Podcasts about inter american dialogue

US President Donald Trump promises a significant tariff announcement on April 2. We gathered a team of experts to discuss how the looming threats of tariffs from the Trump administration may affect Brazil and reshape relations between the United States and Brazil — not just in the short-term future but also in the long run. Panelists:Tony Harrington, former US ambassador to Brazil. Founding Principal of Albright Stonebridge. He was previously Chair of the President's Intelligence Oversight Board and currently serves as Chair of the Wilson Center Brazil Institute. Kellie Meiman Hock, senior counselor at McLarty Associates and a board member of the Inter-American Dialogue. A former US Foreign Service Officer, she served in Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Recife in Brazil, as well as at the Office of the US Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President as Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone.Welber Barral, founding partner of BMJ, is an expert in international trade and investment with over 30 years of experience. He served as Brazil's Secretary of Foreign Trade between 2007 and 2011 and has acted as an arbitrator in Mercosur and WTO disputes. He currently advises Fiesp and presides over IBCI, the Brazilian Institute of Foreign Trade.This episode is exclusive for premium subscribers and subscribers of Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts.Support the show

Michael Stott, the FT's Latin America editor, talks to Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based senior analyst for the International Crisis Group and Michael Shifter, former president of the Inter-American Dialogue think-tank in Washington, about the crisis in Venezuela. How long can Maduro cling to power, having so obviously lost the July election. Clips: Channel 4 News, The Economic TimesTo take part in the audience survey mentioned by Michael, and to be in with the chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones, click here. Click here to find T&Cs for the prize draw.Free links to read more on this topic:How Venezuela's Maduro is clinging on to powerVenezuela ramps up fear campaign after disputed presidential voteNicolás Maduro, Venezuela's contested presidentNicolás Maduro blocks access to X amid feud with Elon MuskSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Michael Stott. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hoy, tenemos el privilegio de contar con un invitado muy especial: Ariel Fiszbein, Director del Programa de Educación del Inter-American Dialogue. Con una amplia experiencia en el análisis y desarrollo de políticas educativas en América Latina y el Caribe, Ariel nos ofrecerá una perspectiva única y valiosa. En este episodio, exploraremos la visión geopolítica del papel que juegan los países en sus sistemas educativos y la importancia de la transparencia en estos procesos. Abordaremos temas cruciales como: Retos: Analizaremos los desafíos más significativos que enfrentan los sistemas educativos, desde la infraestructura hasta la formación de docentes y la equidad en el acceso a la educación. Áreas de Oportunidad: Discutiremos las áreas con mayor potencial para la innovación y mejora, destacando estrategias y políticas que pueden transformar la educación. Transparencia: Examinaremos cómo la transparencia en la gestión y divulgación de datos puede influir en la efectividad de las políticas educativas y en la confianza pública. Prepárense para una conversación profunda y reveladora que proporcionará una visión amplia y fundamentada sobre la educación en el contexto global y la importancia de la transparencia. ¡Acompáñanos en este viaje de descubrimiento y aprendizaje con Ariel Fiszbein!   Si deseas entrar en contacto con Ariel, te dejamos su linkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-fiszbein-b8b4197b/    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For much of the past year, there's been a lot of talk about China's new leaner, more focused Belt and Road Initiative that goes by the mantra "Smart and Beautiful." The problem is very few people actually know what it looks like in practice. But that's starting to change, particularly in regions like Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) where two seemingly contradictory investment trends are taking place: overall Chinese FDI in the region is down but in key areas, so-called "new infrastructure," Chinese investments in LAC countries have been going up. Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington co-authored a new report on China's evolving investment priorities in the Americas and joins Eric to discuss why Chinese FDI today looks very different than it even just a few years ago. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque| @eric_olander | @myersmargaret Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfr JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

For much of the past year, there's been a lot of talk about China's new leaner, more focused Belt and Road Initiative that goes by the mantra "Smart and Beautiful." The problem is very few people actually know what it looks like in practice. But that's starting to change, particularly in regions like Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) where two seemingly contradictory investment trends are taking place: overall Chinese FDI in the region is down but in key areas, so-called "new infrastructure," Chinese investments in LAC countries have been going up. Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington co-authored a new report on China's evolving investment priorities in the Americas and joins Eric to discuss why Chinese FDI today looks very different than it even just a few years ago. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque| @eric_olander | @myersmargaret Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfr JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

EPISODE 1896: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of International IDEA, about the fragile state of democracy around the world in 2023Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, PhD has been the Secretary-General of International IDEA since August 2019. Casas-Zamora has more than 25 years of experience in democratic governance as a researcher, analyst, educator, consultant, and public official. He embodies the rare combination of a distinguished academic career—strongly focused on electoral systems and democratic institutions—with practical experience as a high-level public official in his home country as well as in multilateral organizations. Casas-Zamora is Senior Fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington, DC-based policy research centre. Until recently, he was member of Costa Rica's Presidential Commission for State Reform, and managing director at Analitica Consulting (Analitica Consultores). Previously, he was Costa Rica's Second Vice President and Minister of National Planning; Secretary for Political Affairs at the Organization of American States; Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution; and National Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Report. He has taught at Georgetown University, George Washington University, and the University of Texas in Dallas, among many higher education institutions. He holds a Law degree from the University of Costa Rica, a Masters in Government from the University of Essex, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Oxford. He has authored several studies on campaign finance, elections, democratization, citizen security and civil-military relations in Latin America. His doctoral thesis, entitled “Paying for Democracy in Latin America: Political Finance and State Subsidies for Parties in Costa Rica and Uruguay”, won the 2004 Jean Blondel PhD Prize of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) and was published in 2005 by the ECPR. He was selected as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2007. In 2013, he became a member of the Bretton Woods Committee.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.

Julie López es una periodista independiente especializada en cubrir narcotráfico, pandillas, extorsiones, migración y, más recientemente, trata de personas. Ha trabajado como reportera y editora. Sus reportajes han aparecido en Prensa Libre, Plaza Pública y El Periódico, en Guatemala, y BBC Mundo, Al Día de Filadelfia, El Diario de Nueva York, ReVista Harvard Review de Latinoamérica; Proceso, El Heraldo y Excelsior de México, y también ha publicado investigaciones con el Woodrow Wilson Center y el Inter American Dialogue en EE.UU.  En este episodio, Lucy Rodríguez conversa con Julie López sobre cómo se ha comportado el narcotráfico a partir de los movimientos y las crisis políticas recientes. El narcotráfico es un actor con mucha influencia en las instituciones políticas y económicas del país, además de ser una de las principales preocupaciones de Estados Unidos sobre la región. Julie nos brinda una mirada analítica y general del poder del narco en Guatemala.

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at the regime of President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and discuss his likely successor and how the country arrived at this aggravated stage of repression.  Dr Manuel Orozco, a Nicaraguan political scientist at the Inter American Dialogue, joins us to discuss how the regime has further dismantled democratic institutions and pursued a policy of systemic repression in behaviour akin to that of a "Tropical Taliban."  In recent years more than 12 per cent of Nicaragua's population has left the country, nine out of ten citizens are in opposition to the regime, yet the culture of fear pervades. We ask for how long Ortega can hold on to power, how he manages to do so and who is the likely successor? 

