Chairman of Roubini Global Economics and New York University Professor of Economics Nouriel Roubini joined AS/COA Online for an interview on Latin America's economic outlook. Dr. Roubini forecasts a regional growth rate of 3.8 percent for 2010.
President Obama needs to summon the political courage to push through free trade.
House Democrats introduced a bill for comprehensive immigration reform on December 15, declaring: "The time for waiting is over." A Senate bill is expected in early 2010. Still, even with congressional action up and running, the road to reform could be a slow one.
Sebastian Piñera pulled in 44 percent of the vote in Chile's December 13 elections against ex-president Eduardo Frei and newcomer Marco Enríquez-Ominami. His victory marks the first by a conservative since the fall of Augusto Pinochet. With no candidate securing the necessary majority, a runoff is set for January.
A Venezuelan cabinet member resigned in recent days after authorities arrested his brother in connection to a banking scandal. Caracas shuttered seven small banks in recent weeks.
"In supporting the [Honduran] elections, the United States led a forward-looking effort to establish a path out of the constitutional crisis so as not to create a Central American pariah state," argues COA's Eric Farnsworth in this op-ed he co-authored for The Miami Herald.
President Evo Morales won December 6 elections by pulling in roughly 35 percent more votes than his top rival. Moreover, his Movement Toward Socialism political party gained control of the Senate to gain a congressional majority.
Executive Vice President of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives David Stewart-Patterson makes a case in The Hill Times for why the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement is important to the Canadian economy, Colombian citizens, and labor protection standards.
Uruguayans chose José "Pepe" Mujica of the governing party as their next president in November 29 roundoff elections.The high approval ratings of the current administration likely gave an electoral boost to Mujica, a former guerilla who pledged to follow his predecessor's path and identified Brazil's president as his model.
Hondurans headed to the polls November 29 to elect Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo as the next president. But, with hemispheric leaders divided over whether to recognize the outcome and questions remaining about the restitution of a deposed president, the country's political fate remains unclear.
As Brazil's influence on the world stage increases, its partnership with the United States should be based on mutual recognition and respect, writes COA's Eric Farnsworth in Folha de São Paulo. Economic and political security should not come at either country's expense. (em português)
"Fingers are crossed throughout the Americas for a speedy conclusion to the Honduran crisis. But Sunday's elections may not present the exit we all hope for," write AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini and AQ blogger Daniel Altschuler in The Huffington Post.
A compromise by Senate Democrats in the new health care reform bill would limit access to some new medical plans for undocumented and legal immigrants. Critics say resulting emergency care costs will be passed along to taxpayers and insurance policyholders.
By the end of the month, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will have played host to Israeli, Palestinian, and Iranian leaders as he lifts Brazil’s profile on Middle East policy. But the November 23 visit of Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad raises eyebrows, given global concerns over Tehran's nuclear program.
Between a new natural gas find and an attractive investment climate, prospects are bright for Peru's energy sector.
Adequate and affordable housing around Portland, Oregon, is part of a broader strategy to help support the Latino community’s upward mobility.
Legal harassment is being used to threaten freedom of expression in certain Latin American.
After a trip to Singapore, COA’s Eric Farnsworth talks with AS/COA Online about the APEC summit, progress in charting a trans-Pacific trade agenda, and China's economic role in Latin America. "I see China as being a real engine of South American economic restoration," says Farnsworth.
After revealing a drop in deforestation rates, Brazil announced a greenhouse gas reduction target of nearly 40 percent by 2020. Brazil has partnered with France to chart a global climate change proposal for next month's UN environmental summit. Still, bold plans could give way to a scaled-back agreement in Copenhagen.
APEC celebrates 20 years as members convene in Singapore. On the sidelines, Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada, as well as APEC observer countries Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama are pursuing economic agreements with Asian countries.
