Impunity Observer

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon! Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4An Paperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd After adopting bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador in June 2021, President Nayib Bukele has agreed to reform the Bitcoin Law to access a US$1.3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. Bukele's government has been negotiating with the IMF for three years. Initially, the IMF firmly rejected any deal so long as El Salvador continued recognizing bitcoin as legal tender. However, in recent negotiations, Bukele has used the Bitcoin Law as a strategic tool, turning it into an asset in his favor. As a result, El Salvador is set to soon receive IMF funds without losing its Bitcoin Law. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/12/18/how-nayib-bukele-imf-with-bitcoin-bargaining-chip/

En nuestra serie de episodios sobre las elecciones primarias del Partido Liberal en Honduras, el Impunity Observer entrevistó al precandidato: Jorge Cálix. El candidato más joven de la contienda, se ubica segundo en las encuestas dentro del Partido Liberal. Cálix comenta sobre los graves desafíos que enfrenta Honduras. En particular, la pobreza afecta a más de la mitad de la población. También menciona la elevada criminalidad, lo cual ahuyenta las oportunidades económicas y a las personas, exacerbando la crisis migratoria. Cálix advierte: “si la actual situación persiste, ningún muro detendrá la emigración”. Diputado desde 2014, primero como suplente (2014–2018) y luego como principal (2018–actualidad), Calix ha presenciado decisiones políticas efectivas y deficientes. Por ello, cree que el país necesita soluciones e ideas frescas para abordar sus desafíos. Sin profundizar, Cálix menciona sus propuestas en asuntos económicos clave, incluyendo la creación de empleo, atracción de inversiones y mejorar la seguridad. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/12/17/jorge-calix-drug-traffickers-in-office-honduras/

Subscribe to Global Analyst by Adrian Day. Receive a 10 percent discount when you subscribe with the FERG coupon code: https://www.adriandayglobalanalyst.com/subscribe-now Argentine President Javier Milei appears to be implementing as much of his political agenda as possible, with the proviso that he has limited support in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. According to financial advisor Adam Dubove, Milei has effectively leveraged high citizen approval—a rare and compelling mandate—to push forward critical reforms. Milei's initial strategy focused on reforming or removing regulations that negatively impact Argentineans' daily lives. As Dubove explains, these actions have already begun to show positive results: "We're seeing a wider variety of products on supermarket shelves, and in some cases, prices are even decreasing due to increased competition … There's still much to be done, but we're heading in the right direction." When it comes to Milei's dollarization proposal, Dubove remains optimistic. He believes that Milei has been working to stabilize the Argentine peso and is taking careful, measured steps to avoid any unintended consequences, such as capital flight or a run on the US dollar. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/12/11/javier-mileis-one-year-scorecard-reforms-now-bearing-fruit/

Russell, host of The Canadian Conservative Podcast, joins our latest episode to discuss his trip to Israel in October 2024. He went in with a little understanding of the country's history and conflicts, and he sought to be open to different perspectives with a relatively blank slate. However, he found that Western legacy media fail to provide an accurate overview. On the other hand, Russell contends that some independent media are doing a good job with their coverage, insofar as they can from abroad. Western legacy media, he contends, downplay or ignore the diversity within Israel's proud nationalism. Russel contrasts that with what he sees as a lack of national identity in Canada. Regarding religion, Russell explains that there are divided Jewish communities, such as orthodox and reconstructionist: “There is also a Muslim community that is respectful with Jewish symbols.” However, foreign threats appear to have galvanized the population behind the Zionist cause. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/12/03/what-the-media-overlook-when-reporting-on-israel/

Historian Mark Mazower's recent essay on the implications of Donald Trump's electoral victory for global democracy illustrates how academic and political elites continue to misunderstand the greatest political phenomenon of our times: Trump and the MAGA movement. As European society is being degraded due to the massive influx of unassimilable migrants with sociocultural norms unsuited for democracy, it would do the cause of democracy well to see a European version of MAGA. Mazower is right about one thing. Europe is exceptional and worth saving. A democratic effort to Make Europe Great Again might someday gain traction, before it is too late. Read the analysis: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/11/26/maga-won-will-mega-come-next/

Almost 46,000 fires have been reported in the Bolivian Amazon so far this year, accounting for more than 4 million hectares of burned forest. While this has been the largest registered number since 2012, Global Forest Watch has warned wildfires have sharply increased since 2019 due to growing illicit activities in the region. To better understand this development, the Impunity Observer interviewed Juan Pablo Chamon—director of free-market think tank Libera Bolivia. Chamon explains the fastest way for criminal groups to get clandestine roads for trafficking drugs, illegal minerals, and exotic animals is burning the forest. Contrary to mainstream media narratives blaming the private sector, he points to drug traffickers and smugglers working with Chinese or Hezbollah factions operating in the region. Moreover, Chamon highlights that Bolivian officials are colluding with criminal groups. For instance, three drug enforcement chiefs have been found guilty of drug trafficking by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. The United States has already extradited one of them. Finally, Chamon explains Bolivia's location and resources are not the country's sole attractions for transnational crime. The fact that international media do not cover Bolivia makes her more attractive, particularly for the interests of rogue nations like Iran and China. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/11/20/what-is-really-behind-forest-fires-in-bolivia/

