Search Results for: Argentina

The crypto-backed biometric identity network promises to upend finance, governance and democracy itself. Is Worldcoin a magic bullet, tool for despotism or pipe dream?

The outgoing president remains popular despite a term marked by unfulfilled promises, lackluster economic growth, corruption, violence and a deepening migrant crisis.

A truly multipolar world would dilute the importance of China and the United States, but the two superpower rivals are not going to cede influence easily.

The upstart right-wing populist is the presidential frontrunner. He appeals to young, alienated voters weary of the Latin American nation’s chronic economic woes.

China’s military buildup and drive for economic self-sufficiency are signs that Beijing sees a near-term conflict, likely over Taiwan, as advantageous.

The government of Argentina can chalk up its first modest successes in improving a badly distorted economy. But the peso’s recent bad run against the dollar has signaled there are limitations to President Macri’s play it by ear, gradualist approach to reforms.

Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri is in a tight spot before the elections. His government presides over cuts to public spending to secure a lifeline deal with the IMF. Mr. Macri’s hopes for inducing growth by restoring Argentina to the good graces of the financial markets did not materialize. But not all is lost for the pro-market reformer.

Just eight months into his tenure, Argentina’s new president Alberto Fernandez has been thrown a trio of challenges. In the coming months, he must deal with the public health crisis, revive a deeply damaged economy, and consolidate power in his own fractured coalition.

Successive politicians have exacerbated Argentina’s chronic economic woes. But a new ‘super minister,’ backed by fresh International Monetary Fund loans, pledges sound policies at last.

Under President Macri, Argentina has fallen into the economic crisis once again. Last month, Argentines elected a new president, Alberto Fernandez, with former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as his running mate. To end the downward spiral, Fernandez will have to deftly navigate a political scene and economic challenges.

Instead of pushing for more free trade, some members of Mercosur are using it to protect their own industries. The rift may spell the end of the customs union.

China has been ramping up cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its strategic goal to gain space supremacy.

Beijing has displaced the United States as the top trade partner throughout most of Latin America. The two powers will likely share regional dominance for the foreseeable future.

The expansion of BRICS to 11 nations will strengthen the shift to a multipolar order and challenge Western dominance.

The citizens of middle-income Uruguay want living standards typical of more developed countries, and have elected Luis Lacalle Pou as their new president to achieve that goal. Radical politicians on both the right and the left could hamstring his government.

Restricting trade for the sake of fighting climate change risks having the opposite effect.

Just a few years ago, China was going all-in in Latin America, making huge investments in the region. Yet instability in Venezuela and a new government in Ecuador have exposed Beijing to greater risk. While China is still deepening ties, it has slowed down and changed tack, focusing only on investments that are a crucial strategic interest.

After a difficult decade of authoritarian leadership and high crime levels, Paraguay appears to be on the path to stability – thanks to President Abdo Benitez’s rapid reaction to the pandemic. If the Chinese economy recovers, Paraguay could find itself in an enviable position.

As China has been becoming an increasingly important player in the economy of Latin America, Beijing kept a low profile. Now, it can no longer avoid the spotlight. In Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, and Cuba, its position leads to challenges. The question is how assertive it become in imposing its will on the countries and how they react.

LNG is undergoing a production boom worldwide, mostly driven by the industry’s rapid growth in the United States. It could have profound effects on Europe, which has already become the largest buyer of American LNG. As a result, major changes are coming in the global gas market, as countries like Russia and Qatar jockey to compete.

The Odebrecht scandal, which started off as the Petrobras scandal in Brazil, has sent ripple effects throughout Latin America. It has brought down some regimes and even landed powerful leaders in jail. Perhaps the most important result is voters’ distrust of the traditional political forces.

In 2019, long-time President of Bolivia Evo Morales had to resign in the aftermath of violent protests. The right-wing interim government that succeeded him must now stabilize the country. Meanwhile, the former president is striving to rally his supporters.

All around, the wind seems to have filled the sails of the world economy. From consumer spending to investment to stock market indices, the sailing seems smooth. But some dangerous currents, including debt-fueled liquidity and low productivity, are converging below the surface.

For Panama, the partnership with China is an attempt to revive its economy. For Beijing, it is a chance to gain influence over the crucial Panama Canal. The question is how Panama’s new government will balance its appetite for Chinese investment with its need to maintain close ties with the United States.

Despite public concerns, data clearly shows that nuclear power is a much safer energy source than fossil fuels. Recent innovations could soon reduce the risks even further.

The AMLO presidency has been a setback for Mexico, but a new generation of leaders could come to power and tap into the country’s geopolitical and economic potential.