There's growing anxiety in the United States over China's expanding presence in the Latin America-Caribbean (LAC) region. Last week, a Congressional subcommittee held another breathless hearing that warned of the dangers of "Communism on our shores."That concern in Washington is based, in part, on surging Chinese trade with LAC countries, more investment, and a growing ideological alignment with Beijing's worldview among many of the region's largest countries.LAC countries are also key destinations for Chinese-backed infrastructure projects as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.But contrary to the simplistic narratives in Washington about Chinese engagement in Latin America, Bruno Binetti, a China Foresight Associate at LSE Ideas and a non-resident fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue, says the region's ties with Beijing are undergoing profound change. Bruno joins Eric & Cobus from Beijing to explain how.JOIN THE DISCUSSION:X: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @binettibrunoLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brunobinettiFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectYouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouthFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat and climate-related crises that are gripping the country and the world.This week, A'ndre spoke with Rebecca Bill Chavez, the President and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue, on the migration crisis in Latin America -- discussing why democratic decay across the region has factored in, and how the effects of climate change intersect. Rebecca, who worked on Latin American issues at the Department of Defense during the Obama Administration, talks about the key drivers of migration in Latin America and the internal dynamics of countries that are both the sources and receivers of migrants. We discuss why anti-democratic political cultures have exacerbated migration, and touch on how governments (across the right and left) have leveraged militarized law enforcement arms. Rebecca then outlines how climate change has intensified these relevant challenges, but provides some examples of hope on international cooperation, particularly highlighting how local and municipal leaders (such as Mayors) across Latin America are aiming to collaborate via dialogue in engaging with climate change and climate-driven migration.

