
Since the creation of the Pacific Alliance in April 2011, observers have often compared it to the older Mercosur (Southern Common Market). In a January 2014 Wall Street Journal article, David Luhnow likened the two trade blocs to “two Latin Americas”—one (Mercosur) comprising state-oriented countries and the other (the Pacific Alliance) characterized by an affinity … Read more
This week in Latin America: the Pope on climate change—teacher evaluations in Mexico—Brazil’s corruption scandal—the beautiful game
Here’s a look at some of the stories we’re following this week: Religious Leaders Respond to Pope Francis’ Climate Views: Reaction was swift and loud following the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Friday. While his sweeping indictment of the global response to climate change inspired some to question the pontiff’s understanding of economic policy, the … Read more
Paraguay’s Surprisingly Powerful Voice in Climate Negotiations
When Paraguay joined ranks with a group of fellow Latin American countries at the United Nations climate talks this month, the media scarcely noticed. After all, its coverage of the UN’s ongoing negotiations to deal with global warming tend to focus on more “dramatic” developments—spats between major powers and the glacial pace of negotiations. It’s … Read more
Copa América Begins in Chile Amid Protests
In an environment of international soccer scandal and domestic frustration, Chile will kick off its run as host of the Copa América today when it takes on Ecuador in the first match of the three-week tournament. Chilean President Michele Bachelet will help inaugurate the tournament Thursday as student protesters try to draw attention to the … Read more
Monday Memo: Mexican Elections—G7 Climate Summit—EU-CELAC Summit—Argentine Debt—Honduras Protests
This week’s likely news stories: Mexico’s ruling party wins the congressional elections; Canada and Japan block a G7 statement on carbon emissions; Latin American officials to discuss Mercosur at EU-CELAC Summit; Argentina’s debt inflates after U.S. court ruling; protestors demand Honduran president’s resignation. Mexico’s Ruling Party to Maintain Majority in Lower House after Elections: Despite … Read more
Is Brazil’s World Cup Next on the List?
The U.S. Justice Department accused more than a dozen people this week of being involved in a massive FIFA corruption scandal that spanned more than two decades. Several high-level officials were arrested in a luxury Zurich hotel Wednesday, including former Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (Brazilian Football Confederation—CBF) President José Maria Marin. “Our investigation revealed that … Read more
Sixty Percent of Latin Americans Will Have Internet Access in 2016
The number of Latin Americans with access to the Internet will increase by 20 percent over the next twelve months, according to the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC). The Uruguay-based NGO is one of five Regional Internet Registries in the world that assigns and administers IP addresses to local Internet service providers—it also advocates for Internet development in … Read more
From the Think Tanks
Social spending and tax policy have emerged as two of the most common tools to combat high levels of poverty and disproportionately low access to education for Indigenous and Afro-descendent populations in Latin America. In their report, Fiscal Policy and Ethno-Racial Inequality in Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala and Uruguay, the Inter-American Dialogue analyzes the effects government … Read more
Brazil’s Truth Commission: Many Recommendations, Little Action
Last December, Brazil’s National Truth Commission handed President Dilma Rousseff a 1,000-page report detailing human rights violations and acts of torture carried out during the country’s 1964–1985 dictatorship. A somber Rousseff recalled her own incarceration and torture as a young guerrilla leader and asked the audience to remember those lost during that dark period in … Read more
Latin America’s High-Tech Warriors
Interstate conflict is rare in Latin America. Yet some nations in the region are emerging as world leaders in advanced military technology. From drones to complex border surveillance systems, their research and development (R&D) laboratories have come up with sophisticated tools to counter this century’s unconventional threats to national security. That’s reflected in part by … Read more
A New Era for U.S.-Cuba Relations, with an Old Ideological Divide
Before it even began, the 7th triennial Summit of the Americas was considered a success by many, based simply on the invitation list. Cuba, attending for the first time, did not disappoint as the star of the show. On day one of the Summit, Presidents Raúl Castro and Barack Obama gave us the historic handshake … Read more
Nicolas Albertoni
Nicolas Albertoni is an M.A. candidate at Georgetown University and professor at the Universidad Católica del Uruguay. He has authored two books: “Instrucciones para inventar la rueda. Qué tienen los países que progresan y cómo aplicarlo a Uruguay?” (Taurus, 2014) and “Entre el Barrio y el Mundo ¿Mercosur o el Modelo Chileno?” (Taurus, 2011).
Cuba, U.S. Conclude First Dialogue on Human Rights
With the conclusion on Tuesday of the first formal talks between Cuba and the United States on human rights, both countries agreed that they were capable of holding a “respectful, professional [and] civilized conversation” on the issue of human rights. Representatives from both countries met yesterday in Washington DC in the first of many dialogues … Read more
Chile Declares State of Emergency for Regions Affected by Floods, Fires
On March 25, Chile’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency for cities in the country’s northern Atacama and Antofogasta regions after flash flooding from the worst rains in two decades left at least four people dead and 22 missing. Meanwhile, high temperatures and strong winds in southern Chile are making it harder for authorities … Read more