Latin American Gays: The Post-Left Leftists
When most straight people are forced to think about gay people, they usually think of one thing first, sex. A political scientist might focus instead on a different question: how do gays perform in politics? Judged from their political achievements this past decade, the answer is, at least for Latin American gays: they’re pretty good. … Read more
Chile’s Students Lead Latin America in Marijuana and Tobacco Consumption
A new study by the Organization of American States and the United Nations on alcohol, tobacco and drug consumption among high school students revealed that Chilean students consume more marijuana and tobacco than their regional counterparts. The study looked at more than 170 thousand students from Perú, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay. Chile’s consumption … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From the 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. Leaders from Across Americas Reach out to Chile In the days since … Read more
Hillary Clinton to Meet Latin America’s New Leaders
The first trip to South America by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will take place amidst a series of U.S. policy changes in the region. By confirming that she will attend the new Uruguayan President Jose Mujica’s March 1 inauguration ceremony in Montevideo, Secretary Clinton will have the chance to meet with several of … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From the 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. The New LatAm Group on the Bloc Latin American leaders convened in … Read more
Why Banco del Sur Is a Bad Idea
Regional or multilateral banks help developing nations through different means. They are instrumental in redistributing funds from richer to poorer nations. They provide liquidity in periods of stress in world capital markets. And they provide financing for long-term projects that require financing at maturities that exceed what the country may obtain in the markets at … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From the 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. Haiti Reconstruction Costs Higher than Anticipated A new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) … Read more
Gay in the Americas
Tolerance for minority rights is the hallmark of liberal democracies. Indeed, without such tolerance, democracy is fatally flawed. Creating an atmosphere of tolerance for minorities is one of the key challenges in constructing and deepening democracy in our hemisphere. The shameful treatment of African Americans in the United States, for example, persisted for decades after … Read more
Aviation: Mixed Signals For Latin America’s Aeronautics
Even in the best economic times, it is impossible to untangle and interpret the contradictory trends in Latin American aviation. Now, in what is for many industries a time of slow economic recovery, the aviation industry is looking promising. New flight routes, new equipment purchases and higher passenger traffic indicate that 2010 may be a … Read more
The Andean Arms Race
Hugo Chávez has a flair for getting under the skin of his opponents, whether he is goading King Juan Carlos of Spain into an exasperated request to “shut up,” or branding then-U.S. President George W. Bush “the devil” during a speech to the UN General Assembly. But the Venezuelan president went beyond his customarily florid … Read more
The Successor
From an early age my life has been marked by rupture. When I was five, my father, José Antequera Antequera, was assassinated. My parents were young activists in the Unión Patriótica (UP) party of Colombia. Formed by some of the leaders of the Colombian Communist party, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and political … Read more
Global Tobacco Survey Findings Released in Montevideo
The results of a survey on adult tobacco use around the world were unveiled in Uruguay yesterday, the first country in Latin America to ban smoking in the workplace and in enclosed public spaces. The World Health Organization’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey was administered in the 15 countries with the highest number of smokers per capita, … Read more
UNASUR to Focus on Haitian Aid Coordination
Leaders of countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Haiti arrived in Quito, Ecuador, on Tuesday to discuss a collective response to Haitian President René Préval’s appeal for aid. It was the first time Alvaro Uribe, president of Colombia, had visited Ecuador since 2008 when he ordered the bombing of a rebel camp on Ecuador’s … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From the 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. Costa Rica Gears up for Presidential Elections Alex Leff blogs for Americas … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From the 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. Honduras Tries to Turn Page with Lobo’s Inauguration Seven months after the … Read more
