Americas Quarterly's New Issue: A (Relatively) Bullish Case for Latin America

New York, October 17, 2023—“Indeed, after a ‘lost decade’ that saw economies stagnate across Latin America and the Caribbean, a new optimism appears to be taking hold in some areas,” write Americas Quarterly (AQ) editors in the magazine’s new issue, which focuses on the fact that there is a relatively bullish case to be made for the region in the years ahead. “It’s uneven, concentrated in certain countries (especially Brazil and Mexico) and sectors (energy, agribusiness, and “nearshoring,” among others). But the bottom line still looks like an increase in growth, and a chance at better times for investors and many of LAC’s 660 million citizens.”

In the new issue’s cover story, Brian Winter lists out five main reasons for optimism. The first is Latin America’s geographic distance from hot spots like Ukraine or Taiwan, which can provide the region with a certain neutrality or “non-alignment” that can attract investment. The second is its proximity to the United States and a trend of “nearshoring” that has been more lucrative than some predicted. Winter also describes Latin America as a potential energy powerhouse, focusing on the region’s abundant resources and says that some governments have mostly defied doomsday predictions by keeping a steady hand on fiscal management. Lastly, Winter highlights the “stunning” speed of Latin America’s transition to a more digital economy.

Angela Boldrini is the author of the AQ profile, focused on a congresswoman’s uphill battle for minority rights in post-Bolsonaro Brazil. Zahra Burton and Brian Ellsworth present the debate over what is owed by former colonizers and slave traders in the Caribbean. The complexities of the strength of democracy in the region are also up for debate, with Susan Segal stating that democracy is one of several reasons to think that Latin America has a bright future, while Peruvian political analyst Andrea Moncada writes in another story that she sees a difficult road ahead as more Latin Americans lose patience with the region's political classes.

Also in this issue:

• Jack Quinn describes how Filmes de Plástico makes groundbreaking movies in Brazil.
• The Long View: Mat Youkee writes that centuries before it became a hazardous migrant corridor, the Darién Gap attracted visions for colonization and connection that were all thwarted by nature or politics.

The full issue is available at americasquarterly.org. View the PDF.

To request interviews with the authors, or to request publication permission, please contact AS/COA Media Relations at mediarelations@as-coa.org