Claudia Amaya, a Honduran lawyer and politician, is running for a legislative candidacy in the primary election of the Liberal Party. Traditional and founded in 1891, the Liberal Party is now the chief rival to the ruling Libre party.  In this podcast episode, Amaya—executive director of the Honduran Palm Oil Industry Association (AIPAH)—shares her political career and her motivation to be a candidate. She analyzes the political and economic challenges that the country is facing under the mandate of Xiomara Castro and proposes a way forward.  As Honduras struggles with high unemployment, emigration, and crime, Amaya explains that strengthening the rule of law is pivotal. In that way, she contends, Honduras can attract more foreign investors and, maybe, the companies that have left the country during the Castro regime will return.  Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/11/15/claudia-amaya-elections-will-test-honduran-rule-of-law/

Erik Suárez, a Venezuelan expatriate settled in the United States, joins the Impunity Observer podcast to comment on the impact of the US presidential election in Latin America. For Suárez, US foreign policy towards the region will experience a significant change. Republican senators and congressmen with Latino roots, such as Marco Rubio, María Salazar, and Mario Díaz-Balart, have been actively working to increase Latin American prominence in US foreign policy. Moreover, political commentator Suarez argues that a new Donald Trump administration could support Venezuela's return to democracy. Since Republicans will have a majority in the House and Senate, they will have the enough strength to pressure dictatorial regimes in the region. However, creating the conditions to change the regime through US policies is not enough. For Suárez, Venezuelans should lead the transition. Regarding migration, Suarez believes Trump will continue the migration policy he implemented before. He acknowledges that welcoming people that flee from totalitarian regimes like Venezuela, unfortunately, affects the prosperity of the home nation. He comments on the severe brain drain that Venezuela has experienced during Chavismo, and warns that some expatriates are now unlikely to ever return. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/11/06/a-latam-plan-for-likely-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio/

Our podcast guest, James Simpson, has authored Manufactured Crisis: The War to End America (2024). His goal is to raise awareness of the tactics the left uses to weaken the political system in the United States. According to Simpson, the left—embodied by both the dominant faction of the Democratic Party and woke ideologues—executed the strategy a long time ago, when they tried to collapse the welfare system and foment violence. In the 1990s, Bill Clinton reformed the welfare system by adding requirements to recipients, but Barack Obama reversed that reform in 2010. Simpson notes some Democrat state legislators turning Republican. They understand the radical goals their party now holds. The podcast episode finishes with a brief US election analysis. Simpson explains the challenges and opportunities derived from the election results and how Trump can seize the momentum for change if he wins. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/10/29/jim-simpson-destabilization-is-tactic-to-undermine-us-institutions/

Failure to react to scandalous government abuse of power will destroy freedom by giving power to corrupt tyrants. There is no greater scandal than the Biden-Harris regime putting children into slavery and covering it up. That means the 2024 election will determine if we still have the capacity to be morally outraged and protect ourselves. More than 320,000 migrant children who crossed the border without parents and whom the Health and Human Services Department released to “qualified sponsors” are missing. This is according to an August 19 Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report that says the minors are at risk of sex trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of exploitation. Editor-at-Large Steve Hecht discusses why the desensitized voters will lose liberty. Read the full article: https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/10/10/child-trafficking-scandal-is-test-of-electorate-engagement-1493818/

Tara Lee Rodas started working at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) full of enthusiasm for assisting migrant children that arrived in the United States without their parents. However, when she realized some officials were colluding with criminal gangs to have them sponsor the children she reported that and was dismissed. As an HHS whistleblower, Rodas has spread the tragic reality of the US program: Unaccompanied Children Released to Sponsors. In April 2023, for instance, she gave her testimony at a House hearing: “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children.” In this podcast episode, Rodas explains that the HHS has the records with the names of the children and the corresponding sponsors. HHS officials can follow up and identify the endangered children. Nevertheless, she reveals there is a lack of political will. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/10/23/tara-rodas-us-taxpayers-are-funding-child-trafficking/