Processed food industries are thriving in developing countries, despite government commitment to eradicating non-communicable diseases, prevention programs aim at reducing obesity, type two diabetes, and sugary beverage consumption. What's more, political leaders in some countries are reluctant to regulate the marketing and sale of these products, particularly among vulnerable groups, like children and the poor. Like me, you might be asking yourself: why? Our guest today is the author of a new book, "Junk Food Politics: How Beverage and Fast Food Industries Are Reshaping Emerging Economics." His name is Professor Eduardo Gomez, Director of the Institute of Health Policy and Politics, at Lehigh University. Interview Summary   Let's begin with a basic question, what prompted you to write the book?   Great question. It really started, I remember almost the day, when I came across this article written by the New York Times in 2016. This article started to talk about the rise in influence of the sugar industry in the US, and how they were shaping evidence about the connection between the consumption of sugar and heart disease. For many years in the past, that connection was never emphasized when it came to national dietary recommendations. This New York Times article really revealed how powerful and influential these industries were in shaping the evidence and policies on the linkages between sugar and heart disease, and our consumption of these products.   At the same time, I was doing research on obesity policy in Brazil, comparing Brazil to the US, and why Brazil was doing better in the areas of nutritional information, prevention, and awareness about childhood obesity. I also saw that obesity cases were still increasing in Brazil despite these prevention efforts. At the time, I was also starting to work in Mexico and saw similar policies in Mexico being implemented on prevention and awareness, and national dietary guidelines. But still, we saw a rise in obesity, a rise in adolescent diabetes. So those two things - the evidence about how industries manipulate data and dietary guidelines - and then how luncheon programs are really not achieving their goal of reducing childhood obesity in adolescent diabetes. Those puzzles really motivated me in writing this book to really delve deeper into this question. That really required not a journal article, but a book that would do an in-depth historical case study analysis of several countries, and to document and do interviews on how these industries are working with government. And, how government also works with industries in this area of trying to address childhood obesity, and type two adolescent diabetes.   So how did you go about collecting data for the book?   I did a qualitative comparative method, which is a bit different, as you know, from most people working in public health and epidemiological studies about childhood obesity and diabetes. That entailed a comparative historical analysis of several similar case studies. I chose cases in the emerging economies that, I think, reflected the biggest problems with obesity and diabetes in their region. But the goal of the comparison, was really to accentuate similarities between cases, and, also, the vast differences and uniqueness of the cases. I then went about doing the research through document analysis of several different sources, books, articles, policy reports, media news, talking about the issue, both in the English language, and also in the countries of Brazil and Mexico, the Spanish and Portuguese language. I did interviews with activists and researchers in several of these countries, although not all of them. I think bringing together all the different qualitative evidence was very effective in trying to thoroughly address this issue. It's a topic that has not been discussed that much. Bringing together the multiple evidence pieces took a long time.   It produced a wonderfully rich book with lots of interesting information from different sources around the world. I, for one, really appreciate what you've done. So in the book, you have very detailed case studies, as you mentioned, of a number of countries, in particular countries such as Mexico and Brazil, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa. Let's talk about a few of these countries, and then, perhaps, we can return to something that you alluded to a moment ago. That there are quite striking similarities across the countries. So what did you learn about Mexico?   I had lived in Mexico for several years doing research there, and the fast food culture and industry, and the consumption of soda, is extremely high. Compared to the US, Mexico's per capita daily consumption of soda is highest, arguably, in the world. Coca-Cola played a major role in that. Coca-Cola was in Mexico for many, many years, and the NAFTA Free Trade Agreement facilitated the arrival of Coca-Cola, and of many other kinds of ultra-processed foods and industries, into Mexico. Mexico is one of the world leaders in childhood obesity and type two diabetes. The government did, for many years, a good job of raising awareness to this issue. The National Institute of Public Health in Cuernavaca, for example, did fantastic work elevating the issue, convincing the government that something needed to be done about this ongoing health problems, especially among children and the poor.   But what I found is while there was legislation being implemented, it was, a lot of times, delayed, and those policies that were created, such as limiting the presence of sodas within schools, were not really effectively enforced. A lot of parents reporting to schools that their children were still consuming soda products. Of course, everyone knows about the soda tax that was implemented in 2014 in Mexico, becoming the first in the world to have a national soda tax. That's been a very effective effort. But there are several years in which this was debated and delayed, and for many years industries resisted improvements to the food label, which was, eventually, recently accomplished. But all of this started to point to the power and influence of major industries and their interest group.   One thing that I learned in this case is that industries also engage in several partnerships with government to try and take away the focus from regulations and improving food labels, for example. And one partnership is working with government to introduce the importance of exercise in schools. And it's something that we'll see, also, in the case of China. And so that has taken attention away, in addition to the lobbying efforts, and funding science and research sort of questions, from the efficacy of a soda tax. But one thing that was very important is that presidents also matter, and their relationships with industry. One president that really stood out was President Vincente Fox, who was a former Coca-Cola executive for the region. And that relationship facilitated industry's influence within government, and in connecting with politicians in influencing policy over years. But then later, subsequent presidents, like President Enrique Pena Nieto, worked with Nestle to address hunger eradication programs in Mexico.   So these partnerships with industry, while they are admirable in trying to eradicate hunger, they also, at the same time, bring legitimacy to these industries. This facilitates their ability to influence policy. Those was some of the key lessons that I found in Mexico.   So moving to a different part of the world, and, of course, to a different political system, what did you learn about China?   China has seen a burgeoning growth in consumption of soda, and also fast food chain establishments. We've also seen a huge increase in childhood obesity, and adolescent type two diabetes. But was really striking about this case, is that the government has done a great job, not only of increasing awareness about the challenge, but emphasizing the importance of exercise as a primary way to try and address the issue and why this particular approach. Instead of regulation limiting sales and access to foods for children and the poor, in trying to emphasize this idea of exercise. Now I found that through the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), Coca-Cola, and other industry, had an influence. The ILSI found partners within the Ministry of Health, who created the ISLI of China, and through these partnerships, in these connections between I-S-L-I and major health officials, the idea of emphasizing exercise as a solution started to infiltrate, and really shaped government legislation. I cite the excellent work by Susan Greenhalgh at Harvard, who documented a lot of how this was happening. At the same time, we saw industries partnering with government, and government officials emphasizing sports and exercise as an approach. But surprisingly, there was really no effort to introduce regulations on advertising and marketing. Similar to what we've seen in the US, no effective food regulations or mandates on quality of sugar and products. That really was startling, given the huge problem that China's having with childhood obesity. But again, government partnerships with industry on eradicating poverty and achieving economic growth, certainly doesn't help, and overlooks the need to introduce regulations, and sees industry as a partner in trying to achieve China's broader efforts on poverty reduction and economic development.   We're certainly starting to see some themes emerge in the stories that you're telling. So let's go to the third continent. What did you find in South Africa?   South Africa is a very interesting case, where, again, like these other countries, you've seen a rise in obesity and type two diabetes. It's been very challenging because culturally, being overweight has been seen as a sign of health for some. Being thin, being associated with diseases, such as HIV, AIDS, or tuberculosis. So, one of the major hurdles that governments, and activists, have also been trying to address, is information about the health implications of being overweight. And then also the increasing public's knowledge about type two diabetes. Similar to the other cases, you saw government efforts, beginning in 2015, to address the national obesity issue. But there are very, very few effective policies introduced, such as regulations on advertising and marketing. These have basically been introduced as plans and ideas, with no concrete efforts yet. The government relied on self-regulation, where industries pledge not to market their products to children, and to be more responsible in that. Also, there have been no regulations on sales of these foods in and around schools, and no improvements in labels. Why has that been the case? Again, industry has been very involved through policy partnerships, working with government to emphasize, again, exercise. Companies, like Nestle, have done a very good job in providing nutritional education and training to schools. While admirable, these partnerships have distracted the government from pursuing needed regulations, and trying to address these issues, seeing that these industries are partners, and seeing no real need to introduce these regulations. But again, at the same time, presidents matter. You've had presidents with very strong connections to industries. The current president, for example, having been in consulting profession, direct ties to fast food industry. And they've seen these industries as a critical partner in addressing economic development, but especially job security, and job growth, and seeing them as a need to be there in prospering. But, at the same time, you've also seen a civil society that is starting to emerge, but has been challenged by industry's relationship with other nutrition researchers and activists, and not being able to work and create a broader mobilization effort to address this issue. %he activist community is just now starting to emerge. They don't have as many allies in society that they can work with. As we saw in China, that civic activist movement has been just very slowly emerging. That's been limiting as well.   These comments, so far, are consistent across countries. Focusing on physical activity, for example, diverting attention away from industry influences and regulations that might affect them, weakening regulations, and things like that. What do you see as the main themes that are weaving through this picture?   There are several themes. One is policy partnerships - industries partnering with government, and how this helps industry convince policy makers that regulations are not necessary. Those studying commercial determinants of health and nutrition, we all know this, but this has been especially prominent in the emerging economies. Another, is corporate social responsibility activities. There have been so many cases, wonderful efforts, that major soda and food industries are doing to increase education, nutritional awareness and training, even food regulation, and quality of food For example, with street vendors. But again, these CSR activities are taking away, and distracting from the need for regulations, while, at the same time bringing legitimacy, and social legitimacy, community legitimacy, to their product. Another major theme is that these corporate social responsibility activities, for example, sponsoring or providing support to NGOs, that contributes to dividing society. So, when industries partner with certain activists, or NGOs, that question the importance of particular policies, or libertarian principles, of having the right to eat whatever food that you want, whenever industries partners with these researchers and activists, it takes away from the number of activists, real activists, working on the issue can partner with. There are many cases where I interviewed activists are saying that, they don't have as many allies that they can work with, because of these other people. These nutrition researchers working with industry. So that was a major issue that came across. Another was institutions. Institutions matter very much, specifically, their ability to include civil societal interest in ideas. In the case of Brazil, I talk about Consell, a national council that was within the office of the presidency. And under the previous Lula administration, civil society had access to the office of the presidency in providing nutritional information, and recommendations for policy. Under the Bolsonaro administration, the Consell Institution was no longer present. But now it has reemerged again. That was the one case where institutions really mattered in guaranteeing access to activists. In all the other countries, these kinds of institutions were not present. A final theme is that presidential politics and policy matters considerably. We often point the finger to industries, you know, blaming them for everything, but this book really shows that we also need to blame presidents for not being more careful in the kinds of partnerships they engage in with industries. Even though their intentions may be admirable in trying to eradicate hunger, eradicate poverty, achieve economic job growth, by partnering with soda and food industries, they're also providing legitimacy to them, and providing excuses, not really to pursue regulations that may harm their prosperity. Those were the main themes that came out in the book.   So a number of things have been tried around the world to counter industries influence. What do you think are some of the most promising?   The most promising are effective regulations on advertising and sales of products. And there are very, very, very few great examples, but one, Chile, has seen amazing progress in introducing restrictions on the advertising of foods, by law, eliminating the usage of cartoons on cereal boxes, something that, of course, we haven't achieved yet in the US. That's been very effective in addressing this issue. I think that these sales and advertising regulations are just the most difficult to achieve, but can really get to the root of the problem, which is decreasing children's awareness, and interest, in food products. Another is incorporating civil society within institutions. The more the governments can provide a venue for activists to have presence within the Ministry of Health, and to actually introduce policy ideas, that can be very effective. I think that that's been, with the exception of Brazil for several years, absent in all of the countries that I looked at in my book. I think that's something that needs to really be taken more seriously. And then another, is investing in civil society, providing more funding for nutrition researchers, activists, and NGOs, that are trying to raise this issue about childhood obesity, but also the commercial determinants of health. That is still much needed area. The Bloomberg Foundation has done great work in Mexico, but we need a lot more in other emerging economies, and lot more support for these activists. These are efforts that can really help to address this issue.   I'm happy you mentioned the Bloomberg Foundation, because, thanks to them, a number of these things have been evaluated, which really helps other countries be informed about what might be effective, and on what might not be. Are there things that are not being done that you would think might be considered?   I do think that it's time that presidents around the world, and other health officials leaders, question their partnerships with industry. Question if it's really effective. I believe that there should be more of an effort to not have industry involved in nutrition policies, non-communicable disease policies, and, especially, policies that focus on childhood obesity. I think the case of China really showed that that can be a major problem. I think that one, political leaders need to take more leadership in reevaluating the effectiveness of these partnerships, and if they're appropriate. Another is that laws on regulations of conflict of interest need to be well established. Really, in none of the cases that I looked at are there federal laws and regulations on if industries can contribute money to nutrition conferences, sponsoring of nutrition conferences. In Brazil, they are now starting to address this, but in other countries, this has not really been addressed yet. This is unacceptable when there are industries that have conflict of interest, and are supporting nutrition scientists and researchers. One of the things that really needs to be done is increasing government, or foundation, support for nutrition scientists in these emerging economies, so they are not interested in working with industry. Finally, there just needs to be a lot more of a government commitment to civic inclusion in these kinds of policies. We all know the civil society matters. Of course, government officials will always say, of course, you know, we're listening to civil society. But the evidence on to what extent activists have access to national institutions and policy, is very, very scarce. I'm just not convinced that governments are doing enough to include activists into their national policy discussions in these emerging economies. With the exception, I think, of Mexico, now, hopefully, with Brazil, the other emerging economies that I talk about in the book really have not achieved, and I think that needs to be addressed. These are the issues that really need to be addressed going forward.   Bio   Dr. Eduardo J. Gómez is an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Health Policy and Politics at Lehigh University. A political scientist by training, his research focuses on the politics of global health policy, with a focus on emerging middle-income countries. He is the author of three books, the latest being Geopolitics in Health: Confronting Obesity, AIDS, and Tuberculosis in the Emerging BRICS Economies (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2018). Dr. Gómez has published his research in a myriad of peer-reviewed journals, as well as policy journals and major news outlets. His new book, Junk Food Politics (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2023), critically examines the rise and political influence of soda and ultra-processed food industries in developing nations, with a focus on NCDs among children and the poor. He is also leading several other major research projects focusing on the politics of NCDs, such as type-2 diabetes and obesity, in Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia. Dr. Gómez is also a Commissioner for the Rockefeller Foundation and Boston University Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. His research has received external funding support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Oxfam, George Soros, and Tinker Foundations. Prior to his arrival at Lehigh, Dr. Gómez was an Associate Professor (UK Senior Lecturer) at King's College London, Assistant Professor at Rutgers University, and pre-doctoral visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has also previously worked for the RAND Corporation, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Dialogue. Dr. Gómez is also a veteran of the United States Air Force and is a former Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He received his PhD political science from Brown University, MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and BA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.   

