Jorge Mejía Peralta / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED
Democracy is under threat in Central America and authoritarianism is on the rise. This problem is having long-term institutional and economic implications for these countries and poses serious challenges for US policy towards the region. Uncheckered political ambitions and abuses of authority in the form of corruption or political and economic favoritism are signs of severe democratic backsliding. Nicaragua is an illustration of the consequences of unconstrained power. But the growing corruption and political ambitions of other Central American leaders could further affect democratic institutions in the region. It is important not only to bear witness but to mobilize proactive foreign policy to prevent authoritarianism from rising.Read more +
GWP / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0
Given its commitment to reviving multilateralism and bringing together diverse stakeholders, the Biden administration is well-positioned to use these instruments to implement its more holistic regional agenda. After decades of privileging police and military assistance and waiting for government uptake of institutional strengthening efforts, it is time to look beyond Central American states and reinvest in civil society-based anti-corruption coalitions that can be the engines of political and economic change.Read more +
Eneas de Troya / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
As governments and regional organizations muster a plan for post-pandemic economic recovery, addressing corruption must be at the forefront of any response — now more than ever.Read more +
Flickr / Mabel Lemoniel/Presidencia República Dominicana / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
While AMLO deserves credit for pledging to combat Mexico’s impunity crisis, he has failed to set a clear strategy to address the faults and lack of independence within the justice system, calling into question his commitment to confront the root causes of impunity.Read more +
Official White House / Amanda Lucidon
When leaders from nearly all the countries of the Americas gather in Lima, Peru next week, the unique circumstances may lead to a historic event: the first Summit of the Americas defined by honesty about the fundamental disagreements that shape the relationships among the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Read more +
