Shows
Latin America in FocusA Crack in U.S.-Colombia CooperationColombia has long been considered Washington’s greatest ally in Latin America. But the Trump administration’s decertification of Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs and its revocation of the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro have brought tension to the once ironclad relationship. On this episode, Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, talks with host Carin Zissis in a conversation that takes stock of the bilateral relationship as Petro’s term draws to an end. With presidential elections scheduled for May, Guzmán also covers Bogotá’s relations with Beijing, Colombia’s role in regional s...
2025-10-1638 minLatin America in FocusEnergy and Security Go Hand in Hand in the CaribbeanThings are heating up in the southern Caribbean. Recent U.S. military strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels from Venezuela have compounded escalating tensions between Venezuela and its much smaller neighbor, Guyana, an emerging energy powerhouse, over the oil-rich Essequibo region. In this episode, former U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about U.S. interest in securing Guyana’s energy future, as well as the Amazonian territory’s rising geopolitical profile.Then, Dr. Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America Energy program at Rice University’s Baker Institute, contextualizes Guyana’s...
2025-10-0238 minLatin America in FocusNavigating Trump’s Tariff Tests—The Brazil EditionOn July 9, President Donald Trump threw 200 years of diplomatic relations with Brazil for a loop. Latin America’s largest economy got hit with the highest tariff in the region—a whopping 50 percent. But what truly got President Lula’s administration riled up was the U.S. government’s justification for the additional rate.“Talking with U.S. officials, they insisted that Brazil should give amnesty to the members of the attempted coup of January 8. Nobody told them that even if Congress passes that, it would be unconstitutional,” says Welber Barral, an international trade advisor and former foreign trade secret...
2025-09-1830 minLatin America in FocusNavigating Trump’s Tariff Tests—The Mexico EditionOn the one hand, Mexico’s President Sheinbaum has won praise for artfully handling relations with Trump administration, as well as standing out among global leaders for winning a 90-day tariff delay. On the other, more is at stake for Mexico than most countries, given that over 80 percent of its exports are U.S.-bound. And soon it will face a new challenge: a potentially turbulent review process of the trilateral USMCA deal. How will Mexico maneuver the treacherous waters ahead? We turned to a top expert, Kenneth Smith Ramos, for answers. A partner at Agon and Mex...
2025-09-1830 minLatin America in FocusHow a U.S. Tax Could Hit Latin American RemittancesTucked inside the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill is a proposed tax of 3.5 percent on remittances that could have major consequences for how much money Latin American immigrants can send home to their loved ones—and how they send it. “Immigrants are going to absorb that tax in order to keep sending money to their families [or] they could change the channels they use,” says René Maldonado, coordinator of CEMLA’s remittances program and consultant for the IDB’s migration unit.In this episode, Maldonado talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about shifting remittance trends in the r...
2025-06-2629 min
The Shortwave ReportThe Shortwave Report March 14, 2025This week's show starts with a report on Mexican President Sheinbaum being called the most powerful woman in the world, Ukraine continues drone attacks on civilians in Moscow, some Israeli parliamentarians want to occupy all of Syria, and US and South Korea step up military exercises.
This week's show features stories from Radio Deutsche-Welle, France 24, Radio Havana Cuba, and NHK Japan.
http://youthspeaksout.net/swr250314.mp3 (29:00)
From GERMANY- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been called the most powerful woman in the world. Her ability to hold back US tariffs and not reacting with retaliatory threats is part of her success...
2025-03-1428 min
KCSB NewsThe People's Program: What Trump's Tariffs Mean For MexicoTrump's sweeping 25% tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China will almost certainly raise prices for the American consumer. But how will Trump's tariffs impact America's biggest trade partner, Mexico? To learn more, The People's Program hosts Mexican political expert, Carin Zissis.
2025-02-1336 minLatin America in FocusBorders, Bargains, and Bluster: Did Trump's Day One Set the Tone for Latin America?President Donald Trump broke tradition at his second inauguration, inviting world leaders, including from Latin America, to attend. But his day-one executive orders initiated a bumpy ride for the region in 2025. What can Latin American countries expect of "America First?" On this episode, three AS/COA experts—Carin Zissis, Brian Winter, and Juan Cruz Díaz—discussed Trump's initial moves on the border and migration, possible Mexico tariffs, the Panama Canal, and his Latin American allies. Listen to the editor-in-chiefs of AS/COA Online and Americas Quarterly, as well as the managing director of Cefeidas Group, on how Trump's second pres...
