For much of the last four decades the FARC has its generated revenue to fight the Colombian government by trafficking drugs. In the 1990s the group gained more infamy by diversifying their sources of revenue to include high-profile kidnappings. While this didn’t change in the “noughties” the FARC was badly whipped by the government, aided […]
This week our colleagues who study Latin America at CSIS issued a press briefing on President Obama’s Saturday trip to Latin America. Many Latin Americanists have taken to commenting on how this trip might change the shape of US policy towards Latin America focusing on a region of the world that has to compete with […]
The support once had for Mr. Gadhafi, even from Mr. Chavez, has seemed to have dwindled over the last few short weeks. While the sign still remains on the stadium, the once proud Hugo Chavez futbol stadium in Libya was recently renamed after the first martyrs to fall in Libya’s revolution. Attempts by Mr. Chavez […]
In a conference call last week, Brazil’s Finance Minister Guido Mantega confirmed that Brazil’s GDP grew 7.5 percent in 2010, the country’s highest rate of growth since 1986. Although this is hardly a surprise (the 7.5 figure was projected six months ago), that annual figure includes a laggard fourth quarter of 0.7 percent growth. However, […]
Cracks in the narrative between Latin America’s populist and unpopular leftists and the wave of revolution in the Middle East is bubbling to the surface as pro-US fiefdoms and anti-US dictators all seems to be drowning under the popular movements taking hold of the entire Middle Eastern region. Like their European and American counterparts, leaders […]
By Sean Patrick Murphy One would think Dr. Strangelove was released after Fail Safe because it is an excellent parody. But it wasn’t: Dr. Strangelove came out earlier than Fail Safe in 1964. This was at the height of the cold war, with the Cuban missile crisis not too far from peoples’ minds. Stanley Kubrick’s […]
Until recently, a quintile of Bolivia’s citizenry could be found working outside the country. As a result of the global recession though, and specifically the ailing construction industry in Spain and the United States, Bolivians are returning home in droves, often after many years of informal work. Of course, Bolivia’s economy has also suffered since […]
For generations the United States has claimed Latin America as its backyard, but as any good homeowner knows if you do not maintain your backyard you will learn to regret it. News this week on China’s official position as the second largest national economy made headlines as it beat out Japan for the second spot […]
Growth in the BRICs, while unrelated between the four countries, are often seen by outside investors as a group action where large and similar developing economies are currently booming to the point of overtaking the US and European economies by producing manufactured goods to the benefit of the entire world. The real benefit is lifting […]
David Frum, the former Bush speech writer and the creator of the phrase “The Axis of Evil” made an interesting point during a panel discussion on Fareed Zakaria GPS this week. He said that last week’s meeting between Jintao and Obama was framed by the impression by many in the US believe that China has […]
A briefing in World Politics Review considers the impact of the growing mass of states in South America that are recognizing a Palestinian state. The trend started on December 3, when Lula officially recognized Palestinian independence. Since then, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, and Uruguay have followed suit. Peru and Paraguay are rumored to be […]
This month’s Atlantic magazine reports on use of hallucinogenics by indigenous groups in Peru. Ayahuasca, a plant-based medicinal served as a drink, has been used by various peoples for centuries to treat a variety of maladies as well as for ceremonies. By reporter’s account, taking the drink induces a very unpleasant physical reaction—“usually occasions some […]
In the New Year, all media outlets rush to make their predictions for the coming year. In reality, it is hard to predict the several natural disasters that characterised 2010, or the economic crisis that surprised the global economy in 2009 and 2008 and even recent tragedies like those in Arizona this past weekend which […]
On December 26, Bolivia’s vice president announced a gas subsidy cut, saving the government $380 million, but meaning a rise in fuel prices of 57-80 percent. Massive protests and street demonstrations followed, but the Morales government insisted that the move would be mitigated by cost of living subsidies to families and public employees. In the meantime, […]
Overview Brazil has long seemed poised to join China, Germany and the US as one of the few nations with influence that stretches far beyond its borders. Years from now, many historians may look back on 2010 as the year that Brazil at last turned the corner in its ascent as a global power. Brazil’s […]