Latin America
Judge orders Lula’s imprisonment and markets jump
In a historic decision, the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court may have ended almost any chance for Lula to run for President in Brazil’s October presidential election. Two days after the decision and after violating Judge Sergio Moro’s timeline for arrest, Lula turned himself in to the Federal Police. Markets reacted positively to the news, but the court’s decision will divide an already polarized country and lead to even more uncertainty ahead of the Presidential election.
The political fallout from the Fujimori pardon
Few political developments, in Latin America’s democratic life, have been as unexpected and controversial as Peru’s former president, Alberto Fujimori, receiving a presidential pardon. Having served less than half his sentence – 25 years for serious human rights violations that include killings, kidnapping, and torture, in addition to corruption and bribery – the now infamous Christmas pardon has placed Peru’s rule of law and presidential legitimacy under intense scrutiny.
Colombia at a crossroads on the issue of energy and fracking
With officials in Colombia grappling with the reality of dwindling oil reserves, fracking has become central to the energy conversation.
Federal security intervention in Rio jeopardises Brazil’s pension reform
A new security intervention decree signed by President Temer that federalizes the fight against crime in Rio de Janeiro may prevent a key vote on pension reform from taking place next week. Brazil’s credit rating is at risk without progress on pensions.
Venezuela crisis spills over into Colombia
Colombia’s immigration crisis represents an unprecedented challenge, raising political instability and threatening the peace deal that took decades to achieve.
The importance of the FARC’s 2018 political campaign
On January 27, Rodrigo Londoño began his campaign for president of Colombia. Will this move help the FARC achieve greater acceptance and further the peace process, despite the unlikelihood of a political victory?
Argentina and Brazil push for a Mercosur agreement with the EU
2017 promised to be a decisive year for the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union given Brazil and Argentina’s strong efforts to finalize the deal. However, due to
ELN poses long-term risk to Colombia’s oil and gas industry
Hours after the ninety-day ceasefire between the Colombian government and the ELN ended, the last remaining guerrilla in the country demonstrated why foreign investment will not be returning anytime soon.
Lula’s path to re-election just got a little more complicated…
Lula is the main source of uncertainty for Brazil, so the increased chances of him not being allowed to run boost optimism for a pro-reform candidate.
Price-fixing can only worsen the crisis in Venezuela
The government, instead of forming an exit strategy from the humanitarian crisis, is forcing supermarkets and manufacturers to cut prices at severe losses.