2025-01-2336 min
Hoy es RiscoHoy es Risco | Lunes 04 de Noviembre de 2024En Hoy es Risco del lunes 4 de noviembre, en trasmisión especial de Grupo Fórmula desde Estados Unidos, Javier Risco conversó con Carin Zissis, investigadora en el Wilson Center y editora en jefa en el Consejo de las Américas y con Diego Marroquín Bitar, experto en el T-sobre MEC y relación México-Estados Unidos-Canadá sobre las elecciones presidenciales y la relación que México tiene con el país del norte. Sobre las encuestas, la colaboradora Lorena Becerra, experta en el tema y analista política, comentó que Kamala Harris y Donald Trump llegan...
2024-11-0443 min
Latin America in FocusLatAm in Focus at 200: What Do We Know about Electoral Trends in the Americas?Our latest edition of Latin America in Focus marks a major milestone: episode 200. Over the past eight years, we’ve covered a range of topics—and asked a lot of questions, including in our episode titles. For this episode, we decided to revisit three of those questions to see how we would answer them now. Half the world is going to the polls in 2024, so we focus on elections.Americas Quarterly Editor-in-Chief and AS/COA Vice President of Policy Brian Winter tells us why Latin America’s anti-incumbency trend may be coming to a close. Pew Research Center...
2024-08-2941 min
Latin America in FocusOn the Ground and Online: Venezuela's Electoral BattleSince he came to power 11 years ago, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has been stacking the decks in his political favor. But will he hit a wall in the July 28 election? The regime disqualified popular rival candidate Maria Corina Machado, yet a unified opposition is leading the polls. “[The Maduro government] could try to do a mega fraud, but the political costs, even within the ruling coalition, could be very high,” journalist and political analyst Tony Frangie Mawad tells AS/COA’s Guillermo Zubillaga in an on-the-ground view of the electoral competition.The fight to govern Venezuela is being...
2024-07-1831 min
Latin America in FocusHow Latin America Fits into the Biden-Trump BattleBuckle up: U.S. politics are headed for a bumpy ride. And the issue of migration, particularly at the U.S. Southern border, will significantly influence this year’s elections. In this episode, AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth moderates a conversation between two top political consultants—a Democrat and a Republican—to get a view of Latin America's impact on the U.S. electoral scenario. Doug Sosnik is senior advisor at The Brunswick Group and served as a political consultant for, among others top Democrats, former President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, Russ Schriefer, founding partner at Strategic Partners & Media, has ad...
2024-05-1636 min
Latin America in FocusHow the Dominican Republic Breaks Latin America’s Election MoldThe Dominican Republic’s Luis Abinader is one of the most popular leaders in Latin America, if not the world, so it may come as little surprise that Abinader appears to be on comfortable footing to win in the first round of the country’s presidential vote on May 19. But then again, the country’s political climate differs from that of the rest of Latin America in that presidents tend to be popular, elections don’t usually go to runoffs, and polarization levels remain low. In this episode, Temple University Professor Emeritus Rosario Espinal talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zi...
2024-04-2523 min
Latin America in FocusOnline Reach and Expat Votes in El Salvador’s Election2024 will be a big year for Latin American elections, and the first one takes place in El Salvador. Popular President Nayib Bukele is likely to win a race that showcases his regional—and global—influence. Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas’ Roberta Braga explains how Bukele’s social media strategy spreads beyond El Salvador’s borders and calls for a rethink of how online disinformation. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Michael Paarlberg delves into how that message is being received in the large Salvadoran diaspora, which is expected to vote in record numbers this year.This episode will be the first...
2024-01-2539 minLatin America in FocusTen Years in, What's the Future of Mexico's Morena Party?2024 doesn’t just mark Mexico’s biggest elections ever, but the tenth anniversary since Morena, the party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, became an official party. And it now faces a test: will it build on its expanding control or find itself reined in by Mexican voters in June 2024? In this episode, long-time pollster Lorena Becerra and CIDE political scientist Javier Aparicio cover whether Morena could become a hegemonic party akin to the PRI, the challenges for López Obrador’s chosen successor Claudia Sheinbaum and the opposition’s Xóchitl Gálvez, and where Mexico sits in Latin...
2023-12-1436 minLatin America in FocusBeyond the Boom: Latin American Writing in TranslationEarlier this year, Latin American literature lost a champion when Edith Grossman, one of the foremost Spanish language translators, passed away. Grossman not only translated some of the region's master writers, but she advocated for her profession and for the value of reading in translation. In this episode, two acclaimed translators, Megan McDowell and Esther Allen, speak about her legacy, the titles grabbing attention in the United States, the role of women authors in a current Latin American boom, and the connection between books in translation and events in the region today. Below is a list of a...