Discount code (10 percent) for Edge Designations: FERGhttps://edgedesignations.com/ Like its protagonist, The Apprentice (123 minutes, 2024) will mean different things to different people and enable an odd mix of confirmation biases. Those watching the same enthralling portrayal of the young Donald Trump and his attorney-mentor Roy Cohn (1927–1986) will extract starkly different conclusions. MAGA partisans will likely highlight Trump's courage, ambition, and productivity. Those infected with Trump derangement syndrome will dwell on his ruthlessness, ego, and, at times, cold demeanor. Both are right and have more than a kernel of truth to their versions of the story. However, given the October 11 US release, less than a month before the presidential election, both sides are amid the battle and likely to miss the point of The Apprentice. As Iranian-born and Denmark-based Director Ali Abbasi explained on the leftist Democracy Now! program, he does not have a partisan ax to grind, and he sought to provide the broader human side of both Trump and Cohn. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/10/14/the-apprentice-rises-above-partisanship-humanizes-donald-trump/

En este episodio, conversamos con la profesora de derecho y filosofía Joanna Guerra y la experta en blockchain Mariana Carmona sobre el nuevo gobierno de Claudia Sheinbaum, así como los desafíos críticos que México enfrenta en la actualidad. Tanto Guerra como Carmona son profesionales talentosas en sus ámbitos y, como muchos de la clase media y alta-media en México, están planeando dejar el país pronto. Ellas predicen que Sheinbaum continuará la agenda de AMLO pero con un tinte más autoritario. Morena, su partido político, ha asegurado mayoría significativa en el Congreso, permitiendo que sean ellos quienes pongan a los jueces de la Corte Suprema. De acuerdo con la reforma judicial más reciente, las funciones ejecutiva y legislativa pueden elegir directamente a algunos magistrados. Ellas mencionan que el creciente interés de China para invertir en el país puede afectar las relaciones con Estados Unidos y afectar a los mexicanos. Las compañías chinas usualmente llevan su fuerza de trabajo, mientras que las estadounidenses pueden irse del país, traduciéndose en despidos masivos. Además, los acuerdos entre China y México, junto con la violencia rampante (más de 100 asesinatos suceden al mes en los estados más peligrosos) disuaden a los negocios a quedarse en el país. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/10/15/mexico-middle-class-want-out-claudia-sheinbaum/

Subscribe to Global Analyst by Adrian Day. Receive a 10 percent discount when you subscribe with the FERG coupon code: https://www.adriandayglobalanalyst.com/subscribe-now Publisher Fergus Hodgson delves into "Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption," written by former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In this video, Hodgson presents the book as an essential guide to modern conservative thought. Harper eloquently argues that conservatism is about “seeing the world as it is,” rather than striving for ideological purity. He emphasizes the significance of the nation-state as a crucial institution, countering globalist dominance. He believes that the nation-state provides a core identity for people, and that patriotism should be embraced—especially within Western civilization. During times of rapid innovation and uncertainty, people naturally gravitate toward their nations. "Right Here, Right Now" offers insightful ideas on how conservatives can navigate these disruptive times effectively. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2020/09/02/stephen-harper-tough-love-never-trumpers/

Those who now control the Democrat Party intend to turn our country into a dictatorship. Calling Democrats incompetent implicitly conveys they have good intentions. To preserve liberty, we must recognize we face an amoral machine that seeks power at all costs. Watch our Editor-at-Large Steve Hecht discussing how tying the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to a continuing spending resolution provides an opportunity to show Democrats' priority is to win elections through cheating. Read the full article: https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/09/17/electoral-integrity-is-death-knell-for-amoral-democrat-machine-1487987/

Discount code FERG (10 percent) for Green Pasture. Value-size cod liver oil: https://www.greenpasture.org/product/value-size-fermented-cod-liver-oil-liquid-msc-certified/?ref=15577 Concentrated butter oil: https://greenpasture.org/product/concentrated-butter-oil-capsules/?ref=15577 If you enjoyed "What Is a Woman?", you will be horrified at how far Matt Walsh has fallen with "Am I Racist?" The negative adjectives that apply to this film are many. However, the tragedy is that his feeble attempt at comedy derails what could have been a historic examination and humiliation of race hustlers. Fergus Hodgson offers a thorough review of Walsh's latest film, “Am I Racist?,” which attempts to address DEI issues through a mockumentary lens. Hodgson critiques the film's lack of focus and comedic missteps, highlighting what could have been a powerful message. Read the full review: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/09/16/matt-walsh-joins-hustlers-with-vacuous-am-i-racist-film/

Discount code (10 percent) for Edge Designations: FERG https://edgedesignations.com/ The ESG framework is a progressive agenda that harms market prospects for both companies and national economies. Yet, it has managed to gain widespread traction. The number of ESG exchange-traded funds (ETFs) went from $12 billion in 2006 to $1,826 billion in 2023, an increase of over 15,000 percent! This result emanates from the perverse incentives of big companies in rich countries to toe the ideological line of the governments with which they collude. In his latest article, Nicholas Virzi explains why the ESG framework harms developing countries. It pressures developing country governments to apply untested theories that they did not themselves consider, much less follow, in their developmental paths. This is the third in a series of Impunity Observer articles that expose the problems associated with applying the ESG framework to developing countries. Part One: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/10/how-esg-politicizes-country-risk-evaluations/ Part Two: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/22/guatemala-pays-unjustified-esg-penalty/ Part Three: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/09/12/the-esg-framework-hurts-developing-countries/

