Candidatos conservadores ganaron docenas de alcaldías en las elecciones del 23 de octubre, triunfando sobre la coalición centro-izquierda, Nueva Mayoría, de la que Presidente Michelle Bachelet es miembro. ¿Cómo afectará la elección presidencial del próximo año los resultados de las elecciones locales, además del panorama político?
Unrepaid loans and rising levels of insecurity in Venezuela may mean that the country cannot receive additional significant loans or investment from China in the near future, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 11. How important a lifeline is Chinese financing to Venezuela, and what will happen to Venezuela if China holds off on additional financing to the country?
Funcionarios de República Dominicana el 11 de agosto arrestaron al ex ministro de Defensa, Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio y a varios otros por presuntamente aceptar US$3,5 millones en sobornos a cambio de un contrato de defensa. Las detenciones se producen mientras Félix Bautista, un senador del Partido de la Liberación Democrática, del presidente Danilo Medina, está siendo investigado por las autoridades haitianas por contratos sobrevalorados y contribuciones ilegales de campaña.¿Está empeorando la corrupción en República Dominicana, o estos casos recientes sugieren que los fiscales están haciendo progresos en la lucha contra la corrupción?
Following a meeting between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the signing of peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC rebel group, Maduro said a top U.S. diplomat would soon visit Caracas in order to jointly explore easing tensions between the two countries. Has Maduro experienced a change of heart toward the United States?
Colombia’s Senate on Tuesday approved and sent to the lower house of Congress the government’s renegotiated peace accord with the FARC rebels. How different is this peace deal from the earlier version that voters rejected?
Days after the Colombian government and the FARC rebels announced they had reached final peace accords, Post-Conflict Minister Rafael Pardo outlined a plan for new economic incentives for development as well as $400 million in investment in rural areas that were left largely undeveloped during the 52-year armed conflict. The government estimates that only 30 percent of the country’s food production capacity is being utilized. What does the proposed peace deal mean for Colombia’s food production?
Colombia’s government and the FARC rebels on Aug. 24 announced they had reached final agreement on historic peace accords following nearly four years of talks in Havana. Although Colombian voters must approve the deal in a nationwide referendum set for Oct. 2, the government says a “peace dividend” could add a percentage point or more to the country’s gross domestic product.
Fidel Castro, who led the revolution that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and transformed Cuba into a one-party communist state, bedeviling 11 U.S. presidents and at one point bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war, died Nov. 25 at age 90 after years of declining health. Will Fidel’s death pave the way for any significant political or economic changes in Cuba?
Hours before a Feb. 28 speech to a joint session of Congress, U.S. President Donald Trump signaled openness during a luncheon with journalists to address legal status for immigrants who are in the United States illegally. What are the chances for immigration reform legislation to win approval this year in Congress?
Organization of American States Secretary-General Luis Almagro said last week that Venezuela should be suspended from the group if it does not hold elections “as soon as possible.” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government has frequently dismissed Almagro as working in the interests of the United States. Should the OAS suspend Venezuela? What would result from such a suspension?
Ruling party candidate and former vice president Lenín Moreno claimed victory in Ecuador’s presidential vote on Sunday, as supporters of conservative challenger Guillermo Lasso clashed with riot police in major cities, accusing authorities of permitting fraud in the election. With more than 99 percent of votes counted, Moreno had secured 51.2 percent of the votes compared with Lasso’s 48.8 percent, according to the electoral council. Lasso has called for a recount in every province of the nation, but the electoral council’s head, Juan Pablo Pozo, has appealed to the opposition to recognize the results.
Unrest in Venezuela was sparked after the country’s Supreme Court effectively dissolved the country’s legislature but then reversed the move following widespread condemnation over fears that the country was lurching toward a dictatorship. Meanwhile, the legislature has begun the process of removing pro-government Supreme Court justices. Is the relationship among Venezuela’s branches of government irreparably damaged?
Argentine President Mauricio Macri meets today in Washington with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump. How have U.S.-Argentine relations fared since Macri took office in late 2015, and where are they headed during Trump’s presidency?
In January, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. dollar was “too strong,” a departure from the past practice of U.S. presidents, who tried to avoid making such statements and influencing currency markets. How is the U.S. dollar’s relative strength affecting Latin American and Caribbean economies, and what would a weaker dollar mean for the region?
Since late President Hugo Chávez took power in Venezuela in 1999, the Andean nation and Cuba have had close ties. Those ties have included Venezuela sending oil to Cuba on preferential terms and Cuba sending doctors and other professionals to Venezuela. Venezuela, however, is now beset by political and economic crisis, including skyrocketing inflation, shortages of food and basic goods, and recent deadly protests. In which ways does Cuba still rely on Venezuela, and how important is that support to the island nation?
