Analysis

Michael Shifter interviewed by Daniel Zovatto Video

La pandemia en América Latina: poderes de emergencia, corrupción e inseguridad

En esta entrevista con Aristegui Noticias, Michael Shifter habló con Daniel Zovatto, Director Regional de IDEA Internacional para América Latina y el Caribe, sobre el impacto de la pandemia en los Estados Unidos, América Latina en general y también casos específicos como Brasil, México, El Salvador, Nicaragua y Venezuela. 

Michael Shifter, Daniel Zovatto

Interviews ˙ ˙ Aristegui Noticias

Michael Shifter

Shifter: “Si los precios de las materias primas siguen muy bajos, Sudamérica va a sufrir un golpe muy fuerte”

El titular de una de las instituciones más antiguas de Washington habló con Infobae. Considera que Alberto Fernández tuvo una reacción “rápida y admirable” ante el coronavirus, pero alertó que la Argentina está frente a “una enorme crisis económica” y que la región corre el riesgo de que la emergencia erosione las instituciones democráticas.

Michael Shifter, Sergio Serrichio

Interviews ˙ ˙ Infobae

Latin America: The Political Outlook

What is the political outlook in Latin America?  Will Brazil’s Congress continue to govern independent of the erratic, but somewhat business-friendly President Jair Bolsonaro? Will Mexico’s nationalist-leftist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (popularly known as AMLO) try to extend his power? Will Argentina’s new president Alberto Fernandez govern independently of his vice president Cristina Kirchner? Will Colombia become a new Chile in terms of riots? What will happen in Chile this year? And will Peru be able to return to political stability? Michael Shifter discussed in this interview with Latinvex.

Michael Shifter, Christopher Sabatini , Joachim Bamrud

Interviews ˙ ˙ Latinvex

Has Bolsonaro’s First Year Been a Success or Failure?

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday completed his first year in office, one marked by international controversy over the Amazon, a slight economic recovery, political spats within his own party, as well as some significant legislative wins, including comprehensive pension reform. How well has Bolsonaro fared in his first year as Brazil’s president, and has he met voters’ expectations of change? How well is his government handling economic matters, and what should it focus on in the year ahead? To what extent has Bolsonaro’s confrontational political style helped or hindered his effectiveness in working with Brazil’s Congress?

Peter Hakim, Nerea R. García, Jorge Zaverucha, Fábio Kerche

Latin America Advisor ˙

Irene Estefanía González | Inter-American Dialogue Video

New Leadership in Argentina & Bolsonaro’s First Year

On December 10, 2019, the Inter-American Dialogue, hosted an event titled “New Leadership in Argentina & Bolsonaro’s First Year.” The panelists were Matias Spektor, Rut Diamint, Bruno Binetti, and Monica de Bolle. Rafael Mathus, correspondent for La Nación, moderated the event.

Taylor Savell

Event Summaries ˙

Grupo de Trabajo en reunión

32ª Reunión Anual del Grupo de Trabajo sobre América Latina

La 32ª reunión del Grupo de Trabajo sobre América Latina (LAWG por sus siglas en inglés) tuvo lugar el 9 de diciembre en Washington, DC. En esta reunión, el grupo prestó especial atención a los disturbios y protestas que se vieron en la región en 2019.

Irene Estefanía, Melanie Ordoñez

Event Summaries ˙

Video

Michael Shifter: “La región está convulsionada”

Michael Shifter, presidente del Diálogo Interamericano, habló en el programa La Tarde de NTN24 sobre la crisis social y democrática que vive Latinoamérica en los últimos meses. Comentó en particular sobre las protestas en Chile y también sobre la salida de Lula da Silva de la cárcel.

Michael Shifter

Interviews ˙ ˙ NTN24

Video

Media and Democracy in the Americas II

A summary of the conclusions and recommendations from the Inter-American Dialogue and Fundamedios USA’s second annual Media and Democracy in the Americas conference.

Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program, Fundamedios USA

Reports ˙ ˙ Download Report

The number of fires in the Amazon rain forest has swelled this year, leading to international concern and a meeting of South American leaders last week in Colombia. // Photo: Brazilian Government.

Are Amazon Nations Prepared to Fight Forest Fires?

What are South American countries already doing to protect the Amazon, and how else can they cooperate?

Yolanda Kakabadse, Leila Salazar-López, Henrique Rzezinski, José Goldemberg, Mark S. Langevin

Latin America Advisor ˙

Do the Amazon Fires Point the Way for Future International Efforts to Combat Climate Change?

The fires in the Amazon expose the very heart of the greatest collective action problem that humanity has faced, and it foreshadows harder battles to come. The actions of each individual country have consequences for the global climate, yet perpetrators are loath to make sacrifices when others, especially those with equal or greater responsibility, are not doing the same. The fact that threats of economic punishment seem to have shifted Brazil’s behavior suggests that a similar approach could be taken to address climate change on a larger scale. But it will not be easy, especially where the biggest emitters are concerned.

Lisa Viscidi, Nate Graham

Articles & Op-Eds ˙ ˙ Foreign Policy

Video

Amazon Fires: Bolsonaro Says Brazil Cannot Fight Them

As wildfires rage in the Brazilian portion of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro finds himself under increased international scrutiny. Program Director Lisa Viscidi comments for BBC World News on Bolsonaro’s policies toward the Amazon.

Lisa Viscidi

Interviews ˙ ˙ BBC World News

Jair Bolsonaro, A View from the North

Rather than building a robust partnership with the United States, Bolsonaro’s current trajectory may end up with Brazil facing a largely indifferent Washington. Yes, Trump did declare this week that he wants a free trade deal with Brazil, but even if Brazil can find a way around Mercosur’s rules and begin to pursue a bilateral accord, negotiations will take several years to complete. A successful outcome is not out of the question, but it will require to thoroughly overhaul its highly protected economy, which is among the most insular in the world.

Peter Hakim

Articles & Op-Eds ˙ ˙ Veja

Video

The Oil from Ipanema

Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Lisa Viscidi tells Richard Miles of CSIS that reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are the financial stability of Petrobras, the shaky state oil conglomerate, and the monopoly that the state has on most aspects of energy production, delivery, and even retail sales.

Lisa Viscidi, Richard Miles

Interviews ˙ ˙ Center for Strategic & International Studies