Chinese lending to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is gaining momentum. For the second year in a row, China's two largest policy banks have increased lending to countries in the region, albeit in much smaller amounts than what they did a decade ago.At the same time, there's word that China has spent close to a quarter trillion dollars over the past twenty years to bail out dozens of countries struggling to stay afloat under the weight of such much debt.Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America program at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C., and Rebecca Ray, two of the world's leading experts in Chinese overseas development finance, join Eric to discuss how these two seemingly divergent trends actually align with one another and why the Americas is emerging as a key market for Chinese creditors.SHOW NOTES:Inter-American Dialogue: At a Crossroads: Chinese Development Finance to Latin America and the Caribbean, 2022 by Margaret Myers and Rebecca Ray: https://bit.ly/3LYKuTKBoston University Global Development Policy Center: “Small is Beautiful”: A New Era in China's Overseas Development Finance?: https://bit.ly/3Hnm8iLJOIN THE DISCUSSION:Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @myersmargaret | @bubeckyrayFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaafricaprojectSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese lending to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is gaining momentum. For the second year in a row, China's two largest policy banks have increased lending to countries in the region, albeit in much smaller amounts than what they did a decade ago.At the same time, there's word that China has spent close to a quarter trillion dollars over the past twenty years to bail out dozens of countries struggling to stay afloat under the weight of such much debt.Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America program at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C., and Rebecca Ray, two of the world's leading experts in Chinese overseas development finance, joins Eric to discuss how these two seemingly divergent trends actually align with one another and why the Americas is emerging as a key market for Chinese creditors.SHOW NOTES:Inter-American Dialogue: At a Crossroads: Chinese Development Finance to Latin America and the Caribbean, 2022 by Margaret Myers and Rebecca Ray: https://bit.ly/3LYKuTKBoston University Global Development Policy Center: “Small is Beautiful”: A New Era in China's Overseas Development Finance? by Rebecca Ray: https://bit.ly/3Hnm8iL JOIN THE DISCUSSION:Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander | @myersmargaret | @bubeckyrayFacebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProjectFOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC:Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChineعربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfrJOIN US ON PATREON!Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug!www.patreon.com/chinaafricaproject

In this episode GTI Insights, GTI Program Manager Marshall Reid and Program Associate Zoë Weaver-Lee interview Rasheed Griffith, a non-resident senior fellow with the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue. In a wide-ranging discussion, Griffith shares his perspectives on Taiwan's diplomatic partnerships in the Caribbean, growing Chinese investment in the region, and US efforts to push back against Beijing's influence in Caribbean states.

Mass protests calling for change have taken place for weeks in Peru ever since the previous president was impeached and arrested. Peru is no stranger to political crises, so how is this one different? And what will it take to fix it? Join host Dareen Abughaida. Guests: Juan Claudio Lechin- political analyst and writer. Michael Shifter - President of Inter-American Dialogue and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Alonso Gurmendi Dunkelberg - Lecturer in international relations at Oxford University.  

Laura Chinchilla es la ex-presidenta de la República de Costa Rica, primera mujer en ejercer el cargo desde que se permitió el voto femenino en 1949 y la quinta mujer en América Latina en ser elegida jefa de Estado. Hoy es conferencista , titular de la Cátedra José Bonifácio, forma parte del Institute of Politics and Public Service de la Universidad de Georgetown, es Vicepresidente del Club de Madrid, copresidencia del Inter-American Dialogue y es miembro de consejos asesores y directivos de la Fundación Euroamérica Concordia Summit, y del Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. Es miembro de: el Comité Olímpico Internacional, la Comisión Kofi Annan sobre Elecciones y Democracia en la era digital, el Consejo Asesor del Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano. Vea en YouTube: https://youtu.be/GkxR34Au5k0 NO PASA NADA no existe sin su apoyo en https://www.patreon.com/nopasanadaoficial Compren hoodies, camisas, stickers y más en: https://shop.nopasanada.com/ Todas las opiniones expresadas por los participantes del programa son opiniones actuales y no reflejan las opiniones de NO PASA NADA, sus respectivas empresas matrices o empresas afiliadas a las que están afiliados los participantes del programa. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pietrohablacon/message

Laura Chinchilla es la ex-presidenta de la República de Costa Rica, primera mujer en ejercer el cargo desde que se permitió el voto femenino en 1949 y la quinta mujer en América Latina en ser elegida jefa de Estado. Hoy es conferencista , titular de la Cátedra José Bonifácio, forma parte del Institute of Politics and Public Service de la Universidad de Georgetown, es Vicepresidente del Club de Madrid, copresidencia del Inter-American Dialogue y es miembro de consejos asesores y directivos de la Fundación Euroamérica Concordia Summit, y del Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. Es miembro de: el Comité Olímpico Internacional, la Comisión Kofi Annan sobre Elecciones y Democracia en la era digital, el Consejo Asesor del Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano. Vea en YouTube: https://youtu.be/GkxR34Au5k0 NO PASA NADA no existe sin su apoyo en https://www.patreon.com/nopasanadaoficial Compren hoodies, camisas, stickers y más en: https://shop.nopasanada.com/ Todas las opiniones expresadas por los participantes del programa son opiniones actuales y no reflejan las opiniones de NO PASA NADA, sus respectivas empresas matrices o empresas afiliadas a las que están afiliados los participantes del programa. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pietrohablacon/message

Nicaragua accuses foreign diplomats and the Catholic Church of interfering in its domestic affairs. So is Daniel Ortega's administration revolutionary or is it cracking down on dissent? Guests: Ben Norton Founder and Editor of Multipolarista Pieter Cleppe Editor-in-chief of the Brussels Report Manuel Orozco Director at the Inter-American Dialogue's Migration Program

In November 2021, Barbados became the latest Commonwealth nation to remove the Queen as its head of state. Some British policymakers and commentators attributed this trend to growing Chinese influence in the Caribbean, but does this narrative reflect the reality on the ground? Chris Cash and Archie Brown are joined by Rasheed Griffith, a non-resident senior fellow with the Asia and Latin America programme and the Inter-American Dialogue and head of operations at Merkle Hedge, to talk over the nature of Chinese engagement in the Caribbean and how it's shaping regional developments. What does the 'China colonisation' narrative get wrong about the Belt and Road Initiative in the Caribbean? What are the factors driving deeper trade and investment between China and Caribbean nations and how well equipped are Caribbean governments to deal with China? How can the UK become a more serious regional partner?

Former rebel Gustavo Petro has narrowly beaten a millionaire opponent to become Colombia's first leftist president. We discuss what this election could mean for Latin American politics and the rest of the world, with Juanita León, founder of news website La Silla Vacía; and Michael Shifter, former president of Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank focused on Latin America's governance and prosperity.

What a rollercoaster of an afternoon we had, viewing the results of the first round of the Colombian presidential election as they came in. On this week's Colombia Calling podcast, we chat to Mark Kennedy (journalist: Latin American Advisor and Inter-American Dialogue) and throw around ideas regarding the voting and how this develops for both candidates in the second round on 19 June. The polls had predicted a win for Gustavo Petro for months and over the past three weeks we had witnessed a surge in support for outsider Rodolfo Hernández, but there were few who would have bet safe money on Hernández overtaking Uribista and continuity candidate, Federico Gutiérrez by such a wide margin. So what now for the two leading canddiates Petro and Hernández and then Gutiérrez and Fajardo, what deals are being made? What does Hernández need to do to win and what should Petro be doing now? All this and more on this week's Colombian Presidential Election Special.