Small modular reactors could make nuclear energy accessible to more countries, but their viability still has to be tested on a wider scale.

Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera is facing resistance to his reforms from a hostile congress. His clumsy handling of several domestic crises has not helped his government gain traction. The economy is doing well, though, fueled by copper exports.

Overfishing is a global environmental and economic problem that resists administrative solutions. Giving control to local stakeholders would help.

Brexit talks were supposed to be concluded at the EU summit on October 17. But the deadline passed with no breakthrough. With the clock to a “hard Brexit” ticking down, this could be the salutary shock needed to reach a compromise — or point to a future in which encourages a drift toward protectionism.

The recent positive economic figures from Colombia belie the country’s continuing struggle with organized crime and violence. With the growth of the middle class, Colombians are becoming less ideological and are calling for more centrist policies to address these issues.

France has finally fractured between its metropolitan areas and a low-wage periphery. What started as a tax revolt has become a diffuse and unstructured uprising. Many of the movement’s demands would only perpetuate France’s centralism, yet its appearance shows that this political model may no longer be sustainable.

Private companies are harnessing space technology that can directly influence state actors, blurring the lines between commercial and national capabilities.

Latin America’s economies are facing a series of problems in 2019. Those, that failed to prepare for the current downturn in prices deal with a loss of revenues and foreign investment. Corruption and quality of life issues have presented other challenges, and the benefits of a recent trade deal with the EU are neither immediate nor assured.

Europe’s policy of appeasement toward Hezbollah included looking the other way and even hiding evidence from the public on its acts of terror. Most governments in Europe stick to the view that Hezbollah is a legitimate political force in Lebanon and ignore pleas from Israel and the U.S. for solidarity in trying to tame Tehran’s aggression.

Known in Latin America as a backwater haven for criminal enterprises and eccentric dictators, Paraguay began to turn around over the past decade. The country’s elite is taking steps to strengthen state institutions and improve the rule of law.

The new head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva wants to redefine its aims to address climate change, economic fairness, and gender equality. If she succeeds, the IMF could transform from an economic reform-minded lender of the last resort to a definer of global morality. 

Peru has outpaced its neighbors, achieving robust economic growth despite numerous political crises. Its informal economy has helped fuel that growth, but now poses a huge risk due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As oil grows out of fashion, Saudi Arabia is banking on natural gas. Not only can it help the country generate electricity, it can also provide a crucial basis for a robust petrochemical industry. Riyadh wants to become a gas exporter by 2030 as well, but that goal may be a bit too ambitious.

President Bolsonaro came into office in the aftermath of a deep recession. His deregulatory reforms have shown commitment to a pro-market agenda, but he lacks popular support at the moment. His fate could be affected by the outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil.

U.S. President Trump’s administration may find it possible to clinch the first phase of a comprehensive trade deal with China as a way to harvest the low-hanging fruit. The real challenge will be completing Phase Two, which will cover more contentious issues.

By hosting key international events this year, New Delhi hopes to reshape the world order in its favor.

For the global economy, the road ahead is unusually clear – it is headed for a gentle slowdown. But that is no reason for complacency. The next wave of trouble is already visible in the developing countries, which are highly vulnerable to rising interest rates. The EU could do much to prevent the economic slowdown if it cared to.

The Human Rights Council of the United Nations is unable to confront serious human rights situations evenhandedly.

The Group of 20 nations is less bureaucratic than most international organizations, but conflicting interests among members could doom its ability to act.

Uruguay scores perfect tens on civil liberties and the electoral process in the World Bank’s rule of law index – matching Norway and New Zealand. The country’s internal stability is buttressed by an ambitious social welfare system.

As President Morales gears up to run for an unconstitutional fourth term, Bolivian politics enter a pivotal year. The last member of Latin America’s “pink wave” of leftist governments that rose to power on the commodities boom of the early 2000s must now deal with slumping hydrocarbon revenues and disillusioned public.

Bankrupt and in economic freefall, Venezuela has become the scene of a humanitarian drama. The opposition is finally unified and appears close to being able to push the die-hard Chavista regime out. Much of the outside world, including Latin America, Europe, and the United States, is eager to help, but the devil, is in the detail.

Western industries face a grave challenge: the exploding demand for rare metals and elements could far outpace the projected growth in their supplies. The global market for raw materials is dominated by a handful of countries, and the usual conservation and substitution strategies in the developed world will not kick in soon enough.

In Latin America, a new electoral super cycle could dramatically change the continent’s political landscape and put authoritarianism back on the map. Several trends are emerging, most notably a departure from established parties.