2023-11-3040 minLatin America in FocusDid Colombia’s Local Elections Spell Problems for Petro?On October 29, Colombians voted for mayors and governors across the country, and President Gustavo Petro’s candidates fared poorly in an election that many say served as a referendum on his leadership. Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, talks with AS/COA Online’s Jon Orbach about what we can learn from mayoral races in Bogotá and Medellín, how the overall results provide a window into the mood in Colombia, and why Washington should pay attention to the country’s domestic politics. This podcast was produced by Jon Orbach. Carin Zissis is the host. Luisa Leme...
2023-11-0917 minLatin America in FocusVenezuela’s Energy Sector Primes for a ThawOctober was a busy month for Venezuela. The United States eased sanctions on the country’s oil sector, the opposition and the Maduro regime sketched out an electoral roadmap, and María Corina Machado triumphed in the opposition primary. What does all this mean for the country’s energy sector? "I estimate that instead of getting half a billion dollars per month, they will be getting closer to a billion dollars per month. So, it's a very important amount of money that Maduro could use to improve his electoral chances by spending money for electoral purposes," says Franci...
2023-10-2631 minLatin America in FocusCan Carbon Markets Finance Brazil’s Green Transition?As the world falters in its 2015 Paris Agreement goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Brazil is helping turn the tide. As the country’s Senate approved a bill that would regulate companies releasing more than 10,000 tons of CO2 per year, it looks to start making a profit on emissions too. In this episode, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Emilio La Rovere talks to Luisa Leme about the benefits of putting a price on emissions, Brazil’s comparative advantage, and why Latin America needs to work with industrialized countries to get the world closer to a net-ze...
2023-10-1226 minLatin America in FocusDollarization, Inflation, and Voter Frustration in ArgentinaArgentines face a three-horse race when they vote for a president on October 22. Each contender has distinct ideas for resolving the country’s economic and security woes. One of those candidates— libertarian Congressman Javier Milei—has brought back the idea of dollarizing the country’s economy. Are voters open to the idea? In this episode, Reuters Correspondent Anna-Catherine Brigida speaks from Buenos Aires about how each candidate is pitching themselves to voters and the interplay between their supporters. “There is a break from some of the traditional parties and left-right,” she told Chase Harrison.Learn about Argentina’s 2023 vote wi...
2023-09-2822 minLatin America in FocusHow Women Won Political Parity in Mexico—and What Comes NextWith Mexico’s two main political alliances selecting Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez as their 2024 contenders, it’s looking likely that the country’s next president will be a woman. But already in Mexico, women hold a range of top political seats and have achieved gender parity in Congress. In this episode, Mónica Tapia talks with Carin Zissis about the history of how Mexican women carved a path to rising political representation, the role of a resurgent women’s movement, and the two women competing for the presidency. Tapia—co-founder of Aúna, an accelerator that helps women ga...
2023-09-1427 minLatin America in FocusWhat AI’s “Tectonic Change” Means for Latin AmericaArtificial intelligence may spark job loss fears across the Americas, but businesses and people in the region are increasingly adopting the technology. Ángel Melguizo, partner at Argia and Latin America advisor to UNESCO on ethics and AI, outlined what countries need to do to benefit from the AI revolution without leaving people behind. He also covers the urgent need for a “coalition of the good” in terms of AI regulation, and where Latin America stands on the matter.Learn more about the AS/COA Tech Series: www.as-coa.org/tech Hear our previous episode with Melguizo about t...
2023-07-2630 minLatin America in FocusGuatemala's Electoral CrossroadsGuatemalans head to the polls June 25 with their country’s democracy at a crossroads. Despite nearly two dozen presidential candidates on the ballot, three key contenders were eliminated and dozens of the country’s corruption-battling prosecutors and journalists face exile or imprisonment. What does this mean for the election? What is the U.S.’s role? How do Guatemala’s youth see their country’s prospects? Veteran journalist Juan Luis Font, a radio anchor with ConCriterio covering his country’s politics in exile, talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis,Learn more about Guatemala’s elections.Poll tracker: t...
2023-06-0728 min
Latin America in FocusLife after “Crossed Death” in EcuadorEcuador’s Guillermo Lasso chose to do something unprecedented on May 17, invoking a constitutional clause that dissolved the National Assembly and triggered a new set of elections for the executive and legislative branches. Now that he’s Lasso ruling by decree, what can Ecuadorans expect in this period of uncertainty? And who are the big players ahead of the upcoming election? Atrevia’s Quito-based Carmen Sánchez-Laulhé talks with AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison about the road ahead as the Andean country heads into uncharted territory.The music in this episode is "Yumbo," by Gerardo Gue...
