Venezuela's Presidential Elections: Role of Independent Voters

On February 22nd, the Dialogue hosted a discussion featuring Father José Virtuoso, rector of the Catholic University Andrés Bello, who will share findings of a recent study on Venezuela’s non-aligned voters, a significant segment of the electorate who could play a key role in the upcoming presidential contest. MORE

Social Inclusion in Peru

On February 22, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a conversation with Peru's minister of social inclusion Carolina Trivelli, who discussed the new social programs launched under President Humala targeting women, children, and the elderly. MORE

Latin America's Security Situation 

The Dialogue just published, "The Security Situation in Latin America", by Gino Costa, a leading expert who served as Peru's interior minister under Toledo. Costa reviews 5 key indicators: homicide, victimization, perception of insecurity, trust in police, and the prison system. MORE

Chinese Loans to Latin America

On February 17th, the Dialogue launched a new report by Kevin Gallagher, "The New Banks in Town: Chinese Loans to Latin America," which offers the first comprehensive summary of China’s lending practices in Latin America and the Caribbean. MORE 

Gang Violence and Security in Central America

A discussion with Naval Postgraduate School professor Tom Bruneau to launch his latest book Maras: Gang Violence and Security in Central America (University of Texas Press). MORE 

Is Latin America Ready for the Next Decade?

The Dialogue recently published its report detailing the XV Annual CAF Conference held on September 7 and 8, 2011. Participants discussed changing hemispheric landscape and the outlook for the region. MORE

Initiative on Security and Migration in Central America and Mexico 

Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina (pictured left with Dialogue President Michael Shifter), Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz, and CICIG Commissioner Francisco Dall'Anese, joined some 25 policy analysts, political leaders, and business executives from Central America and Mexico for a Dialogue meeting in Guatemala City, on February 10-11, co-hosted by ASIES and LaRed. MORE

Latin America Working Group: Bogotá

On January 19, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted the twenty-second meeting of the Latin America Working Group in Bogotá, Colombia. The meeting focused on the current political and economic climate in Colombia as President Juan Manuel Santos nears the mid-way point in his term. Working group members also the role of  multilateral institutions in addressing drug trafficking, violence, and transnational organized crime in Latin America. MORE

Dialogue ranks #38 among 1,800 US think tanks

From among more than 1,800 US think tanks, a recent survey ranked the Dialogue 38th in the nation last year, the only institution primarily focusing on Latin America in the top 50, and in league with organizations that have budgets ten times larger than its own. MORE 

Lessons from Dilma's Visit to Cuba

According to Peter Hakim, writing in Infolatam, Rousseff's recent visit to Cuba suggests that Brazil is unlikely to emerge as a public champion of human rights or democracy under her leadership. Still, he urges the country to exert its growing international influence to advocate for these issues. MORE 

Brazil and the US Security Agenda

In the new issue of Política Externa, Peter Hakim argues that it is Brazil’s expanding global activism, rather than its regional leadership, that most seriously challenges the US security agenda. He advocates a change in approach on both sides to ease the growing mistrust between the two countries. MORE 

Conversation with Hal Weitzman, author of "Latin Lessons"

On February 8, the The Inter-American Dialogue hosted a discussion with Financial Times correspondent Hal Weitzman to launch his new book, Latin Lessons: How Latin America Stopped Listening to the United States and Started Prospering (Wiley). MORE 

Labor and Social Policy in Colombia

On February 3, the The Inter-American Dialogue hosted a discussion on Colombia’s labor and social policy agenda featuring Labor Minister Rafael Pardo. MORE 

Shifter Testifies Before House on Iran-Latin America Ties

On February 2, Dialogue president Michael Shifter testified before the House Committee on Foreign Relations at a hearing entitled, "Ahmadinejad's Tour of Tyrants and Iran's Agenda in the Western Hemisphere." MORE 

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and its Implications for Latin America

Earl Jarrett, the general manager of the Jamaica National Building Society, helped lead off a Dialogue roundtable discussion on January 25 in Washington about the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and its implications for Latin America. MORE 

Board of the Dialogue's Advisor Newsletters Convenes in Washington

Amb. Craig Kelly, a former State Department official who is now vice president of The Cohen Group in Washington, kicked off a meeting of the Latin America Advisor newsletter’s board at the Dialogue on January 25. The group identified the economic and political priorities facing the region’s business leaders in the year ahead, as well as topics not well covered in other media outlets. 

