35 West

No dia 2 de Outubro, o povo brasileiro votou no primeiro turno das eleições presidenciais. Por mais que nenhum candidato tenha conseguido uma maioria total, o Presidente Jair Bolsonaro e o ex-presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, que ganharam respectivamente 43 e 48% dos votos válidos, irão para o segundo turno. Nessa semana, Ryan C. Berg conversará com Thiago de Aragão, um senior associate no CSI...

On September 4, Chileans took to the polls for a constitutional referendum that saw a highly progressive draft constitution overwhelmingly rejected, with 62 percent voting against, and just 38 percent in favor. The outcome is a setback for the Boric government, which has tied itself to the constitutional reform project, and promises to lengthen an already long-running process. In this episode, Rya...

China has significantly expanded its presence throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, elevating worries that the democratic traditions of the Western Hemisphere could be at risk. However, the types of engagement China pursues and the consequences they present are often poorly understood, leading to misunderstandings between Washington and the region.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down w...

Nicaragua’s descent into authoritarianism has had far-reaching humanitarian, economic, and diplomatic consequences. One lesser-understood dimension of this crisis has been the growing reliance of the Ortega-Murillo regime on extra-hemispheric authoritarian states to help cement its hold on power in the face of both international and domestic pressures. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with...

En este episodio especial en español Ryan C. Berg se sienta a conversar con Valeria Moy, directora general del Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad, uno de los centros de investigación más reconocido en México. Ellos conversaron sobre el estado del sector digital en México y los desafíos para el acceso seguro y fiable a Internet para todos. Aunque México tiene potencial significante en el esp...

Around the world, democratic institutions have come under siege, while consolidation within and between autocratic regimes has accelerated in recent years. As it becomes increasingly evident that autocrats are following a shared ‘playbook,’ it is of extreme importance that democracies build their own set of shared tactics for promoting civil and political rights, defending electoral integrity, and...

The victory of Gustavo Petro in the recent Colombian presidential elections heralds a political change in Colombia. However, Colombia remains an important strategic partner for the U.S. in the hemisphere, and a new government does not change this fact. In this episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Peter Natiello, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International...

In this special Portuguese-language episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Vice-Admiral Alexandre Rabello de Faria, Chairman of the Council of Delegates of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB). The IADB exists to provide the Organization of American States and its members with technical, advisory, and educational services on issues related to military and defense matters in the hemisphere. Togeth...

As the Western Hemisphere works to recover from the ongoing pandemic, adjust to new global economic shocks, and create good-paying jobs and stable livelihoods for citizens, the private sector will play a key role in fostering development. Special Economic Zones, or SEZs represent an important and multifaceted tool for empowering economic development throughout the region, especially as the United...

The upcoming Summit of the Americas ought to be an important venue for the United States and the region to align responses to shared challenges and strengthen hemispheric cooperation. Nevertheless, the summit is already struggling to live up to this potential, facing criticism that the current agenda downplays the concerns voiced by the region, as well as recent threats by several countries includ...

Around the world, democratic institutions have come under siege, while consolidation within and between autocratic regimes has accelerated in recent years. As it becomes increasingly evident that autocrats are following a shared ‘playbook,’ it is of extreme importance that democracies build their own set of shared tactics for promoting civil and political rights, defending electoral integrity, and...

The recent move by the Honduran Congress to repeal the 2013 law authorizing the Zones for Employment and Economic Development (Zonas de Empleo y Desarollo Económico, or ZEDEs) has wide-ranging consequences for the country's economic future. While the Zones have been heavily criticized by the Castro administration, eliminating them risks a complicated legal and political battle in no party's best i...

Forced Labor & Environmental Degradation in the Mining Industry Special re-release: In this special Spanish-language episode, Margarita sits down with Pilar Velasquez of the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the United States Department of Labor (USDOL). They discuss artisanal and small-scale mining and its connection to envi...

En este episodio especial en español Ryan C. Berg se sienta a conversar con Indira Urbaneja, analista política y la CEO de Reunificados, una organización venezolana sin fines de lucro que apoyo democracia, inclusión, y derechos humanos. Ellos conversaron sobre las facciones más importantes dentro del chavismo y el surgimiento de un grupo dentro del partido que desea revitalizar el chavismo con cam...

In the May 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a call to action for private sector actors to help address the root causes of migration by generating new economic opportunities in Central America. Born from this pledge, the Partnership for Central America (PCA) has emerged as a coordinating body for businesses and social enterprises to support innovative, effective, and scalable initiative...

Between 1970 and 2019, disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean impacted almost 300 million people, killed more than half a million people, and had an estimated cost the region close to half a trillion dollars. These disasters are especially harmful for already-vulnerable populations, and create new forms of long-lasting vulnerability in their wake, making disaster risk reduction and resilienc...

Since 2018 the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been investigating abuses perpetrated by the Venezuelan security forces. Last November, the ICC Chief Prosecutor signed a Letter of Understanding with Nicolás Maduro beginning a formal investigation—the first of its kind launched in a Latin American country.  In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with José Ignacio Hernández, the former Specia...

With around 500 different special economic zones (SEZs) in Latin America and the Caribbean, these zones act as accelerators for trade and investment. While many focus on tax rates, tariffs, and regulatory environments to incentivize business development, some models go well beyond to create entirely new institutions within their borders.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Shanker Singh...

On February 6, Costa Ricans will head to the polls in the first round of presidential elections. With a crowded field featuring no fewer than 25 presidential hopefuls, and much of the electorate still undecided, the situation on the ground, and consequences for the country are difficult to parse. In this episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Glenda Umaña, a journalist with over 25 years o...

Mining is an essential economic sector for many countries in the Andes-Amazon region. However, due to a spike in global demand for mineral resources and lack of proper regulation on the industry, transnational criminal organizations have taken advantage of the ​lucrative industry to fuel their operations in the region, while harming local communities and ecosystems.   In this episode Ryan C. Berg...

The past year has showcased both the resiliency and failures of democracies throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. With key elections coming up in 2022, the region will continue to grapple in meaningful and challenging ways with its democratic future.    In this episode Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Father Matthew Carnes, the interim director for academic affairs at the Georgetown Ame...

In this special Spanish-language episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Marcos Peña, principal investigator of a recently published CSIS report titled “A New Political Leadership for the Twenty-First Century.”    They discussed an alternative leadership model, one that is “more human, more collaborative, more group oriented, more connected with emotions, and humbler to be effective.” Their...

On Sunday, November 7, the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua held sham elections that reaffirmed the regime’s grip on power in the country. This is the latest in a series of efforts by the regime to consolidate authoritarianism in Nicaragua, following years of human and political rights violations.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Bianca Jagger, Founder and Chair of the Bianca Jagge...

The Gallup Organization and several partner organizations produce the annual "World Happiness Report". This report seeks to measure wellbeing beyond GDP. The 2021 research focused on the effects of Covid-19 on the structure and quality of people's lives and evaluated how governments around the world dealt with the pandemic. In this episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Gerver Torres, a re...

The Maduro regime's environmental degradation in Venezuela is nearing a point of no return. The effects of this environmental assault are not contained within Venezuela's borders, and disproportionately affect Indigenous communities throughout the Amazon Basin. Ryan C. Berg sits down with Luis Felipe Duchicela, Senior Advisor for Indigenous People's Issues at the U.S. Agency for International Deve...