Latin America
US and Russia: developments in Venezuela
On 14 May 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Sochi. The main topic of discussion was the conflict in Venezuela, which has recently strained Russia-US relations.
New Pirates of the Caribbean: Growing instability in Venezuela
Globally, the threat of piracy has been tackled with impressive and effective joint international efforts. In some parts of the world, though, the threat is growing.
Argentina: Economic doldrums pose electoral risk
Argentina’s economy and political turmoil are on full display at the start of 2019. The country is in the midst of a difficult economic situation, which has led to a
Conflict in Nicaragua escalates to new levels
Following the violent repression of peaceful protests during the months of April and early May, Nicaragua has seen an increase in violations of human rights and a regression of political freedoms.
Bolivia losing in the ICJ: a drastic turn for the January 2019 elections
Bolivia’s blowing defeat in the ICJ’s Obligation to Negotiate Access to the Pacific Ocean (Bolivia v. Chile) case, delivered on October 1st, may cost President Evo Morales’ his presidency.
Brazil elects Jair Bolsonaro as its next president
In the most polarized election in the history of Brazil, the second round of the presidential election featured a far left and a far right candidate and split the electorate.
Maduro regime unfazed by condemnation
In a historic rebuke, five Latin American nations urged the ICC to investigate the regime of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro for human rights abuses. Though this public denunciation is noteworthy, the main external threat to the Maduro regime comes not from its neighbors, but from Beijing.
Challenges of Mexico’s drug legalisation
Mexican President-elect Obrador has declared his intention to combat drug cartels with a bold strategy – decriminalization of opium and marijuana. But while this policy may hurt the cartels, it
The peso crisis in Argentina: A risk analysis
Argentina’s new currency crisis: what happened this time? Is any comparison with the previous crisis possible? What impact could we expect in the close-term for President Mauricio Macri and the country’s political stability?
Dollar appreciation against the real likely to impact Brazil’s economic recovery
The US dollar’s appreciation has caused concern regarding Brazil’s economic recovery – which has been driven by its internal market – given its pressure on inflation and the possible decrease in consumption as products become more expensive.