A Conversation with Ricardo Lagos

On January 24, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a discussion with former president of Chile and co-chair of the Dialogue Ricardo Lagos to launch his new book, The Southern Tiger: Fight for a Democratic and Prosperous Future. Lagos reflected on his role in Chile's transition to democracy and the lessons learned. MORE 

The Shifting Landscape of Latin American Regionalism

In his latest Current History article, Dialogue president Michael Shifter discusses how recent hemispheric developments such as Brazil's rise, the United States' decline, and the creation of new regional blocs have produced a decisive shift in global relations. MORE 

The Next Summit of the Americas: A Preview of Cartagena, Colombia

In an Infolatam article, Peter Hakim contends that there is cause for optimism about the sixth Summit. Hakim stresses that regional leadership and creativity, especially from Colombia, will be key to success. Socorro Ramirez, a Summit Coordinator, echoes Hakim's hopeful tone and references his analysis in this El Tiempo article. MORE 

Ahmadinejad in Latin America

On January 8, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began his four-country tour of Latin America. In his recent article in Foreign Policy, Dialogue president Michael Shifter contends that while the trip has drawn sharp criticism from some US policymakers, Iran is not likely to find robust partnerships in Latin America. 

Outlook for the Hemisphere in 2012

With 2012 upon us, the Western Hemisphere is poised to see a host of political and economic developments in the new year. As Dialogue president Michael Shifter discusses in El Colombiano, key elections in Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States could alter the region's political landscape. Shifter also analyzes recent openings in Cuba and the regional security situation as important aspects of the 2012 landscape. MORE 

The United States and Latin America: The Neighborhood has Changed

The Dialogue's Peter Hakim contends that US policy toward Latin America is retreating from its regional focus while Latin America pursues its own course. Featured in The International Spectator, his review warns that as Latin America becomes more independent, the future of hemispheric cooperation is increasingly uncertain. MORE 

The Global Economic Crisis: Impact on Poverty in Latin America

On December 19, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a discussion with World Bank Poverty and Gender Sector Manager, Louise Cord, on the impact of the global crisis on poverty and inequality in Latin America. MORE 

Latin America Working Group: Rio de Janeiro

On December 15 and 16, the Inter-American Dialogue co-hosted the twenty-first meeting of the Latin America Working Group in conjunction with the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Participants explored several regional themes, including human rights, the environment, and regional defense and security. MORE 

PREAL Hosts Meeting with Central American Partners

On December 8-9, PREAL staff and partners from five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic met at the Dialogue to review a broad spectrum of PREAL activities and discuss priorities for improving education in the coming year. MORE

Mexico's Foreign Policy: The Issues and Choices Ahead

On December 7, the Inter-American Dialogue and the Woodrow Wilson Center hosted Mexican scholar Rafael Fernández de Castro,  to discuss the most important global opportunities and challenges facing Mexico. The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute President, Andrew Selee, provided commentary. MORE 

PREAL Holds Working Group Experts Meetings in Santiago

On November 23-25, PREAL's working groups on School Management and Effectiveness and the Teaching Profession convened experts from throughout Latin America in Santiago, Chile, to discuss next steps in education policy reform. MORE

Beyond the China Boom

World Bank Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, Augusto de la Torre, discussed China's economic impact on Latin America and the region's long-term growth prospects at the Dialogue on November 22nd. The IDB's Alejandro Izquierdo and the Dialogue's Claudio Loser provided commentary. MORE 

Cuba: The Politics of Transition

On November 22, the Dialogue hosted a discussion on the politics of the Cuban transition with Rafael Hernández, editor of the journal Temas, and Julia Sweig, director of the Council on Foreign Relations' Latin America program. MORE 

Dialogue Hosts Workshop on US Drug Policy

As part of its work on drug policy, the Dialogue hosted a meeting of high-level officials and analysts on November 21 to tackle the question, "What is US policy toward illicit drugs?" Participants engaged in a wide ranging discussion to piece together a clear view of what that policy is today.  MORE 

Dialogue Board Member Gives Closing Address at Cato Conference

Fernando Henrique Cardoso gave the closing address at the Cato Institute conference, "Ending the Global War on Drugs" on November 15. He called for a new global drug regime that focuses on reducing the harms of drug use rather than pursing a "war on drugs." President Emeritus, Peter Hakim, also spoke on the burden drug trafficking places on Central America.  MORE 

A Conversation with Michelle Bachelet

On November 14, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a conversation with former president of Chile and co-chairman of the Dialogue's Board of Directors Michelle Bachelet. Bachelet, now executive director of UN Women, discussed the UN's latest report on social protection in this time of global economic downturn.  MORE 

Industrial Policy and Innovation in Brazil: Dilma’s New Approach

November 10th, the Dialogue and Prospectiva Consulting co-hosted a discussion on the Brazilian government’s new innovation and technology policies. Ricardo Camargo Mendes, Otaviano Canuto, Andrew Rudman, and Saulo Porto discussed opportunities for Brazil's industrial sector. MORE 

Quality is the Challenge: Education in the Dominican Republic

In conjunction with Dominican partners, PREAL released the second Education Report Card on the Dominican Republic, El reto es la calidad. Jeffrey Puryear spoke at the publication's launch in Santo Domingo and discussed education quality on the Dominican television program Uno+Uno. Learn more on the PREAL blog.