Search Results for: Colombia

The elections in Brazil will determine whether Washington’s new strategy for the Western hemisphere will hold.

The Holy See has no army, but it has reach, longevity and access that no state can match.

African and Latin American states are working to provide developed economies with key resources in return for value addition and equitable partnerships.

After 50 days of protests and roadblocks, Bolivia’s new president has divided the opposition and restored traffic.

Washington has pulled Venezuela into its orbit, unlocking oil exports, sanctions relief and mineral access even as the political transition stalls.

Washington escalated and Ottawa refused terms, but strategic interdependence makes total rupture unlikely.

After a generations-long internal conflict and controversial peace agreement with a narco-terrorist group, Colombia can no longer fall back on its economy. Enter the pandemic, and the daunting economic and social challenges faced by President Ivan Duque become clear.

A deepening clash with Washington, rising violence and mounting economic strain have pushed Colombia into its most volatile moment in decades.

Colombia's peace agreement has not led to the immediate prosperity many in the country were hoping for. Violence is still common, the economy is lagging, and refugees from neighboring Venezuela are flooding into the country.

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.

Ivan Duque, Colombia’s newly elected president, takes office with a clear mandate from his supporters. He will likely try to slow the controversial peace accord reached with FARC guerrillas and address widespread public concerns.

President Ivan Duque has a thankless job to meet the challenges of Colombia. The attempt to end the 50 year-long civil war has proven hard to implement, as millions of people were displaced and disenfranchised in that war. And a rise in coca cultivation displeases the U.S. Signals from the country’s economy, however, remain optimistic.

Mr. Petro’s victory extends the Latin American trend of rejecting incumbent parties. The president wants to raise taxes, boost social spending and curb fossil fuels.

Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, is guiding the country under U.S. oversight following Maduro’s capture, with amnesty and oil reforms underway.

Latin America’s 2025-2026 elections may shift the region rightward, with polls showing the Sao Paulo Forum’s leftist candidates facing defeats.

After years of malicious activities and mounting crises, Caracas is facing international isolation and an unprecedented show of U.S. power and resolve.

Left-wing governments throughout the region are losing voter confidence after years of mismanagement.

A rise in drug trafficking is destabilizing state institutions and the economy. The government is addressing the challenge with “iron fist” measures.

The Sao Paulo Forum, once a powerful left-wing Latin American political bloc, now struggles with corruption, criminal ties and waning influence.

In a historic military operation, the U.S. has detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, raising questions about his regime’s future and regional stability.

A new anti-cartel coalition is intensifying military cooperation in the Western Hemisphere, pressuring Mexico to support improved regional security dynamics.

Nicolas Maduro’s disputed electoral win over Edmundo Gonzalez deepens Venezuela’s alignment with authoritarian regimes, triggering protests and repression.

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.

Transnational crime in Latin America is growing across the region, posing a challenge to democracies.

What will happen to Venezuela after the government tries to steal an unconstitutional presidential election on May 20? Everything depends on the cohesion of the splintered opposition and the determination of the international community.

Another coup has derailed Guinea-Bissau’s fragile democracy, with the military junta removing President Embalo and freezing the electoral process.

President Trump’s second term is seeing an intensification of tariff use, reshaping U.S. trade policies and global economic relations.

The Global Progressive Mobilization summit in April united leaders from 40 countries to counter Trump policies and deepen Europe-Latin America ties.

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.

China is considering helping the Venezuelan regime meet its most pressing domestic needs and start rebuilding the oil industry. The USA, meanwhile, is hinting that it could use force to remove the brutal regime. Collective pressure on Caracas from the Latin American community, remains the only realistic way of resolving the crisis.

Central and South America with the Caribbean face growing geopolitical pressure as Washington and Beijing compete for dominance south of the U.S. border.

Ecuador is a small country that embodies many of Latin America’s issues in miniature. Overdependence on commodity exports and tensions with the U.S. are just some of them. Its government must clean up after former President Correa’s failed “Citizens’ Revolution,” trying to build institutions on a legacy of personalistic governance.

If Republicans win the 2024 elections, expect Latin American policy to be focused on border security.

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.

After surviving attempts to oust him over an allegedly rigged 2018 presidential election, the authoritarian leader is turning global political and economic events to his favor.

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.

The shifting dynamics of American foreign policy will reverberate throughout South America following the presidential vote in November.

Russia's regions vary widely in terms of their economic and social structures. There are five broad clusters of development, from the rich big cities to the poor rural areas. One thing unites them, however: the central authorities’ increasing control over their affairs.

Following economic downturns caused by Covid-19, the war in Ukraine is threatening to push the region into recession, challenging the skills and wisdom of politicians.

More than 340 million Christians faced significant persecution in 2025, making the world’s largest faith its most hunted – yet the world barely blinks.

Countries are due to sign a United Nations (UN) compact for migration next week. However, its global, one-size-fits-all approach is dangerous. It risks many unintended consequences, including mass migration for welfare benefits.

Peruvians will vote in a December referendum that could introduce anti-corruption rules giving President Martin Vizcarra a more powerful hand as he faces a hostile congress. If the referendum fails, however, the country’s new leader would be weakened, prolonging political dysfunction and holding the economy of Peru back.

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.

Economic downturns, political mismanagement and natural disasters have raised poverty rates and inequality in Latin America, creating a dire outlook for 2021. Populist politicians could benefit from the growing discontent.

Venezuela’s crisis might end only when there is a clear exit for President Nicolas Maduro and his cohorts. So far, neither of those have materialized, meaning Venezuela’s crisis will likely not end anytime soon. When it does, it will be with the help of another country in the region, potentially Cuba or Mexico

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.

Thanks to its unique natural resources and specialized industry, Brazil is set to reap the benefits of an agricultural boom. However, the country needs to tackle the challenges of trade liberalization, dependence on China and insufficiently diversified export products.

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.

After decades of institutional fragility, Guinea-Bissau appears to be facing another political thunderstorm. Presidential candidate Embalo has seized the reins of the country, but neither the supreme court nor the National Assembly recognize his victory.

China has become a leading partner for Latin America, boosting trade, infrastructure and strategic influence, though it now faces increasing U.S. pushback.