An Opportunity for Mexico’s New President, Enrique Peña Nieto
In a recent encounter between one of the authors and Arnold Schwarzenegger, long-time actor and former governor of California (2003-2011), he offered a stinging rebuke about California’s neighbor to the south. “When is Mexico going to wake up?” Schwarzenegger opined. “It is with great natural resources and great people. I have filmed movies there and … Read more
[i]Drug Trafficking and the Law in Central America: Bribes, Bullets, and Intimidation[/i] by Julie Marie Bunck and Michael Ross Fowler
Central America is receiving more attention in the U.S. news media and from the U.S. government than at any time since the region’s civil wars and domestic insurgencies three decades ago. Unfortunately, the attention is negative. The focus has shifted from the 1980s Cold War battles of President Ronald Reagan’s administration to the violence associated … Read more
From the Think Tanks
Completar la Escuela: Un Derecho para Crecer, un Deber para Compartir (Completing School: A Right to Grow, a Duty to Share) is the newest study on education, its link to child development and the barriers to accessing quality education. The report points out that 22.1 million adolescents and school-age children in Latin America and the … Read more
They waste energy and political capital.
I have supported, and continue to support, all bilateral and regional deals. But Latin America, the United States and the rest of the world would benefit far more if the time, energy, human resources, and all-too-limited political capital being invested in these deals were devoted instead to achieving a much-needed global deal on trade. While such … Read more
Marta Linares de Martinelli
Marta Linares de Martinelli is the first lady of the Republic of Panama.
Monday Memo: [i]AQ[/i]’s Top Expected Stories for the Week of August 13
Top stories this week are likely to include: Fidel Castro’s birthday; Buenos Aires subway shutdown continues; public teachers to end striking in Panama; talks to renew in Colombia between the government and the Indigenous Nasa; and a possible dialogue over Venezuela’s detained U.S. Marine. Fidel Turns 86 Years Old: Cuba’s revolutionary leader and former president, … Read more
Women in Robes
For the first time in United States history, three of the nine justices sitting on the Supreme Court are women. About 33 percent of state and federal court judges in the U.S. are women, slightly higher than the global average of 27 percent. Why does this matter? Scores of empirical studies have attempted to determine … Read more
Candidate Quotes
Boliviarianism “The Bolivarian movement threatens U.S. allies such as Colombia, has interfered with regional cooperation on […] illicit drugs and counterterrorism […] provided safe haven for drug traffickers […] encouraged regional terrorist organizations, and […] invited Iran and foreign terrorist organizations like Hezbollah into the region.” —Mitt Romney Venezuela “I will launch a campaign to … Read more
Venezuelans Abroad: When Every Vote Matters
The October 7 elections pitting President Hugo Chávez against Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (Coalition for Democratic Unity—MUD) candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski promises to be close, and every vote will count. With almost 700,000 eligible voters overseas—215,000 of them in the U.S.—mobilizing the expat community is key, particularly for the opposition: nine out of 10 … Read more
The Uphill Battle of Justice Reform
The strength and quality of democracy depend on how well judiciaries perform and function. In Latin America, after more than 20 years of judicial reforms, there have been some notable achievements. But there is a long way to go before judiciaries can adequately carry out their responsibilities to resolve conflicts, define and interpret rights and laws, and provide the … Read more
The Paradox of Girls’ Educational Attainment
Women’s socioeconomic and political progress advanced dramatically across the globe in the last half of the twentieth century, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet gender disparities remain high, and bridging those gaps has been a slow process. This is partly explained by negative stereotypes and misguided perceptions of gender roles—both still prevalent in … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
Dear Subscribers: In anticipation of the relaunch of AS/COA Online, the Weekly Roundup will take a summer break. Look for a revamped version of the Roundup by Fall 2012. Paraguay’s Presidential Impeachment Causes Outcry On June 22, Paraguay’s Congress impeached President Fernando Lugo after a land conflict earlier in the month that left 17 dead. Lugo … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Sign up to receive the Weekly Roundup via email. Clock Ticks Down on Rio+20 The UN Conference on Sustainable Development—known as Rio+20—adopted … Read more
La crisis de la policía boliviana
La jerga delincuencial de los policías bolivianos En Bolivia, los policías destinados fuera de su lugar de origen pagan un “diezmo” (10 por ciento de su salario) a sus superiores. Llaman “saludar” cuando pagan por obtener determinado cargo; “aceitear” cuando exigen dinero para agilizar algún trámite; y “formar” cuando piden a un funcionario presentarse a … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
Peru Declares State of Emergency amid Mining Protests The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency yesterday in the southeastern province of Espinar after a week of protests left at least two dead and 70 injured. Espinar residents are protesting a $1.5 billion expansion of the Tintaya copper mine, claiming that the mine’s Swiss owner … Read more