Margaret Myers returns to The Belt and Road Podcast to speak with Erik about the role and development of China's International Insurance sector and in Latin America and the Caribbean.  The conversation is based on her January 2022 report from The Dialogue entitled Going Out, Guaranteed: Chinese Insurers in Latin America. Margaret Myers is the director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue. She created the Dialogue's China and Latin America Working Group in 2011, as well as the China-Latin America Finance Database in cooperation with the Global China Initiative at Boston University's Global Development Policy Center. She has previously worked as a Latin America analyst and China analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense.Recommendations:MargaretAlbright, Zara C., Rebecca Ray, Yudong (Nathan) Liu (2022), China-Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Bulletin, 2022 Edition ErikRichard Simmons  'Sweatin' to the Oldies' Workout VideoA special thanks to Taili Ni for editing this episode! 

In this episode of GTI Insights, GTI Program Associate Marshall Reid interviews Margaret Myers, the director of the Asia and Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue. In an engaging and timely discussion, Myers shares her perspectives on Taiwan's complex diplomatic and economic relations with Central America, Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te's recent visit to Honduras, and the future of Taiwan-China competition in the region.

Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, has begun a fourth straight term after an election that most countries called a sham. His critics describe him as a dictator who crushes dissent, while his supporters say he's standing up to the West. So, what's now in store for one of Central America's poorest nations? Joint host Mohammed Jamjoom. With guests: Danny Shaw - Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at City University of New York. Jairo Lugo-Ocando - Director of Executive Education and Graduate Studies, Northwestern University in Qatar. Michael Shifter - President of Inter-American Dialogue.

In this episode, international lawyer Tom Morante provides keen insights into the opportunities and rewards of becoming an international lawyer, as well as describing the complexities of this practice area. Tom advises clients on U.S. and foreign insurance and financial services regulatory, compliance, and cross-border transactional matters. He handles matters involving life and annuities, health, insurtech, data privacy and cyber risk, and D&O insurance. He is fluent in Spanish, and has studied in Colombia, Mexico, and Spain. He leads Carlton Fields' International Insurance Regulatory Team and serves on the Advisory Board of Inter-American Dialogue's Financial Services Advisor publication. In addition, he chairs the Business Law Section's International Coordinating Committee and its Business Law Now Board, and serves on the Section's Marketing Board. The host of this episode is Shazia Ahmad . Shazia is the Vice President of Regulatory Reporting at Wells Fargo. She has a broad range of experience in areas of legal, regulatory compliance and finance for financial instituitions and media companies including Wells Fargo & Co., Credit Suisse, JP Morgan & Chase and Viacom. She joined the Business Law Section of American Bar Association (ABA) as the national law student liaison and now is the Chair of the Young Lawyer Committee and Vice Chair of the State and Local Banking Subcommittee.

In this conversation, I discuss Chinese foreign policy in the Caribbean with Rasheed Griffith. We discuss China’s growing influence in the region, why Taiwan will lose all its Caribbean allies within a decade, how the US created a void for China to fill, which country’s economy is sustained by selling second passports to Chinese nationals, fintech and cryptocurrency experiments, infrastructure diplomacy and the need for development, why Haiti’s status as a country may be questionable, how Caribbean tax havens operate as Belt and Road-side ATMs that dispense funds to BRI recipient countries, and many more topics. “Taiwan will have no more Caribbean allies within ten years.” - Rasheed Griffith You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’.Rasheed Griffith is a fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue and host of the podcast China in the Americas. In May 2021, Rasheed was invited to testify before U.S. Congress about China’s expanding influence in the Caribbean region. In addition to geoeconomic analysis, Rasheed has a background in finance and is an expert in compliance measures for the fintech ecosystem. Originally from Barbados, he currently lives in Panama and works for Canadian tech trading firm Merkle Hedge. You can discover Rasheed’s podcast and newsletter at chinacarribbean.substack.com, connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @rasheedguo . Subscribe at policypeople.substack.com

President Biden hosts a virtual summit this week as the US seeks global climate action. But can he convince the rest of the world to go further and faster on cutting carbon emissions when the country has been out of the game for the past four years? Justin Rowlatt asks former US climate envoy Todd Stern and Isabel Hilton, founder of China dialogue. And, in a world where some countries are rolling back protections, can consensus still be found? We hear from the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, where the environmental police say they are losing the war against the loggers. Lisa Viscidi, director of the energy and climate change programme at the Inter-American Dialogue think-tank, says the summit provides an opportunity for Latin American countries. Photo: Climate protestors in Lyon, France hold up a sign saying 'SOS' (Credit: Getty).

On this episode, Juliet and Erik talk with Margaret Myers about the growing importance of Sub-national actors in China's geo-economic engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean. Read the entire report "Going Local: An Assessment of China's Administrative-Level Activity in Latin America and the Caribbean" hereMargaret Myers is the director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue. Recommendations:Margaret: - Yellowstone, Infrastructure Finance: The Business of Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future by Neil GriggJuliet: - The Yongle Emperor @Imperial_Yongle and similarly the Chongzhen Emperor@ChongzhenEmp - satirical China twitter accounts-We, too: contending with the sexual politics of fieldwork in China - article inGender, Place & Culture by Mindi Schneider, Elizabeth Lord & Jessica WilczakErik: - The Paw Tracker Newsletter- The Mandalorian

Latin American national oil companies (NOCs) have made important advances in slashing emissions from their operations through techniques such as reducing flaring, improving energy efficiency, and injecting CO2 for enhanced oil recovery, according to a new report by the Inter-American Dialogue and the Inter-American Development Bank. Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy, Climate Change & Extractive Industries Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, joins Dale Lunan, NGW's Americas Editor, to discuss in more detail their latest report: Latin American State Oil Companies and Climate Change: Decarbonization Strategies and Role in the Energy Transition. Recorded August 21, 2020.

Guyana is one of the most promising new sources for non-OPEC oil production growth, and the country just emerged from a chaotic five-month election drama. Opposition leader Mohamed Irfaan Ali was sworn into office as the country's new president last week. The small South American country is home to the biggest oil discovery in recent years. In January, ExxonMobil boosted its reserves estimate for the Stabroek Block to more than 8 billion barrels. Tristan Reilly of S&P Global Platts Analytics shares a quick history of the discovery, some of the next production targets expected and what oil prices would be needed for additional development. Lisa Viscidi, director of the Inter-American Dialogue's energy, climate change and extractive industries program, gets into more detail about the disputed election, the newly inaugurated president and the implications for Guyana's oil future. She also took us through some quick hits on the other top oil stories in Latin America: Venezuela's collapse, Mexico's attempts at self-sufficiency, and Brazil's double struggle with the oil price collapse and the coronavirus.

This week, we look at the energy developments in Mexico. Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy, Climate Change & Extractive Industries Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, talks with CSIS Senior Fellow Ben Cahill about recent developments in the Mexican energy sector, including the impacts of Covid-19, especially on the oil sector.  They also look how the AMLO presidency is changing investments in the energy sector, adopting new regulatory plans and tax reforms with implications for electricity markets as well as the oil and gas sector. More from Lisa: Latin American State Oil Companies and Climate Change: Decarbonization Strategies and Role in the Energy Transition 

Oscar A. Chacón is a co‐founder and executive director of Alianza Americas, a Chicago-based national network of Latin American immigrant‐led and immigrant serving organizations in the US. Oscar is an immigrant from El Salvador. He has been an organizer and a leader on community justice issues at the local, national and international levels for over 30 years. He has occupied leadership positions in multiple organizations including Oxfam America, Centro Presente, the Northern California Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights. Oscar is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, the American Bar Association’s Immigration Commission and the Latino-Jewish Leadership Council, among other professional associations. Oscar is a frequent spokesperson, domestically and internationally, on economic, social, political and cultural issues affecting Latin American immigrant communities, including the nexus between human mobility, economic inequality, white supremacy and racial justice. Alianza Americas mission is to improve the quality of life of Latin American immigrant communities in the US, as well as of peoples throughout the Americas. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PARCMEDIAFollow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vince_EmanueleFollow Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1713FranklinSt/Follow Us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parcmedia/?...#PARCMedia is a news and media project founded by two USMC veterans, Sergio Kochergin & Vince Emanuele. They give a working-class take on issues surrounding politics, ecology, community organizing, war, culture, and philosophy.

