A dispute over U.S. cotton subsidies took another turn this week when Brazil announced plans to suspend intellectual property rights on some U.S. products. That and retaliatory tariff measures are slated to take effect in April, though both sides hold hopes for negotiations.
News & Analysis
General Douglas M. Fraser, Commander of U.S. Southern Command, spoke with AS/COA Online about supporting relief efforts in Chile and Haiti, the fight against illicit trafficking, Iran’s growing ties with Latin America, and weapons modernization in the Andes.
In the wake of a massive Chilean earthquake, new President Sebastián Piñera took office March 11, reshaping his earlier agenda and promising to make the country’s reconstruction his top priority.
On February 26, the Constitutional Court of Colombia ended more than two years of speculation about a possible third term in office for President Álvaro Uribe. With Uribe out of the running, AS/COA looks at Colombia’s presidential candidates.
Latin America surpasses the world average when it comes to the number of female lawmakers. Despite progress at the presidential and legislative levels, some countries in the region fall short on boosting the number of women in office.
"Latin America's 'democratic generation' remains satisfied with democracy," says AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini, discussing the attitudes of under-35 year-olds, a demographic that makes up 60 percent of the region.
Brazil's Iran ties and a devestating earthquake in Chile have been the main focuses of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Latin American travels this week. Her trip, from February 28 through March 5, brings her to Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
Just three months before presidential elections, Colombia's constitutional court voted 7 to 2 against allowing a referendum that would have permitted President Álvaro Uribe to seek a third consecutive term.
"There is a significant opportunity in the wake of the earthquake to build Haiti into a modern, economically stable, environmentally-sound nation," says COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth.
An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile on February 27. AS/COA Online shares links to more information and ways to support relief efforts.
"The strategic equation in the Americas is changing and a lot is riding on Secretary Clinton's visit," says COA's Eric Farnsworth. "Managing the U.S. relationship with Brazil, a rising global power with big ambitions, is one of the most important strategic issues in the hemisphere," he added.
President-elect José Mujica takes office March 1 amid expectations that he will continue moving forward with the policies of his predecessor and Frente Amplio colleague, Tabaré Vázquez. The AS/COA looks at his inauguration, the composition of his cabinet and Uruguay’s’ newly inaugurated General Assembly.
The prospect of tapping into oil reserves has reignited a decades-old disagreement between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falklands' sovereignty. As a British firm began drilling, Buenos Aires made its case at the UN.
Latin American leaders at a Rio Group summit proposed a new regional bloc that would exclude the United States and Canada. On the sidelines, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and his Ecuadorian counterpart Rafael Correa agreed to a “road map” to improve diplomatic relations.
The Dominican Republic rallied to help neighboring Haiti after last month's devastating earthquake. But Dominican concerns over refugees crossing the border could strain relations.
The Winter Games draw questions about what bearing the Olympics will have on Vancouver’s economy. Local officials are banking on the Games to showcase the world’s most livable city in hopes of ushering along economic recovery.
Membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership could reengage Washington at a time when Asia and Latin America are signing new trade pacts.
Chile's President-elect Sebastián Piñera unveiled his cabinet on February 9, revealing a team of academics, business leaders, and lawyers. Piñera and his team take power on March 11.
"Having taken decisions that are insular and singularly unhelpful to the US, Latin Americans cannot then complain when the US administration prioritizes other areas for its attentions," argues COA's Eric Farnsworth in this letter to the editor, published in the Financial Times.
With its vast tropical forests, Latin America can greatly benefit from efforts to limit deforestation, writes COA's Nicole Spencer in Poder.