2023-05-2421 minLatin America in FocusThe China-Taiwan Tussle in the AmericasWith Honduras having switched sides to Beijing in March 2023, only 13 countries worldwide recognize Taiwan over China. More than half are in Latin America and the Caribbean. Why are so many of Taipei’s allies based in the region? What happens after a country chooses China? And what do upcoming elections in Paraguay and Guatemala—the two biggest economies that still recognize Taiwan—mean for the future of this East Asian diplomatic tug of war? Florida International University’s Leland Lazarus, who served in U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. foreign service, answers these questions and more in a conver...
2023-04-1928 min
Why It MattersSilencing the Messenger: Global Threats to Press FreedomFreedom of the press is under attack around the globe, but for journalists in Latin America in particular, reporting has become a matter of life and death. Populist leaders in the region have consolidated power and clamped down on press freedom, making the area the deadliest in the world for reporters. With anti-journalist sentiment on the rise, can a free and fair press prevail in an increasingly polarized world?
Featured Guests:
Neil Brandvold (Documentary Filmmaker and Photojournalist)
Jan-Albert Hootsen (Mexico Representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists)
Carin Zissis (E...
2023-04-1330 min
Latin America in FocusCould a Clash over Corn Upend U.S.-Mexico Trade Ties?When thinking about challenges for U.S.-Mexico ties, corn might not be the first thing to come to mind. But a simmering trade dispute over a potential Mexican ban of GMO corn could have enormous consequences for these intertwined economies. In this episode, North American trade expert Diego Marroquín tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about the potential impact of such a ban and why the case is a “litmus test for Mexico’s commitment to USMCA.”The music in this podcast is performed by Tembembe Ensemble Continuo for Americas Society. Watch the video of this pe...
2023-03-1521 minLatin America in FocusWill the Anti-Incumbency Wave Reach Argentina and Guatemala?What’s the mood on the ground in Guatemala and Argentina, both of which hold presidential elections this year? Given voter dissatisfaction, will they follow the regional trend of backing the other side and bucking the status quo? Universidad del Valle de Guatemala’s Marielos Chang tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why voters in the Central American country are frustrated by corruption and a dizzying array of political parties. Meanwhile, Cefeidas Group’s Juan Cruz Díaz talks with AS/COA’s Luisa Leme about what to watch in the race for the Casa Rosada and why runaway inflation w...
2023-02-0232 min
Latin America in FocusMexico's March toward the 2024 ElectionFrom the presidential state of the union to Independence Day, September in Mexico is a politically momentous time. This year, it saw President Andrés Manuel López Obrador usher through a deepening military control over public security just in time for independence celebrations. In this episode, political analyst Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about AMLO’s military moves, the building of his legacy, and how it all relates to a 2024 presidential race that’s already well underway.
Listen to a prior episode with Bravo Regidor about AMLO’s first 100 days in office...
2022-09-1330 min
Latin America in FocusReissue: Emily Hersh on Whether Latin America Can Power Up Its Lithium ProspectsLatin America in Focus is taking a break to recharge and we’re reissuing one of our favorite episodes this year. We hope you get a chance to take time off and that you can join us for new episodes soon about Brazil’s elections, Chile’s constitutional vote, and more.
Demand for lithium is expected to keep growing exponentially in the race to ensure we can power our smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. That could be a boon for Latin American economies, home to the lithium triangle countries of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. But of course, things...
2022-07-2830 min
Latin America in FocusWhy Is Mexico Holding a Presidential Recall Vote?Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has long pledged that voters would get to decide whether he should finish his six-year term. One constitutional reform and millions of signatures later, they’ll get to do just that in a recall vote on April 10. But, given that all signs point to voters of all stripes agreeing he should finish his time in office, why hold it? Journalist and political analyst Fernanda Caso of Gatopardo and Latitud 3°12 shares answers with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis.
See AS/COA’s tracker of AMLO’s approval: t.ly/mH9E
...
2022-03-2329 min
Latin America in FocusCan Latin America Power Up Its Lithium Prospects?Demand for lithium is expected to keep growing exponentially in the race to ensure we can power our smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. That could be a boon for Latin American economies, home to the lithium triangle countries of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. But of course, things aren’t always that simple. Luna Lithium’s Emily Hersh talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about statist approaches, environmental worries, community concerns, and prospects for a lithium OPEC.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its member...