As the Trump administration continues to withdraw from the world stage, China is looking to fill the void. How does Latin America fit into China’s “One Belt, One Road” plan? Should the U.S. be concerned about China’s growing “sphere of influence”? Listen to a webinar conversation with Margaret Myers, Director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, on the regional and global impact of China's relationship with Latin America.

Host Benjamin Gedan is joined by Margaret Myers, director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, who shares insights on perceptions of China's coronavirus assistance to Latin America, and the implications for U.S.-China competition.

Venezuelans face a global pandemic, a stalled economy, crippling oil shortages, and a potential famine. After a failed coup attempt, will President Maduro hold on to his power? The Inter-American Dialogue’s Michael Camilleri and the International Crisis Group’s Ivan Briscoe join Deep Dish to discuss.

For years before the coronavirus hit, Sergio Armas hustled to support his parents back home in Nicaragua. By day, he helped manage a small housekeeping business in San Francisco. At night, he served dinners at a popular Italian restaurant with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.The family breadwinner from afar, he typically wired his parents $300 every month for food, electricity and medicine. His father, 82, is blind and has heart problems. His mother, 68, has a neuromuscular disease and can't walk without getting winded. They rely on his support to survive.But it's been more than two months since Armas, 33, got his last paycheck — and two months since he wired them cash. “I'm the only one with the opportunity to help my family, and I can do nothing right now.”Sergio Armas, immigrant“I'm the only one here. I'm the only one with the opportunity to help my family, and I can do nothing right now,” he said recently. “I'm so worried about it. That's my main concern in this moment.”Immigrants across the globe share his worries. In normal times, millions of small financial transactions take place daily worldwide when immigrants wire a portion of their earnings to loved ones back home. Last year, these remittances totaled more than $550 billion, according to the World Bank. This year, the economic crisis is wrecking that cash flow. Worldwide, remittances are expected to fall a staggering 20% this year — plummeting by about $100 billion, according to a recent report by the World Bank.  “That is going to rupture an important lifeline to a large number of people,” said Dilip Ratha a lead economist at the World Bank on migration and remittances.Hundreds of millions will feel the financial hit in countries such as India, China, Mexico and the Philippines, which rely heavily on remittances from expats overseas. The economic ripple effects will also extend to smaller countries, such as those in Central America, along with Kyrgyzstan, South Sudan and Haiti.Related: A California hospital is translating coronavirus information for immigrantsThe fall in remittances is also far greater than the 5% decrease that resulted from the 2009 global recession. The effects of that economic crisis also took longer to hit.“It's not comparable in terms of the magnitude and unexpected loss of work within a couple of days,” said Manuel Orozco, senior director of remittances and development at the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington, DC-based think tank. “In 2009, some people may have waited three months until they got the news. Here, it was mañana.”In addition, people who receive remittances typically have no other safety net. “People will not be able to compensate for it by just borrowing from some friends. They will have to cut their consumption of food and they will have to suffer.”Dilip Ratha, economist at the World Bank“People will not be able to compensate for it by just borrowing from some friends,” Ratha said. “They will have to cut their consumption of food, and they will have to suffer.”For Armas, receiving federal aid or unemployment benefits from the US government could help him keep his family in Nicaragua from suffering. But he cannot access that help because he does not have a Social Security number yet — a requirement for such relief. He was on the verge of receiving his green card, and thus his SSN when the pandemic hit and disrupted US immigration services.For now, Armas, like many undocumented immigrants, pays taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, which the Internal Revenue Service issues to people who are ineligible for a Social Security number. People using an ITIN are excluded from the $1,200 check most Americans get under the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill passed by Congress in March. So are their spouses and children — whether or not they are US-born — if they file taxes jointly as a household.These restrictions anger Francisco Silva, Armas' husband. Though Silva is a US citizen, he is ineligible for relief under the stimulus bill since he and Armas file taxes together.“If you're paying taxes, if you are helping out the economy of this country, you should be OK to receive help,” Silva said. “But blocking that? I think it's really discriminatory.”The pair lives together in a working-class part of Richmond, just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco, but a world away from the area's glitzy tech scene.California recently became the first state in the country to pledge financial aid for undocumented residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It set aside $75 million to support them. A conservative group, the Center for American Liberty, is now legally challenging the funding, arguing that the funds will be administered by nonprofits that are not controlled by the state and that providing unemployment benefits to undocumented immigrants is unlawful.Related: Immigrants in US detention fear spread of coronavirusNationwide, immigrant advocates are raising funds to fill the gap as well, including the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) based in Pasadena, California. The organization has launched a funding campaign that prioritizes assisting workers over 60 years old and with underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to the coronavirus.Angela Sanbrano, NDLON's co-executive director, said it is a mistake to deny relief to certain immigrants. “This situation affects all of us,” she said. “If people do not see that connection, then we are in serious trouble.”  She pointed to a fact made by many economists: When people such as Armas can no longer send cash back to their relatives, those relatives may be forced to leave their homes in order to survive. “It will create a situation where people are going to say, well, I'm going to come to the United States, too,” Sanbrano said.Related: US deportation flights risk spreading coronavirus globallyThese days, Armas finds solace in his garden filled with tomato vines, budding passion fruit and newly planted mint. Pink and purple petunias border a small lawn, which also contains his grill and a patio strung with small light bulbs. He calls his mother every day. She says it's hot in Nicaragua, nearly 100 degrees. On a recent call, she sat in a wooden rocking chair holding a damp washcloth to keep cool and to swat away mosquitoes.“How are things there?” he asked her. “What do you want me to tell you?” she responded. “ Prices are rising. Rice, beans, salt, sugar — all more expensive.”After the call, Sergio took a moment to compose himself. “It's really hard to just think that I don't know what can happen with them. Expensive medicine, expensive everything over there."Sergio Armas, immigrant“It's really complicated. It's really hard for me,” he said. “It's really hard to just think that I don't know what can happen with them. Expensive medicine, expensive everything over there."As a stopgap, to help his parents, he is maxing out a credit card that he lets them use in Nicaragua. His husband is helping, too, but now his job is looking shaky. On Fridays, Armas visits church down the street for a free lunch. And he's up most nights worrying. “It's like 4 a.m., and I cannot sleep, thinking about what can I do. What I will do tomorrow?” he said.Two weeks ago, Armas finished building a new addition to one corner of the yard: an altar to the Virgin Mary. He arranged a portrait of her framed by white lattice and flowers. At night, he visits the altar and prays. “I watch the sky, and say thank you for everything,” he said. “Good things and bad things.” Armas knows he's not alone. Nearly all of his friends are going through the same thing — and so are all the families connected to them in other parts of the world.

Margaret Myers, director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, shares insights on perceptions of China’s coronavirus assistance to Latin America.