Subscribe to Global Analyst by Adrian Day. Receive a 10 percent discount when you subscribe with the FERG coupon code: https://www.adriandayglobalanalyst.com/subscribe-now This episode features Ryan Smyth, former treasurer of the Atlantica Party from Nova Scotia, Canada. He explains the challenges and successes of managing a startup political organization focused on free markets and individualism in the classical-liberal tradition. After four years of inactivity, the Atlantic Party re-entered the political scene in 2016, contesting the 2017 and 2021 provincial elections. While they did not secure seats in the legislature, Smyth believes they shifted Nova Scotia's political dialogue. In April 2024, the Atlantica Party opted to deregister, given a lack of volunteers. However, Smyth contends that operating the Atlantica Party was a worthwhile endeavor, albeit from the margins. Despite modest electoral results, the party succeeded in bringing classic-liberal concerns to the electorate. Several of their proposals have been adopted by other political parties and leaders, marking a lasting influence even without legislative representation. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/09/10/lessons-from-building-a-new-political-party/

Contrary to her acceptance-speech claim that her sole client is the people, Kamala Harris is a handpicked frontman for an amoral, antidemocratic regime. While regime media falsely portray her as caring, regime policies direct people from south of the border straight into the hands of Mexican cartels that enslave children and rape women. In his latest analysis, Editor-at-Large Steve Hecht examines the consequences of Harris's foreign policies and alliances in Central America, particularly Guatemala. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/09/04/kamala-harris-sacrifices-children-women-for-political-gain/ Recommended links: - Interview with Ángel Pineda by Robby Starbuck: https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/1790082374270623755 - Interview with Mario Duarte by Tucker Carlson: https://tuckercarlson.com/uncensored-mario-duarte - Tara Lee Rodas's statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y06vLTRZNKM

Mark Moyar joins our show to discuss his latest book, Masters of Corruption. He exposes a deep culture of corruption and partisanship within federal institutions, sadly even among the offices supposedly there to protect whistleblowers. In addition, Moyar shares his insights on the Democratic and Republican parties as the November election approaches. He discusses how Donald Trump and Kamala Harris would likely shape their administrations and US foreign policy toward Latin America. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/09/03/mark-moyar-pulls-back-curtain-masters-corruption/

Chinese Mining in Nicaragua: A Window into the Sandinista Dictatorship The impact of Chinese mining in Nicaragua goes far beyond the environment. It raises critical questions about governance, sovereignty, and the future of the nation under the Sandinista regime. In our latest video, we explore how these mining activities reflect the deeper issues at play within the Sandinista dictatorship. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/08/21/chinese-mining-nicaragua-reveals-sandinista-dictatorship/

El aumento de la migración hondureña durante el gobierno de Xiomara Castro ha puesto en evidencia la ineficiencia de sus políticas socialistas, así como del oportunismo y clientelismo reinante entre la élite política emergente. Salvador Nasralla, en calidad de primer designado presidencial de Honduras, fue testigo de ello desde que asumió el cargo en 2022. Bajo el argumento de que no tenía capacidad de influencia política, ni autorización para hacer su trabajo, renunció y lanzó su precandidatura presidencial con el Partido Liberal. Nasralla se mantiene como una figura política prominente y asegura que es el opositor con mayor posibilidad de ganar al partido oficialista. En esta entrevista exclusiva con el Impunity Observer, Nasralla –ex presentador de televisión y candidato presidencial en dos ocasiones anteriores– explica cuáles son los mayores desafíos actuales que enfrenta Honduras. También aborda los riesgos a los que se enfrenta Honduras por el reciente fortalecimiento de las relaciones con China y las señales de una posible manipulación en las próximas elecciones. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/08/20/salvador-nasralla-honduras-welcome-us-trade-not-chinese/

Fergus Hodgson uncovers the primary reasons as to why therapy is highly important in Argentina. Due to their extensive history of corruption and wrongdoers in economics, Buenos Aires has become the therapy capital of the world. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/08/06/why-buenos-aires-is-the-worlds-therapy-capital/ Watch the documentary: https://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/11176/argentina-in-therapy

What happened in Venezuela after the announcement of the faux electoral results, was a major concern for the international left. One of its main allies, the “son of Hugo Chávez,” had committed a monumental fraud in broad daylight and was massacring the people. How could they tackle the crisis, so that the left did not sink along with him? Antonio Peña Esclusa explains the socialist's narrative, implemented by Lula da Silva and his allies to address this issue, in his latest article translated by the Impunity Observer. Read the full review: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/08/07/lulas-mediation-is-a-farce/ Lea en español: https://fuerzasolidaria.org/?p=4831

