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Latin America CorrespondentImplications & Consequences of US Policy in Latin AmericaLatin America Correspondent Jon Bonfiglio speaks to Richard McColl for the LatinNews Podcast. Support the show
2026-02-1139 min
The LatinNews PodcastLooking at US Policy for Latin America in 2026In a far-reaching conversation, this week on The LatinNews Podcast, we take a look ahead over 2026 and the possible implications and consequences of US policy towards Latin America. We ask, how does the US government justify working with a Venezuelan regime that so profoundly espouses the idea of 21st century socialism? Is there any move towards a restoration of democracy in Venezuela? How will President Trump's relationship with President Sheinbaum in Mexico develop and evolve? Will the US intervene in elections in Brazil, Colombia and Peru? And what of Cuba? Joining us this week is Jo...
2026-02-1039 min
The LatinNews PodcastContinuity for Costa RicaCosta Rica has long been the envy of its neighbors in Central America, enjoying economic stability and growth, dependency and security. As we approach the first round of Presidential elections on 1 February 2026, citizens now face the key question of whether they cast their vote for continuity or change?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we sit down with Ronald Alfaro Redondo, Professor of Political Science at the University of Costa Rica and researcher at the State of the Nation program, to discuss the upcoming elections and the legacy of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves.We talk...
2026-01-2741 min
Libre News of The WorldLibre News of The World. Friday the 16th of January 2026Subscribe today so you never miss an episode! Today on Libre News of The World we reported on Canada’s PM Carney Seeks Trade Rethink with China (https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/canadian-prime-minister-mark-carney-arrives-beijing-landmark-129198644), U.S. Military Seizes Sanctioned Tanker in Caribbean (https://apnews.com/article/e8aeea81891142fda5bb7f034811c2e4), Latin America Tension Grows Amid Global Pressure on Venezuela (https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/), and US–Dominican Republic Drug Security Agreement Continues (https://apnews.com/article/4c98841f8b2a1222ff0514014d0baf4f). In South America we covered Brazil Appoints New Justice Minister Amid Elec...
2026-01-1522 min
The LatinNews PodcastChile Under President-Elect José Antonio KastIn our first episode of 2026, we take a look at Chile under president-elect José Antonio Kast who is due to be sworn into office in March 2026, marking a significant swing to the Right in the Andean nation. Joining us on The LatinNews Podcast this week is Lucia Dammert, Professor of International Relations at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile. We discuss how Kast won the elections so convincingly and what were the failures of President Gabriel Boric. Will Kast open lithium to private investors, what are his solutions to rising crime in Chile and will he...
2026-01-1335 min
Javier Milei - Biography FlashBiography Flash: Milei Doubles Down on Shock Therapy and Trump Alliance as Polls Hit 60 PercentJavier Milei Biography Flash a weekly Biography.Javier Milei has spent the past few days doing exactly what defines his biography so far: doubling down on shock therapy at home, and ideological alignment abroad, with a flair for headline‑grabbing drama. According to LatinNews and Dawn, his government kicked off the year by launching a new monetary programme, tweaking exchange‑rate bands and putting into force the so‑called fiscal innocence or tax innocence law, designed to lure billions of undeclared “mattress dollars” into the banking system and beef up Central Bank reserves. These moves deepen Milei’s lo...
2026-01-0804 min
The LatinNews PodcastHonduras's Knife-Edge Presidential ElectionOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the recent presidential election in Honduras and explore why the incumbent party performed so poorly, the probable outcomes from this neck and neck contest between Salvador Nasralla and Nasry Asfura, the role of President Trump and the pardon of former president Juan Orlando Hernández. Joining us is Lucas Perelló, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University. This episode was recorded before the final vote tally was completed but explores the topics of corruption, drug trafficking, migration, declining remittances and...
2025-12-1645 min
The LatinNews PodcastArgentina Under President Milei: Two Years InArgentina's colourful President Javier Milei has been in power for two years and on The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at his record so far and possible outcomes for the future after a successful midterm elections and significant public approval for his mandate. Joining us is Carlos Gervasoni, Associate Professor and chair of Political Science and International Studies at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. We discuss Milei's role as a stereotypical outsider, Argentina's disastrous macroeconomic legacy and the political and institutional weaknesses in the country in addition to Argentina's role as a spoiler at m...
2025-12-0242 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhy Jamaica Will Recover After Hurricane MelissaOver the past 12 years, Jamaica has faced up to challenging hardships in order to earn hard won gains in terms of ordering the economy, reducing the debt to GDP ratio from 150% to 60% and reducing unemployment to 3.3%. It was, in short, an incredible success story. And then in November 2025, the island was struck by Hurricane Melissa, leaving the country in tatters. The two main industries of tourism and agriculture have been severely damaged and the outlook appears bleak.However, on The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Caribbean economist Marla Dukharan who believes, in spite o...
2025-11-1945 min
The LatinNews PodcastRodrigo Paz: A Presidency of Pragmatism over Ideology in Bolivia?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at the results of the recent presidential elections in Bolivia and the challenges ahead for president-elect Rodrigo Paz.Can this pragmatic leader respond creatively to tests including, a contracting economy, the current decline in the MAS party, the revisitation of diplomatic ties between the country and the United States, the Lithium question and regional relationships. In a far-reaching conversation with Martín Mendoza-Botelho, Professor of Political Science at Eastern Connecticut State University, we discuss Bolivia's immediate needs and how for the first time in a long time, the...