China was instrumental in helping Latin America weather the last global financial crisis. Can it do so again? The coming recession could offer the superpower a new opportunity to build influence in Latin America. But this isn't 2008, says China-Latin America expert Margaret Myers, and the regional relationship is a lot more complicated. Myers joined AQ's Editor-in-chief Brian Winter to discuss what China wants in Latin America, and what the pandemic changes. Guests: Margaret Myers is the director of the China and Latin America program at the Inter-American Dialogue. Brian Winter is the editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly Background reading: "Could China Be a White Knight Again for Latin America?" by Margaret Myers and Kevin P. Gallagher (https://www.americasquarterly.org/content/could-china-be-white-knight-again-latin-america) "The Reasons for China's Cooling Interest in Latin America" by Margaret Myers (https://www.americasquarterly.org/content/how-beijing-sees-it)

After more than a year of crippling US sanctions, Venezuela's once-thriving oil sector is a shell of its former self: its output just a fraction of its peak, its state-run oil company toxic to international investors, its pipelines crumbling, its refineries closed. A new report from the Inter-American Dialogue argues that Western oil companies will be needed if Venezuela's oil sector can be revived. The report details interviews with eight of the largest Western oil companies, some that have left Venezuela and some that remain, about the major hurdles facing the country's oil sector, including US sanctions uncertainty, high taxes, and a shortage of workers and working infrastructure. The authors of the report, Lisa Viscid, director, and Nate Graham, associate, of the Inter-American Dialogue's energy, climate change & extractive industries program, stop by the podcast to discuss their findings.

Governor Bill Richardson, a childhood role model of DA member and podcast host Sam Stone and so many other Americans, joined us to talk about the opportunities third culture kids have, his work with the Inter-American Dialogue, how important it is for politicians to remember we're a community of nations, and the importance of exercising the right to vote. We discussed our relationships with our nearest and largest trading partners in the Americas as well as sanctions in North Korea and the Rule of Law as it applies in the US and around the world. With strong stances on climate change "It was wrong to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, it’ll adversely affect humanity" and with compassion for the most vulnerable nations on our planet, this podcast is a must-listen for all members of the Hispanic Caucus and Democrats Abroad. This episode of the Democrats Abroad Hispanic Caucus was cohosted by Amerika Garcia Grewal in Fiji and Sam Stone in Mexico, with special thanks to Madeleine Mahony of Gov. Richardson’s staff. 2020 is just around the corner and all Americans living outside the US should request their absentee ballot every year. Please mark your calendar or go to PledgetoReg.org to pledge to register to vote and request your ballot.

Interview recorded on July 2, 2019.About Timothy Cheston: Timothy Cheston joined the Center for International Development's Growth Lab as a Research Fellow in 2014.Prior to joining CID, Tim worked for the World Bank in the Social Protection and Labor team for the Latin America and Caribbean region, where he led in the design, negotiation, and supervision of major social protection and labor projects and research in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Bolivia, and Belize. His experience also includes research on the use of psychometric screening tools for small business financing in South Africa with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Africa. He also serves on the Board of Empowerment Health, an NGO providing community-based maternal and child health services in Afghanistan. Previously, Tim led remittance research with the Inter-American Dialogue, worked on microfinance with FINRURAL in Bolivia, and lived in the Dominican Republic, serving undocumented Haitian immigrants through the Dominican Literacy Project.His research interests focus on: the role of economic diversification in explaining differences in growth between countries as within them; the use of growth diagnostics to formulate more effective economic strategy-making to unlock structural transformation processes; and the formulation of inclusive growth via productive development policies that better integrate the poor into high-productivity activities.Tim holds a BA in the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs from Princeton University and a Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School.

The political and economic unraveling of Venezuela has sparked the flight of more than 4 million people in what now stands as the largest exodus of migrants in the western hemisphere—a number that could exceed 5 million by year’s end. More than 1.4 million Venezuelans have settled in Colombia, which has generously opened its doors. As the primary destination for Venezuelans, Colombia is providing a variety of legal pathways through temporary programs that allow the new arrivals access to work permits, public services, and protection from possible exploitation. And in September 2018, Colombia joined other countries in adopting the Declaration of Quito on Human Mobility of Venezuelan Citizens in the Region and launched an action plan emphasizing regularization and integration for migrants. However, Colombia’s capacity to continue to host further arrivals is being stretched amid increasing pressure on public services and local economies, the growing recognition these arrivals will be more than short-term guests, and the strong possibility of additional inflows. Also at play is the slow arrival of international assistance. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has deemed the Venezuelan crisis one of the most underfunded humanitarian appeals in the world. As the crisis continues to unfold, the Migration Policy Institute and Inter-American Dialogue hosted a conversation--with Felipe Muñoz, Advisor to the President of Colombia for the Colombian-Venezuelan Border; Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan, MPI's International Program Associate Director;Michael Camilleri, Director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Inter-American Dialogue; and MPI's President Andrew Selee--on how Colombia is coping with this influx, plans for future policy decisions, and developments in regional and international cooperation, including with the United States.

Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Returning guest Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are the financial stability of Petrobras, the shaky state oil conglomerate, and the monopoly that the state has on most aspects of energy production, delivery, and even retail sales. Lisa also comments on market worries about Mexican president López Obrador’s commitment to existing energy contracts, and the huge effect of sanctions on Venezuelan oil production.

Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Returning guest Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are the financial stability of Petrobras, the shaky state oil conglomerate, and the monopoly that the state has on most aspects of energy production, delivery, and even retail sales. Lisa also comments on market worries about Mexican president López Obrador’s commitment to existing energy contracts, and the huge effect of sanctions on Venezuelan oil production.

Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Returning guest Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are the financial stability of Petrobras, the shaky state oil conglomerate, and the monopoly that the state has on most aspects of energy production, delivery, and even retail sales. Lisa also comments on market worries about Mexican president López Obrador’s commitment to existing energy contracts, and the huge effect of sanctions on Venezuelan oil production.

Since taking office in August 2018, Colombia’s government has sought to devise new strategies to advance peace and security in a country long plagued by armed conflict and organized criminal violence. Political consensus around peace, however, has remained elusive.  The United States Institute of Peace, the Inter-American Dialogue, and the Woodrow Wilson Center on Tuesday, December 11th hosted a conversation with three prominent members of the Colombian Senate’s Peace Commission. Speakers:Roy BarrerasSenator, Partido de la Unidad Nacional Michael CamilleriDirector, Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program, The Inter-American Dialogue Iván Cepeda Senator, Polo Democrático Alternativo Paloma ValenciaSenator, Centro Democrático Steve Hege, moderator Senior Expert on Colombia, U.S. Institute of Peace

New leaders in Mexico and Brazil may mean big changes to their respective energy sectors. Energy expert Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says a Mexican delay on offshore bidding could have a major impact, but that Brazil is likely to maintain the status quo. Finally, Venezuela may eventually run dry, given the massive investment required to reverse declining oil output.   

Caravans from Central America. They were big news for a while, now not so much. But they are sure to return to the front pages. Manuel Orozco, Director of Migration at the Inter-American Dialogue, joins Richard for a discussion on what is causing Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans to leave their countries. He argues that bad governance, not just gang violence, is a big contributor. Do U.S. policymakers have any good options?

Caravans from Central America. They were big news for a while, now not so much. But they are sure to return to the front pages. Manuel Orozco, Director of Migration at the Inter-American Dialogue, joins Richard for a discussion on what is causing Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans to leave their countries. He argues that bad governance, not just gang violence, is a big contributor. Do U.S. policymakers have any good options?

On Thursday, October 18th ASP hosted a panel discussion on the implications of Guyana’s recent discovery of oil. The panel included ASP’s Andrew Holland; Vice Admiral Kevin Green, USN (Ret); Sonya Boodoo from Rystad Energy, and Lisa Viscidi from the Inter-American Dialogue. The post Event Recap: Guyana Building Sustainable Security appeared first on  American Security Project.

How is political turmoil hitting tourism and the economy in Nicaragua, and where will it all end?President Daniel Ortega has faced months of mass protests, which have been met with violence by pro-government paramilitary groups, resulting in some 275 deaths. The president has also lost the support of much of the business community.Caitlin Pierce reports from the troubled country on how the once-booming tourism sector is coping. And back in London, Ed Butler speaks to Manuela Orozco of think tank Inter-American Dialogue, and to Nicaraguan opposition leader Juan Sebastian Chamorro.(Picture: A student wearing a gas mask marches demanding the resignation of President Ortega; Credit: Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty Images)

The top oil producing countries in Latin America are all having elections this year. How will political changes in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela affect their oil output, and does this matter for the United States? Most importantly, will a new government in Mexico reverse course or slow roll broader energy reforms?  Expert Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue explains the details. 