2022-01-3130 min
Latin America in FocusRewriting Mexico’s Security and Energy AgendasOctober 2021 opened with big shifts in areas high on Mexico’s agenda: security and energy. Both issues are, arguably, the most crucial to the country’s future course. In conversations with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis, UC San Diego’s Cecilia Farfán-Méndez covers what’s new—and not so new—in an updated U.S.-Mexico security accord while Montserrat Ramiro, former commissioner of Mexico’s energy regulatory agency, gets into why a new electricity reform is sparking discord.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or it...
2021-10-1340 min
Latin America in FocusThe Midway Point for Mexico's AMLOLuis Rubio, president of México Evalúa, joins AS/COA’s Carin Zissis to dig into how President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will work with a newly elected legislature as he shapes his legacy halfway into his presidency, as well as how U.S.-Mexico relations do—and don’t—work as a check on the Mexican leader’s power.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: h...
2021-09-0133 min
Proyecto 195471. Enfoque Institucional en la Relación BilateralEntrevista con Carin Zissis, Editor in Chief para AS/COA
Platicamos sobre el estatus de la relación entre México y EUA, pasando por los temas complejos y las oportunidades que vemos en la misma. Analizamos el cambio que se dio en el enfoque institucional de la relación bilateral, con la llegada de la administración Biden
2021-07-0529 min
Latin America in FocusA Pre-Midterm Pulse Check on the Mexican ElectorateWith Mexicans casting ballots for roughly 21,000 seats nationwide, the June 6 elections give voters a chance to assess President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s political movement nearly halfway through his presidency. El Financiero pollster and ITAM political scientist Alejandro Moreno tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis covers what polls show about shifts in support, the pandemic’s impact, polarization, and more.
Learn more about the 2021 Latin American elections at: www.as-coa.org/2021
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follo...
2021-05-2732 min
Latin America in FocusHow the Pandemic Boosted Financial InclusionThere may be few silver linings to the pandemic, but accelerated financial inclusion in Latin America is one of them. In this episode, Luz Gomez and Arturo Franco of Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth tell AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis how COVID-19 compressed a decade’s worth of financial inclusion achievements into one year, and why the progress is crucial in a region that has long battled informality.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media...
2021-03-1626 min
Latin America in FocusWhat’s on the Horizon for U.S.-Mexico Ties in a Biden AdministrationFrom tensions over the U.S. investigation against a Mexican general to reversing the Trump administration's immigration policy, there are plenty of pressing topics on the U.S.-Mexico agenda. COMEXI President and Mexico’s ex-Deputy Minister for North America Sergio Alcocer tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis how bilateral relations could shake out in 2021 and beyond.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/comp...
2021-01-1925 min
Latin America in FocusHow Data Voids Exploit the Latino VoteIf there isn’t quality, factual content on a topic, trolls and bots will be there to fill the gap with disinformation on online platforms. Claudia Flores-Saviaga, a Facebook fellow and PHD candidate at West Virginia University, tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis what that meant for Latino voters in the 2020 U.S. election and for Spanish speakers overall, as well as ways to stop the spread of disinformation.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X...
2020-11-1817 min
Latin America in FocusHow Business Schools Adapt in Times of CrisisThe pandemic is upending education as we know it. But even before COVID-19 hit, political unrest sparked by economic and social inequality proved the desire for a conscientious approach to business. In this episode, Joanne Li of FIU Business and Ignacio de la Vega of Tecnológico de Monterrey’s EGADE tell AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis how their programs are adapting to both COVID-19 and the drive for compassionate leadership.
Watch the deans’ participation in an AS/COA panel on business schools in the Americas:
www.as-coa.org/bizeducation
Opinions expressed in this podc...
2020-09-1635 min
Latin America in FocusThe Strange Case of El Salvador's Plummeting Homicide RateWas President Nayib Bukele’s tough-on-crime approach the reason behind El Salvador’s murder rate dropping 60 percent during his first year in office? International Crisis Group’s Tiziano Breda tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis there’s more to the story.
Read the report co-authored by Breda titled “Miracle or Mirage? Gangs and Plunging Gang Violence” here: https://bit.ly/3jQMi0n
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @as...
2020-07-2929 min
Latin America in FocusShining a Light on Police Abuse In MexicoEarlier this month, as demonstrators across the United States took to the streets to oppose police violence, Mexico was witnessing protests of its own following the extrajudicial killing of a construction worker by police in Guadalajara. Roberto Hernández, a lawyer and co-director of the film Presunto culpable, delves into the findings of World Justice Project report showing the high rate and underreporting of police brutality. As he tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis: “Mexico is using torture and ill treatment as investigative tools.”
Get the WJP report: https://bit.ly/3hDdQW3
Opinions expressed in this...