Per Bylund's "How to think economics" (2022) compiles all the valuable economics concepts we need to know. In the book review, Fergus Hodgson explains how this book opens the reader's mind and what challenges it does not address. Read the full review: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/03/economic-literacy-is-not-enough/ Buy the book: https://a.co/d/iygUBUz

In his latest article for BizPac Review, our Editor-at-Large, Steve Hecht, explains the challenges MAGA faces after Donald Trump's attack. Although Trump seeks to unite the nation, the polarization strategy is a real challenge to consider. Read the article: https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/07/16/there-can-be-no-unity-with-enemies-of-liberty-1472732/ Lea es artículo en español: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/17/no-puede-haber-unidad-con-enemigos-libertad/

Los grupos gemelos del Foro de Sao Paulo y el Grupo de Puebla se reunieron a finales de junio en Honduras para planificar su nueva ofensiva autoritaria en la región, todo bajo el auspicio del gobierno socialista de Xiomara Castro. Maribel Espinoza, diputada del Congreso de Honduras, teme que, siguiendo esta línea, el gobierno no apruebe el presupuesto del Consejo Nacional Electoral a tiempo, lo que impediría que se realicen las elecciones primarias de los partidos opositores en marzo de 2025. Espinoza, quien es precandidata a la presidencia de la República, asegura que, si gana en las elecciones de noviembre de 2025, implementará una serie de reformas liberales para frenar la corrupción enquistada en las instituciones y promover la seguridad jurídica para atraer inversiones al país. Show notes (in English): https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/17/exclusive-honduran-presidential-candidate-condemns-socialist-tyranny/

Many Third-World nations have valuable natural resources within their borders. Converting them into lasting economic development, rather than a one-off shot in the arm, is easier said than done. The first step is to consider the perspectives of investors, and our Publisher Fergus Hodgson argues that the investor's perspective is found in Investing in Resources (341 pages, 2010) by Adrian Day. Hodgson reviews Day's book, and explains why it offers gems for open-minded policymakers. Read the full review: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/06/19/the-key-to-leveraging-mining-for-economic-development/ Buy the book: https://amzn.to/4ekMFgh #mining #investment #latinamerica

El presidente de Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, visitó a la presidenta de Honduras, Xiomara Castro, antes del Foro de São Paulo en Tegucigalpa, Honduras, del 27 al 29 de junio de 2024. Según Ricardo Méndez, presidente de la Fundación contra el Terrorismo, esta reunión podría impactar negativamente la aprobación de Arévalo entre sus electores. Guatemala es un país predominantemente conservador, y sus ciudadanos podrían comprender mejor las asociaciones de Arévalo con los regímenes comunistas y dictaduras de la región. Méndez también sostiene que, mientras el Foro de São Paulo y sus representantes mantengan el poder en la región, el crimen organizado y el narcotráfico proliferarán. Explica que estos regímenes dependen del desorden y las instituciones débiles para implementar sus agendas y consolidar su poder. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/07/02/sao-paulo-forum-agenda-latin-america/

On May 14, 2024, media outlets Código Vidrio and Vistazo exposed a covert Chinese police station in Quito, Ecuador. Operating under the guise of a travel agency, this station was part of a global network under the CCP's Fox Hunt operation. Discover the details of this investigation, including an exclusive interview with Arturo Torres, director of Código Vidrio, who provides unique insights into the implications for Ecuador's sovereignty and security. Read the full investigation at Impunity Observer: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/06/24/secret-chinese-police-station-ecuador/

In December 2023, the Prosecutor General's Office in Guatemala announced the 2023 elections were fraudulent. Fergus Hodgson comments on our investigation in the topic, where we explain the irregularities that could invalidate the results and lead to the Guatemalan President's prosecution. Read the investigation here: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/05/07/explained-evidence-of-electoral-fraud-in-guatemala/

Yusuf Amdani of Pakistan first visited Honduras in 1990, on the lookout for a textile-factory location. Fast forward 34 years: he is a Honduran citizen and one of the nation's most prominent, innovative, and successful entrepreneurs with about 10 factories to his name. Read the full review: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/04/22/yusuf-amdani-build-a-nation-within-a-nation/ Buy the book: https://amzn.to/3xMZWxa

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) spared no expense to support the candidacy of Claudia Sheinbaum. She won the presidential election on June 2, 2024, with 59.5 percent of the votes. AMLO's political party, Morena, also won two-thirds of the seats at Congress. For Rafael Ramirez de Alba, an economics professor at the IPADE Business School, AMLO will stay behind the throne, and Morena will seek to apply its agenda through legislative reforms. Priorities include reforming the pension system, completely nationalizing the energy sector, and broadening trade integration with China. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/06/04/mexico-is-now-a-one-party-state/