The proposed peace treaty dealing with the FARC in Colombia and the deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua are the twin themes on Latin Pulse this week. First, the program dissects the proposed peace pact between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC by its Spanish acronym) and the Colombian government. Also, the program explores how President Daniel Ortega has manipulated the electoral system in Nicaragua. The news segment of the program covers the end of Dilma Rousseff's presidency as the Brazilian Senate found her guilty of shifting funds without Congressional approval and with misleading the Brazilian Congress.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); andManuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andTechnical Director: Jim Singer. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin Americapolitics BrazilimpeachmentColombiaFARCELNDilma RousseffUnited StatesNicaraguaSandinistasFSLNjusticeVenezuelaMichel Temerpeace treatycivil warjusticeAlvaro UribeDaniel OrtegaelectionsdemocracyUNceasefirePedro ReyesLiberal PartyFidel CastrocrimeJoe BidenUnited Nations businessinfrastructureinequalitytransportationoilracismAfro-Cubansminority issuesHonduras

Another push to recall a president and the power of remittances provide the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes the latest moves with diplomacy and electoral laws to recall President Nicolas Maduro or at least restore some balance to the eroded democratic system in Venezuela.  The program reviews the debate between Argentina and Venezuela at the Organization of American States (OAS).  The program also includes the second part of our extended look at the links between remittances and globalization.  The news segment of the program includes the latest developments regarding the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) & the Woodrow Wilson Center ; andManuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andAssociate Producer: Jim Singer.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticsMexicoVenezueladiplomacycoupArgentinaUnited States Puerto RicoOASdebt crisisU.S. CongressOrganization of American StateseconomicsmilitaryHondurasmigrationremittancesglobalizationArgentinaUnasurlaborjusticemilitaryimmigrationNicolas Madurorecall movementrecall petitionCentral AmericaLuis AlmagroNational AssemblyMauricio MacriThe VaticanSupreme CourtEl SalvadorCubaNicaraguaviolenceGuatemalaglobalization

Mexico with its problems with human rights, corruption, and migration provides the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes a wide-ranging segment discussing the findings by independent investigators for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the Mexican government actively harassed their workers and thwarted the inquiry into the case of 43 missing university students. The Mexican government disputes that view.  The program also discusses how remittances by Mexican migrants are not only more and more economically important, but also have become an issue in the U.S. during the presidential campaign.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations; andManuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andAssociate Producer: Jim Singer.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticsMexicoviolencekidnappingjusticecorruptionhuman rightsDrug Warpoliceextrajudicial killingsPanama PapersEnrique Pena NietoeconomicsmilitarytortureoilreformsPRIGuerreroPemexlaborremittancesmigrationelectionstradeimmigrationDonald TrumpUnited StatesUnited Nationsglobalization

Presidential politics and elections in Latin America provide the main themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program goes in-depth on this weekend's presidential elections in Guatemala and Argentina.  In Guatemala, comedian Jimmy Morales is the front-runner by a wide margin but some are asking if he is a true break with Guatemala's military past.  And in Argentina, Daniel Scioli leads the pack as the handpicked successor of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, but can he make his own way?  The news segment of the program covers the latest developments with the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Eric Olson of the Wilson Center; andPeter Hakim of the Inter-American Dialogue.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Technical Director: Jim Singer; andAssociate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.) (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin America electionspoliticscorruptionArgentinaVenezuelaGuatemalaChinaJimmy MoralesDaniel ScioliPuerto Ricodebt crisisChinaNicolas MaduroSandra TorresManuel BaldizonCristina Fernandez de KirchnerFront for Victory AllianceOtto Perez MolinaAlejandro Garcia PadillaNational Convergence FronteconomicsdefaultcrimemilitaryCICIGPeronistsjusticeoilU.S. SenateUnited Nationshuman rightscampaign financeMauricio MacriSergio MassainflationNestor Kirchnerprotest movement

Bill Frenzel Champion of Free Trade Award Carla A. Hills is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Hills & Company. Ambassador Hills served as U.S. Trade Representative (1989-93) in the Bush (41) Administration and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, in the Ford Administration. Over the years, Ambassador Hills has served on a number of publicly traded corporate boards and currently sits on one. She also serves on a number of not-for-profit boards including as Chair of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and of the Inter-American Dialogue; Co-Chair of the Council on Foreign Relations; member of the Executive Committee for the Peterson Institute for International Economics and of the Trilateral Commission, Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and member of the board of the International Crisis Group. Before entering government, Ambassador Hills co-founded and was a partner in a major Los Angeles law firm. She also served as Adjunct Professor at the University of California at Los Angeles Law School teaching antitrust law and co-authored The Antitrust Advisor, published by McGraw Hill. She received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, her law degree from Yale University, and studied at Oxford. She holds a number of honorary degrees, and in 2000, she was awarded the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor given by the Mexican government to a non-citizen.  

The United States and its participation in the Summit of the Americas this weekend provides the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. Although the summit has a specific agenda to deal with economic inequality in Latin America, experts expect that diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba, and U.S. relations with Venezuela will dominate what happens at this meeting. The news segment of the program covers deportations and extraditions concerning former members of the Salvadoran military who sought asylum from prosecution on human rights charges stemming from their actions in the Salvadoran Civil War.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center; andPeter Hakim of the Inter-American Dialogue.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Producer: Jim Singer; andProduction Assistant: Sierra Hancock.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.) (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericadiplomacypoliticsArgentinamilitaryimmigrationUruguayBraziljusticeMexicoCubaPanamaUnited StatesBarack Obamapovertyeconomicshuman rightsColombiaEl SalvadorCentral Americaeconomic sanctionsUNASURLuis AlmagroRaul CastroVenezuelaHondurasSummit of the Americasprisoners of warDrug WarChileGuatemalacrimeviolenceOASGuantanamoPeru

Today on The Gist, Slate’s Jacob Weisberg offers a brief eulogy to the New Republic. Plus, Michael Hobbes explains how his experiences with international development informed his feature in, oddly enough, the New Republic (RIP). Also: the legacy of Uruguayan President José Mujica, with Michael Shifter from the Inter-American Dialogue. His article is “Stop Trying to Save the World.” For the Spiel, the road ahead for campus victims. Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Authoritarian regimes are under siege in many parts of the world. Some have already given way and others are likely to follow. Building democracies in their place will not be easy or quick, and in some cases it will not happen in the medium term. Much has been learned about how to organize free and fair elections, but building the other institutions and the habits of democratic governance inevitably takes time. Some countries in transition face intense divisions that make democracy challenging to achieve. But the historic possibility of decisive movement from exclusionary and repressive rule toward more open, inclusionary and accountable democratic governance beckons in North and sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. Learning how unexpected transitions toward democracy were accomplished should be of great interest to those who want to understand, undertake or support democratic transitions today. Abraham F. (Abe) Lowenthal has combined two careers: as an analyst of Latin America, US-Latin American relations, comparative democratization and California’s global role, and as the founder and chief executive of three prestigious organizations—the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, the Inter-American Dialogue, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. He has also served as vice-president and as director of studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (New York), and as an official of the Ford Foundation in Latin America. He took his A.B., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard University and completed one year at Harvard Law School. He is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and an adjunct research professor at Brown University’s Watson Institute. He is currently preparing a book on “Rethinking US-Latin American Relations in an Age of Transformations,” and has co-edited a symposium volume on “Scholars, Policymakers and International Affairs” to be published by Johns Hopkins in 2014. This event was chaired by Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC, Chancellor of ANU.