2020-06-1831 min
Latin America in FocusDr. Julio Frenk on the Coronavirus Pandemic in an Age of Populism“We need to understand that health security is national and global security,” says the University of Miami president, a former health minister of Mexico and dean of Harvard University’s School of Public Health who has held decision-making roles during a number of pandemics. Dr. Frenk tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis that, with a fraction of what’s been lost in the stock market during this pandemic, “we could have competent surveillance and preparedness systems. But again, this is the invisible part of the health system. It’s the thing that we only notice when it fails.”
Learn more abo...
2020-03-1629 min
Latin America in FocusMexico’s Fight against Femicide Reaches a Boiling PointAbril, Ingrid, Fátima. It’d take seven more names to get to 10—the average number of women killed daily in Mexico. Though the country poured resources into battling the violence, the femicide rate rose 138 percent from 2015 to 2019. And women are taking to the street to demand action. EQUIS Justice for Women’s Ana Pecova talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about why Mexican institutions have failed to stop rising femicide, as well as the changes needed to turn the tide.
Read Pecova’s award-winning piece, “Derechos de papel.” https://bit.ly/2VFTJOC
Opinions expres...
2020-03-0337 min
Latin America in FocusWhat's on the Docket for Latin America in 2020?2019 closed with disruption and discontent across much of Latin America. If we didn’t see last year’s wave of protests coming, what are the stories we’re overlooking as 2020 starts? James Bosworth, author of Latin America Risk Report and founder of Hxagon, talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about what to watch in the coming year.
Get the Latin America Risk Report newsletter: https://boz.substack.com/
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on socia...
2020-01-1422 min
Latin America in FocusReissue: Carlos Bravo Regidor on the Start of AMLO's PresidencyAs Andrés Manuel López Obrador rounds out his first 100 days in office as president of Mexico, CIDE’s Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA's Carin Zissis about his popularity, use of corruption as a political weapon, “omnipresence” through message control, and nostalgia. “He has this fantasy that he’s going to be able to choose his place in posterity,” says Bravo Regidor.
Follow Carlos Bravo Regidor on Twitter: twitter.com/carlosbravoreg
Learn more about AMLO’s first 100 days: www.as-coa.org/amlo100
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of...
2019-12-2644 min
Latin America in FocusMarie Arana Talks Silver, Sword, and StoneMarie Arana’s Silver, Sword, and Stone takes the readers from pre-Columbian times through the region’s conquest, independence movements, dirty wars, and right down to the present. In doing so, the book explores three driving forces in the region’s history: mining—and particularly mining, violence, and religion through the tales of three contemporary Latin Americans. In this episode, the award-winning author tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why she wrote this sweeping history now. Find out more about her work at www.mariearana.net.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of America...
2019-10-1023 min
Latin America in FocusExplaining Mexico’s National GuardMexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made a campaign pledge to stop using the military for policing. But last month, he inaugurated a National Guard—a force he plans will be 150,000 strong. But does it offer something different from prior security policies? UC San Diego’s Cecilia Farfán-Méndez explains the National Guard to AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedI...
2019-07-1728 min
Latin America in FocusMaking Sense of a New U.S.-Mexican Migration DealDonald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Mexican goods is over—for now. The next question is how a U.S.-Mexican deal seeking to stem migration will take shape. Mexico Security Initiative’s Stephanie Leutert tells host Carin Zissis why Mexico might succeed at slowing Central American migration—if only in the short term.
Listen to our previous episode with Leutert covering the migrant caravan crisis: https://bit.ly/2yv74wz
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follo...
2019-06-1131 min
Latin America in FocusWho’s In and Who’s Out in Guatemala’s Presidential RaceIt’s become known as the week that changed everything, or at least everything in Guatemala’s presidential race. In mid-May, two of the country’s three leading presidential candidates were disqualified from running. That leaves one woman, Sandra Torres, standing as the frontrunner. But she doesn’t necessarily have it in the bag. Political scientist Marielos Chang tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis who’s in and who’s out ahead of the June 16 vote.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow...
2019-05-3031 min
Latin America in FocusSizing Up the Start of AMLO's PresidencyAs Andrés Manuel López Obrador rounds out his first 100 days in office as president of Mexico, CIDE’s Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA's Carin Zissis about his popularity, use of corruption as a political weapon, “omnipresence” through message control, and nostalgia. “He has this fantasy that he’s going to be able to choose his place in posterity,” says Bravo Regidor.
Follow Carlos Bravo Regidor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlosbravoreg
Learn more about AMLO’s first 100 days: www.as-coa.org/amlo100
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily refl...