The Latin American Liberal Network (RELIAL)—which gathers around 50 think tanks and political parties advocating for free markets, the rule of law, and individual rights—has launched a permanent seminar to develop annual in-depth research projects. In 2023, researchers explored the growing influence of China in Latin America. Santiago Carranco holds a doctorate in international studies from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences. He is an international-relations professor at the International University of Ecuador and one of the researchers with the RELIAL permanent seminar. In this podcast episode, Carranco discusses the changes to relations between China and small countries, in particular Ecuador and Peru, where he conducted his investigation. Carranco analyzes how the effects of the pandemic and the measures to curb it provided an opportunity to expand the influence of rising powers such as China. China took advantage of its economic leverage when the United States and Europe experienced economic downturns and inflation to boost its geopolitical positioning in developing countries by furthering diplomatic relations and cooperation. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/05/28/china-bolstered-influence-latin-america-after-covid

Carlson interviewed former Guatemala Secretary of Intelligence (2016–2020) Mario Duarte about his first-hand experience of the US State Department imposition on Guatemala. Duarte, also a US citizen, said DOS has weaponized the government to force upon allied nations its “ideological projects and socialist narratives.” Editor-at-Large Steve Hecht comments on the recent coverage of US media on the topic and recommends congressional investigations. Read the article: https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/05/16/the-week-us-media-caught-on-to-state-department-criminality-in-guatemala-1459802/ Español: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/05/16/medios-estadounidenses-criminalidad-departamento-estado-guatemala/

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has made an intriguing offer: immediate citizenship for 5,000 intellectuals who wish to make the move. Albeit scant on details and merely an X post, his pitch poses a pertinent and fascinating question: when would this make sense for both the host nation and the new arrivals? Publisher Fergus Hodgson explores the opportunities for foreigners in El Salvador and how the country could benefit from the migration of talented individuals. Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/05/14/when-moving-to-el-salvador-is-a-win-win/ Buy the books: Hive Mind https://amzn.to/3yldAbf World of Opportunity https://amzn.to/3xMZWxa

Colombian President Gustavo Petro made energy transition one of his 2022 presidential campaign's flagship policies. He pledged to replace fossil fuels with renewables and turn Ecopetrol, the fourth largest oil company in Latin America, into the region's most influential green-energy firm. In this podcast episode, our Research Director Paz Gómez discusses her investigation on the reliability and state of Colombia's energy transition plan. She explains why, in the meantime, the lack of legal certainty has made his policy typical of populist pledges from Latin American caudillos. Read the investigation here: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/04/15/colombias-greenwashing-venezuelan-regime-steps-in-with-fossil-fuels/

The Joe Biden regime's policy priorities coincide with the agendas of US adversaries abroad. A February 20 letter by eight US senators told Biden that his administration's sanctions had attacked US allies and ignored corruption by US enemies. Editor-at-Large Steve Hecht explains how the Biden regime's relaxation of sanctions and enabling of money for Iran has empowered the dictatorship and its terrorist proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Read the article here: https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/04/30/how-pro-hamas-protests-further-joe-bidens-tyranny-1456086/

Cuban exiles enjoy nostalgia for the homes and times they once knew. Those days are long gone, and they will never return. Honduras is creeping toward the same fate. Impunity Observer Publisher Fergus Hodgson comments on his article "The Exodus Is Turning Honduras into Cuba" and explains why this exodus will grow exponentially if socialist policies and autocratic trends continue. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ1UdKsAWYQ&t=124s Read the article: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/04/08/the-exodus-is-turning-honduras-into-cuba/ Read in Spanish: https://www.latribuna.hn/2024/04/07/el-exodo-esta-convirtiendo-a-honduras-en-una-nueva-cuba/

The Impunity Observer podcast is scaling up to a weekly episode and new formats that allow us to get closer to our audience. Our contributor Mauro Echeverría begins this weekly series with a deeper look at one of his investigations. His latest investigation revealed that a rising number of Chinese citizens are flying to Ecuador, where they begin their journey north. Echeverría discusses how he conducted the research—which included reaching out to three human smugglers and a Google Trends analysis—and his findings. For him, despite restrictions from the Chinese Communist Party, social media plays a major role in helping Chinese citizens obtain information about zouxian. That is a term coined by Chinese citizens to describe the risky route to the United States by land, much of it on foot. Read the investigation here: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/03/05/how-chinese-illegals-get-to-united-states/ #ecuador #migration #china

