Blogs


An Unprecedented Migration Crisis: Characterizing and Analyzing its Depth

Manuel Orozco, Patrick Springer ˙ ˙ Voces

Photo of migrants in Panama Servicio Nacional de Migración de Panamá / Twitter
This piece offers a look at the current migration trends and points to large differences that characterize this situation as a crisis: the scale, composition, nature, and management of migration is outside conventional or historical patterns. Aspects of this unprecedented migration pattern are not within the control of government authorities and policy makers. The recent migration wave to the US border has been referred to as a crisis. Media references point to the drama of people arriving and passing through the Darien, Central America, and Mexico to characterize the problem. Others have pointed out the increasing arrivals into US cities in numbers that are hard to manage by local communities.Read more +

Fighting for Reproductive Justice in El Salvador

Laura Shaw ˙ ˙ Voces

Photo of People holding a banner and signs Colectiva Feminista
In 1967 the United Nations and its member states officially recognized women’s rights as international human rights. Despite this historic declaration many of those rights, specifically reproductive rights, are threatened today. As a region, Latin America has some of the world’s most restrictive anti-abortion laws. El Salvador, in particular, has…Read more +

Latin America and Covid-19: Conditions for a Sustained Recovery

Luis Miguel Castilla ˙ ˙ Voces

Publio Gonzalez, a biologist with the Gorgas Institute, holds a bat June 6, 2018, in Meteti, Panama. Gonzalez and U.S. military doctors were participating in an Emerging Infectious Diseases Training Event, in which they received informational lectures from Panamanian infectious disease experts and field studies of possible virus-carrying wildlife and insects. The event took place during Exercise New Horizons 2018, which is a joint training exercise where U.S. military members conduct training in civil engineer, medical, and support services while benefiting the local community US Air Force / Senior Airman Dustin Mullen
Latin America and the Caribbean is confronting a severe recession with uncertain prospects. Although the recovery will primarily depend on external factors, three key components will determine whether the region is capable of sustaining its path of economic prosperity and social cohesion: sound economic management, access to external finance and delivery of quality public goods and services to all its citizens. Covid-19 introduces the sense of urgency as well as an opportunity to continue making real progress.Read more +