2019-03-0744 min
Latin America in FocusWhat to Expect from an AMLO PresidencySince Andrés Manuel López Obrador won the election by a landslide in July, observers have been looking for clues about whether the incoming president, who takes office December 1, will end up being a populist or a pragmatist. Former Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why Donald Trump and AMLO have gotten along so far—and what might burst the bubbles. Plus, Speyside Mexico’s Amy Glover explains why AMLO is giving the private sector the jitters, but why we should give the new administration a chance.
Follow Sarukhan for commentary: https://twitter.com/Artu...
2018-11-2941 min
Latin America in FocusAmid Caravan Crisis, a Look at Mexico's Migration PolicyThousands in a migrant caravan are making their way on foot, through tear gas, and over rivers to get from Central America to the United States. "They know what they're facing when they hit Mexico, they know what they're facing with the Trump administration…and they keep moving forward," Stephanie Leutert, Mexico Security Initiative director at UT Austin’s Strauss Center, tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis in an episode that takes stock of Mexico’s migration policy as it prepares for a new president.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Ameri...
2018-10-2239 min
Latin America in FocusMORENA Holds the Cards in Mexico’s New CongressOn September 1, Mexico witnessed the historic opening session of a new federal Congress. Why historic? Because it represented an upending of the prior party system. With sweeping wins in the July elections, MORENA, the party of incoming President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, holds a solid majority in both houses. Odracir Barquera, who served as a chief of staff in the last Senate, talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about changes in the legislature, who can be a counterweight, and gender parity in Congress.
For more on Mexico’s elections, visit: www.as-coa.org/mxelex
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2018-09-0428 min
Latin America in FocusWhy Mexico's Election Will Redraw the Country's Political MapThe closer we get to Mexico's July 1 vote, the more Andrés Manuel López Obrador's poll lead grows, and some 3,400 seats are up for grabs-about 60 percent more than in the 2012 vote-which helps MORENA, AMLO's political party. "MORENA will have a lot of jobs to offer," pollster Jorge Buendía told AS/COA's Carin Zissis in Mexico City. "And the question here is, then what are going to be the checks and balances on López Obrador?"
Check out Oraculus' "poll of polls." https://oraculus.mx/
Access our Mexico Election Guide. http://www.as-coa.org/mxelex
2018-06-1234 min
Latin America in FocusPut a Little Trust in MexicoIt’s election time in Mexico, and that means mudslinging and memes. It also means an unhappy electorate. A study found that Mexicans are more distrustful of their government than people in any of the other 27 countries surveyed, Edelman México’s Mariana Sanz tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis. But certain sectors shine in Mexicans’ view and one is civil society. Gabriela Hernández Cardoso of Méxicos Posibles explains a new citizens’ initiative and its hope to tackle the country’s problems of illegality, insecurity, and inequality.
Access Edelman’s 2018 Trust Barometer: https://bit.ly/2GdgNwS
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2018-03-2231 min
Latin America in FocusBack to the Future in Chile and El Salvador?In Chile, center-right Sebastian Piñera replaces center-left Michelle Bachelet as president on March 11. Meanwhile, El Salvador’s March 4 legislative and municipal elections saw conservative parties picking up seats at the governing party’s expense. But, in both cases, to what degree did voters turn right and to what degree did they turn against the parties in control? Carin Zissis speaks with American University’s Héctor Silva Ávalos about what El Salvador’s election means for next year’s presidential race and Elizabeth Gonzalez talks with NYU’s Patricio Navia about what Piñera will seek to accomplish in his first 100...
2018-03-0843 min
Latin America in FocusFrom Elections to Trade, Latin America's Big 2018 StoriesIf 2017 was the year that changed the United States, 2018 will be the year that could change Latin America. A wave of elections will wash across the region, with voters choosing between the status quo and a rising tide of outsiders. All of this takes place as the United States increasingly looks inward, sparking questions about NAFTA’s fate and China’s global role. AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis hosts our first podcast of the year in which Luisa Leme talks with Americas Quarterly’s Brian Winter about the region’s packed electoral calendar, Eric Farnsworth of COA’s Washington o...
2018-01-1152 min
Latin America in FocusGetting Ready for the Next Big Earthquake in Mexico CityOn September 19, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook Mexico City to its core, but also showed strides made since the last big one in 1985. “There is, of course, always room for improvement,” says 100 Resilient Cities’ Eugene Zapata-Garesché. He talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about how the capital can learn from the most recent disaster to ready itself for inevitable future quakes.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn...
