Latin America and the Caribbean

BY LAUREN WINDMEYER Last Friday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos won the Nobel Peace Prize for his long-running efforts to end Colombia’s 52-year civil war. Santos led negotiations between the Colombian government and FARC rebels for four years, ultimately coming to an agreement this August. To go into effect, the agreement needed a final vote […]

In the last decade, Medellin made a decision that will mark its future: it changed its economic vocation. The city, known in the twentieth century as the “Industrial Capital of Colombia,” decided to move from a traditional industrial operation to a knowledge economy. Corporation Ruta N is articulating these efforts and boosting a true ecosystem […]

Abstract In this article, the core events that allowed the “truce” in El Salvador are described and briefly explained. There are three stages in this process: “pre-truce”, “truce” and “post-truce”. The stage of “truce” began in March 2012 with the government’s decision of moving thirty gang leaders to lower security level prisons. The “truce” process […]

According to CNN Money, in 2014, 64,000 residents left Puerto Rico. That’s more than double the rate in 2010, according to the Pew Research Center. Puerto Ricans are heading to Texas or Florida to find jobs because the island is on the verge of fiscal default unless the US government intervenes. Until issues are resolved […]

An interview with Diego Molano Vega, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia. Diego Molano Vega has been the Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia since 2010. In this interview, he reveals his perspective on one of the most challenging issues for the development of Latin America: keeping pace with the changes […]

Abstract This article advocates for the daily reaffirmation of democracy and protection of human rights in Latin America by politicians and civil society alike. Through the remembrance of the Chilean transition to democracy, the article highlights the tremendous costs that Chileans assumed to move Chile towards a consolidated democracy and the many years it has […]

BY NATALIE UNTERSTELL The world is currently watching Brazil fight the “longest recession in a century, the biggest bribery scandal in history, [and] the most unpopular leader in living memory,” and that’s not even counting the Zika virus epidemic. An equally severe but less visible crisis is also facing the country right now:  discrimination against […]

BY ADITI KUMAR Donald Trump declared last week that he “doesn’t mind” starting a trade war with Mexico “when we’re losing $58 billion a year.” Not only is this a gross mischaracterization of our trade relationship, it also suggests a trade policy that will harm U.S. economic and political interests. Clearly, many aspects of U.S. […]

BY FELIPE ORIÁ Avoidance coping (noun) – A maladaptive mechanism characterized by the effort to avoid dealing with a source of tension or stress. Avoidance coping is common for individuals, but also not a rare sight at the societal level. Brazil is currently showcasing the impressive power of avoidance mechanisms. Facing the choice between a […]

BY TANIA DEL RIO Things have not been quite the same in Mexico since Sept. 26, 2014. It is hard to know for sure what happened that day, and with the release of a report on Sept. 6, 2015, almost a year after, it became painfully obvious that we may never know. What is certain is […]

Mexico has recently seen a sea change in shifts in public opinion regarding LGBT inclusion in public policy. 2013 was the first year a majority of the population surveyed (55%) supported the legalization of marriage equality, and an even higher percent (57%) agreed with allowing LGBT people to serve in the army. Further, over fifty percent […]

Commentary All the heads of state or government who participated in the last three Summits of the Americas were democratically elected. This situation was unprecedented in the hemisphere; the past twenty-five years have become the most prolonged period of democracy in the Western hemisphere since independence. Democracy begins with free and fair elections. However, there […]