Rosa María Payá, founder of nonprofit Cuba Decide and daughter of assassinated Cuban political dissident Oswaldo Payá, took the floor on the last day of the examination of Cuba by the UN Human Rights Council. Her petition was simple: expel Cuba from the council. A Cuban official responded by attacking her character, but he said nothing in response to her summary of the regime's activities. The Impunity Observer reached out to Payá to learn firsthand what motivated her speech. In addition to broad and consistent violations of human rights on the island, Payá stressed that Cuba has been an instrumental partner to Russia during the invasion of Ukraine. Over 2,000 Cuban youth are serving with the Russian front in Ukraine, and the regime forbids young males to leave the island without permission. Moreover, the dictatorship has been echoing Russia Today's programming—bypassing sanctions—and broadcasting it worldwide. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/04/09/cuban-regime-cannot-refute-rosa-maria-paya

Fernando Linares—a Guatemalan lawyer and former congressman—has initiated the legal process to remove the president and 24 congressmen. All belong to President Bernardo Arévalo's suspended Semilla party. According to Linares, this party has committed numerous illegalities, such as falsely registering more than 8,000 members to qualify for the ballot. He explains that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal should annul the 2023 elections and hold fresh elections in 2024. For Linares, the 2023 Guatemalan presidential election was a fraud. He contends that the US State Department and the European Union catapulted then unknown Arévalo to qualify and eventually win the electoral runoff. With the fraud, he contends, foreign socialist bureaucrats will have a globalist in office in Guatemala, an otherwise conservative nation. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/03/01/fernando-linares-election-results-do-not-pass-smell-test/

Luis Espinosa Goded—a Spanish professor of economics at San Francisco University of Quito, Ecuador—explains how citizens and private businesses will pay a high price for the government's conflict with narcoterrorists. Curfew impositions, reduced mobility, and narco extortion are already some ways in which individuals—rather than the state or the narcos—are suffering from the escalating conflict that has inflamed the nation.  For Espinosa Goded, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's strategy of a higher value-added tax to purportedly finance the war against narcos hurts citizens instead of criminals. Noboa could have instead tightened government spending elsewhere to free up taxpayer resources. Espinosa Goded highlights that the Ecuadorian economy is in a dire situation, so the tax increase is a blow to businesses and individuals who cannot afford it.  Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/02/28/luis-espinosa-goded-ecuadorians-not-criminals-pay-narco-war/

Mario Duarte—co-founder and CEO of DH Global Strategy, a global consulting and lobbying firm—predicts 2024 will be a hectic year worldwide for geopolitics. He believes the Democratic Party is promoting the US border crisis: "the Western Hemisphere appears to be being weaponized to influence the US November elections in the United States." For Duarte, many illegal migrants cross the US border to get new economic opportunities, but others work together with narcos and terrorists. He adds that developed countries have contributed to the weakening of Third-World countries' economies by promoting socialist politicians. Duarte explains why he coined the term Latinists. It refers to the unelected bureaucrats who want to intervene in the decision-making of Third-World countries. He claims these bureaucrats are arrogant because they think they know more than locals and what is best for their nations. Show notes:

Martín Litwak—an Argentine tax and wealth structuring expert—explains that the next three months are key to the Javier Milei administration for implementation of liberal reforms. Milei is enjoying a honeymoon period, and Argentines are on their summer vacations. Although Litwak expressed his excitement regarding a liberal government to be in power in Argentina and deregulate the economy, he is concerned the Milei administration has not led with tax cuts. Litwak contends that although Argentina has 170 taxes, 10 of them generate more than 92 percent of the state's revenue. Further, since the burden is so high there is the potential to remove the other 160 and still bring in more revenue, following the logic of the Laffer Curve. For Litwak, Milei's presidency can be either a total success or a complete failure; there is no middle ground. The latter will be a disaster for Argentina, since it will invite a return to power of Peronismo. Litwak also contends that the left will continue to fight in the streets against the incumbent administration's policies. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/01/15/martin-litwak-javier-milei-must-target-toxic-taxation/

Mauro Echeverría—deputy editor of the Impunity Observer—and Sebastián Díaz—policy analyst with the Impunity Observer—explain the internal armed conflict in Ecuador. For them, the violence has been increasing since 2020. Díaz adds that gangs declared war on Ecuador after Adolfo “Fito” Macías, leader of the Los Choneros gang, escaped from prison on January 7. Since then, gangs have occupied many streets, firing on anyone in their way, and taken control of a TV network and a university. Díaz contends that the lack of state control in prisons has been an ongoing problem for the past three years. He adds that gangs have turned prisons into their operation centers. Currently, law enforcement agencies are attacking and capturing gang members in the streets, but there are no official statements regarding the situation inside the prisons. Díaz and Echeverría analyze the reactions to the violence crisis from politicians in the Americas such as US Representative María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Díaz explains that even former socialist president and fugitive Rafael Correa sent a message backing the armed forces. In the same message, Correa played the victim by saying he was suffering from political persecution. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2024/01/11/narcoterrorists-declare-war-on-ecuador-spanish/