2017-10-1822 min
Latin America in FocusMexico’s Big Year Ahead2017 has been turbulent for Mexico, thanks in part to a new occupant in the White House. From NAFTA negotiations to presidential elections, there’s much at stake in the coming year as well. Victor Herrera, the former office head for S&P’s Global Ratings in Mexico City, speaks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about Mexico’s big issues to watch.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinke...
2017-10-1224 min
Latin America in FocusWhat to Watch in NAFTA NegotiationsThe Peterson Institute’s Gary Hufbauer talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about the ins and outs of NAFTA renegotiations, covering everything from rules of origin to trade deficits, as well as explaining how U.S. President Donald Trump could actually make good on his threats to withdraw from the 23-year-old deal.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Blue...
2017-08-3031 min
Latin America in FocusJorge Castañeda Portends Changing Times for MexicoWhat’s the next step for Mexico in its 10-year-old drug war? What would it take to end the country’s corruption epidemic? Who will win the 2018 presidential election? Jorge Castañeda, ex-foreign secretary of Mexico, spoke with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis, sharing answers to these questions and how they relate to turbulence in U.S.-Mexican ties under the Trump administration.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoa
2017-02-2712 min
Latin America in FocusWhat's Ahead for Mexico's Economy in the Trump Era?Something surprising happened with the Mexican peso since Donald Trump took office. The currency, which took a beating during the U.S. election, started making gains. So what’s ahead for the Mexican economy? Jorge Suárez-Vélez, a columnist with El Financiero, tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis what’s working for and against Mexico as we begin the Trump era.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinke...
2017-02-1018 min
Latin America in FocusMillennials and the Future of Mexican ElectionsWhile pundits piece together what was behind a Trump win in the U.S., Mexicans are looking ahead to their 2018 presidential vote. The results could be just as hard to predict, thanks to shifting political views held by millennials. Nacion321’s Alejandro Moreno and Pancho Parra tell AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis why Mexico’s next election belongs to that generation.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinked...
2016-11-1127 min
Latin America in FocusBreaking Gender Norms in the Field of LawCristina López was 29 when she and a group of women colleagues defied a gender norm and started a law firm. Nine years later, it’s become one of Panama’s leading legal firms and continues to be run by women. López spoke with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about what sets apart an all-female firm.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/comp...
2016-10-1911 min
Latin America in FocusKeeping Mexico City from the Brink of DisasterEarthquakes. Floods. Traffic. Pollution. Mexico City is prone to its fair share of hazards. But how does a metropolitan area that's home to 20 million people not only respond to them but also prepare to mitigate the risks? With a resilience strategy. AS/COA Online's Carin Zissis spoke with Mexico City's Chief Resilience Officer Arnoldo Matus Kramer about the capital's new resilience plan, starting with how to explain the concept in the first place.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow...
2016-10-0619 min
World Politics ReviewWhat Trump, and Many Americans, Don’t Get About U.S.-Mexico TiesIn this week’s Trend Lines podcast, WPR’s Judah Grunstein and host Peter Dörrie discuss Thailand’s new constitution, Zambia’s tense presidential election campaign, and Guatemala’s fight against corruption. In the Report, Carin Zissis looks at Mexico’s image problem and its implications for U.S. ties.
2016-08-1233 min
Latin America in FocusThe Intertwined Nature Of U.S.-Mexico TiesDiego Gómez Pickering spoke with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about the message that Mexico is working to get out about close ties with the United States. “Nowadays we cannot talk of the Mexican economy and the American economy separately,” he says. “If jobs are lost here, jobs are lost in Mexico. If we create jobs in Mexico, jobs are created here in the United States.”
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOA
2016-07-1514 min
Latin America in FocusThe Agenda for the North American Leaders' SummitDays after British voters backed Brexit, the heads of state of Canada, Mexico, and the United States meet for the North American Leaders' Summit. Integration's benefits count as one issue on their full agenda, explains Council of the Americas' Eric Farnsworth to AS/COA Online's Carin Zissis.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://w...
2016-06-2716 min
Latin America in FocusThe Trump Threat to North American SecurityWhat do you do when a U.S. presidential candidate makes bashing your country a campaign centerpiece? Try to set the record straight. Agustín Barrios Gómez, Mexico Image Foundation president and former Mexican congressman, talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about the risks involved with damaging the U.S.-Mexican relationship.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/B...
2016-06-2223 min
Latin America in FocusMexico’s Evolving Marijuana LawsAlejandro Hope, El Daily Post’s security editor, speaks with Carin Zissis about how national-level changes in drug policy in the Americas have an impact on global policy. He predicts a large portion of the legislation that underpins marijuana prohibition in Mexico today will eventually be declared unconstitutional.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: htt...
2016-04-1410 min