José Luis González Dubón—a Guatemalan lawyer, university professor, and independent journalist—explains the irregularities associated with President-Elect Bernardo Arévalo's Semilla party. These include more than 8,000 forged signatures used to register the party. He contends that international community members such as the Organization of American States were accomplices to electoral fraud and favored their preferred candidate: Arévalo. For González, Arévalo should not take office in January 2024 because it is immoral and unlawful. If Arévalo does not take office, he explains, Congress must elect a temporary president and vice president until Guatemala holds a new presidential election. González contends that the US State Department's modus operandi in Guatemala is to sanction its adversaries—anyone who promotes sovereignty and the rule of law—by revoking their US travel visas. He adds that the State Department has violated laws in the United States and Guatemala by applying the Engel List arbitrarily in Guatemala, where civilians and politicians have seen their US visas revoked. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2023/12/14/how-foreigners-were-accomplices-to-electoral-fraud-in-guatemala/

Carlos Torrebiarte—a director with the Association for the Defense of Private Property and a Nuestro Diario weekly columnist—explains how the US Embassy in Guatemala revoked his and his wife's US travel visa. He contends that the embassy did this to spite him for speaking up against “the policies that the United States wants to impose in Guatemala.” For Torrebiarte, the Prosecutor General's Office must continue its investigation of the Semilla party's fraudulent registration. He explains that if Semilla goes unpunished, it could lead to similar situations in future elections. Torrebiarte contends that US officials should not meddle in Guatemala's internal affairs, especially in a dishonest way that reduces electoral integrity. He adds that the majority of citizens do not trust the electoral system and that this undermines democracy and the rule of law. Further, Torrebiarte claims citizens self-censor because they are afraid to speak up against US actions in Guatemala. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2023/12/04/guatemalan-loses-visa-after-condemning-us-meddling/

Adam Dubove, cofounder and director of financial-intelligence service Ichimoku Fibonacci, and Eduardo Marty, founder and president of the Foundation for Intellectual Responsibility in Argentina, contend that Argentine President-Elect Javier Milei has a historic opportunity to succeed in his incoming administration. Milei, however, needs to work his way through Congress—where his party does not have a majority. Further, he needs to find a competent team to execute his market-liberalization plan. For Marty, former President Mauricio Macri behaved as a statesman by supporting Milei in the runoff election. Macri did so the day after his preferred candidate lost in the first round of the election. This helped Milei to win the runoff against Peronista candidate and Economy Minister Sergio Massa. For Marty, Milei is better prepared intellectually than right-leaning politicians such as Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro or the United States's Donald Trump. Dubove and Marty agree that Milei's team will follow Ecuador, El Salvador, and Panama's dollarization strategy. However, they note that unions and other collectivists will aggressively resist Milei's classical-liberal ideas. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2023/11/21/argentina-libertarian-moment/

Maribel Espinoza—a Honduran congresswoman of the Salvador Party—contends that Xiomara Castro's socialist Libre Party is on a mission to control every branch of the state. She explains that Libre congressmen have violated the Honduran Constitution and the Public Ministry Law with their appointment of a new attorney general. The decision has been in stalemate since August, so the past appointee, Daniel Sibrián, has remained in his position past his planned departure. Article 205 of the Constitution establishes that Congress must gather at least 86 votes out of 128 members (a two-thirds majority) to elect new Public Ministry authorities. However, only nine Libre congressmen appointed a new attorney general. Opposition congressmen are working to reverse the appointment of Johel Zelaya, who has no experience in criminal prosecution and appears to merely be the candidate most aligned with Libre. For Espinoza, Congress failed to appoint the new attorney general earlier because incumbent Libre refused to negotiate for votes during congressional sessions. She explains that the Castro administration will accept no one but an attorney general loyal to them, so they can politicize justice in the country: “The real motivation behind this appointment is not to fight corruption.” Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2023/11/06/maribel-espinoza-libre-party-skirts-law-to-appoint-attorney-general/

Adam Dubove—cofounder and director of financial consulting firm Ichimoku Fibonacci—explains that Javier Milei can still beat Peronista Sergio Massa in the runoff. However, he predicts the results will be tight. Further, he contends that the incumbent Peronista government made an elaborate effort to undermine Milei's candidacy through negative propaganda against the paleolibertarian through media allies and state-owned companies such as Argentine Railways. For Dubove, the Together for Change coalition, which he describes as the mainstream opposition, will be divided over whom they will support in the runoff. In addition, Dubove explains that if Milei wins the presidency, he will have to negotiate in Congress to pass his bills since he does not have a majority in the legislature. Show notes: https://impunityobserver.com/2023/10/24/can-the-javier-milei-liberalization-prevail/