2025-11-0447 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Risk of Confrontation in Venezuela Rises Yet FurtherWhy is there a build-up of the US armed forces in the southern Caribbean? According to Dr. Evan Ellis, Latin America Research Professor and General Douglas Macarthur Research Chair at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, our guest on The LatinNews Podcast this week, this is about putting an end to a significant strategic threat to U.S. interests that are threatening the core of things that President Trump said he was going to defend, issues of migration and issues of drugs. For the Venezuelan people, the importance of restoring Venezuelan democracy, and it’s l...
2025-10-2154 min
The LatinNews PodcastGuyana's New Political ClimateNewly re-elected President Irfaan Ali will have to move fast on promises to convert his country's sizable oil income into tangible benefits for Guyana's poor, beyond huge prestige infrastructure projects. If President Ali is unable to capitalize and create a coherent development plan and enable a reorientation of Guyana's economy, there will be cause for concern, not least from Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the new WIN (the recently formed, We Invest in Nationhood party) who pulled in 25 per cent of the vote in the general election. Guyana’s offshore oil fields, discovered by ExxonMobil in 2015, have transformed the...
2025-10-0747 min
The LatinNews PodcastOne in Nine Live Under Criminal Governance in Latin AmericaOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at how criminal organizations offer basic order and security in Latin America and how decades of authorities resorting to repressive strategies in order to address underlying social problems have provided fertile platforms for criminal shadow governments. Misguided state policies have shown that political questions have to change and there is now the need to rethink how to deal with the engines powering criminal governance in the region. We discuss how mass incarceration and repression strengthens the criminal groups it aims to constrain. We are joined by Benjamin Le...
2025-09-2359 min
The LatinNews PodcastAn Uncertain Second Round of Elections in Bolivia AheadFollowing the historic defeat of the MAS in the first round of presidential elections in August 2025, Bolivians are left with two options to vote for, both to the right of centre. Former president Jorge Quiroga will face Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira in a run-off set to take place on 19 October 2025. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the results of the first round and explore some of the reason for the total collapse of the MAS party, we discuss the legacy of former president Evo Morales, who ruled Bolivia from 2006-2019, and his c...
2025-09-0947 min
The LatinNews PodcastMexico's Judicial Reform: A Future Headache for President Sheinbaum?In one of his final acts as president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador pushed through a contentious judicial reform. López Obrador celebrated the overhaul of the judiciary as a necessity and an important legacy of his government.A primary concern is that the reform weakens judicial independence, reducing checks and balances on the government. There are fears the election process could be open to political influence, reducing the judiciary’s autonomy from government and strengthening the Morena party's dominance. There are also concerns that organized crime groups could interfere in the election of judge...
2025-08-2644 min
The LatinNews PodcastPolitical Violence Increasing in ColombiaThreats of political violence and a deteriorating security situation are raising concerns as Colombia approaches its presidential elections in May 2026, while tensions with the United States have also increased. Security challenges are expected to weigh heavily on the upcoming electoral period.This week on The LatinNews Podcast, host Richard McColl speaks with Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Analyst for the Andes Region at International Crisis Group, who explains the factors behind the current situation in Colombia and offers recommendations for the months ahead.Follow LatinNews for analysis on economic, political, and security developments in Latin...
2025-08-1238 min
The LatinNews PodcastEconomic Stability in Paraguay but Corruption Remains an IssueUnder President Santiago Peña, Paraguay is enjoying economic stability, the fastest growth in Latin America, the lowest debt to GDP ratio in the region, a stable currency and the award of investment grade status for the first time ever. And, while this is impressive and cause for celebration, analysts are asking what the Paraguayan government is doing to combat corruption? On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Andrew Nickson, Honorary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies at the University of Birmingham and ask about Peña's successes and his shortcomings over...
2025-07-2949 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Ecuador's President Noboa Deliver?President Noboa’s victory in Ecuador seems to have owed a huge amount to his sweeping crackdown on organised crime, which has seen the military permanently mobilised against gangs. Insecurity is repeatedly identified as voters’ main concern. Can Noboa deliver? It's clear that Noboa stands and falls on security and voters gave him the benefit of the doubt that he needed more time and that his rival González would be too soft on crime. But, he has to deliver on this as well as addressing an increasingly fraught situation due to massive energy outages, the state of eco...
2025-07-1544 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Peruvian Government is Failing to Regulate Illegal MiningThe biggest threat to Peru's efforts to further tap into its vast copper ore reserves is the growing number of informal and illegal mining activities. Conflicts between property owners and concession holders have become a critical issue, and the Peruvian government is striving to find a balance. Peru's rich copper and gold ore reserves have attracted hundreds of thousands of small-scale miners, most of whom operate in areas where they do not own mining rights. It is estimated that 40 per cent of Peru's gold exports come from informal mines.Many use a temporary registration process called REINFO, w...
2025-07-0138 min
The LatinNews PodcastInequality and Marginalization on the Rise in Costa RicaSecurity and violent crime are the single most pressing issues on the minds of voters regarding the presidential elections in Costa Rica in February 2026 and so, on The LatinNews Podcast this week, we investigate the causes for these troubles - including inequality and marginalization - and what President Rodrigo Chaves has done to combat this. We discuss the broader trends in the region regarding the elections, Costa Rica's strong identity, Chaves' open admiration for President Bukele in El Salvador and the country's foreign policy plans. Joining us is Mary Fran T Malone, Professor in the De...
2025-06-1742 min
The LatinNews PodcastPope Leo XIV and his deep connections to Latin AmericaThe recent election of American Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church. Not only is Leo XIV the first pope from the United States, but he is also a pontiff deeply connected to Latin America, where he dedicated nearly forty years to pastoral work, particularly in Peru. In this respect, Leo would appear to be another Latin American pope and there is great excitement in the region resulting from his nomination. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask whether Pope Leo's deep connections to Latin America will ensure a...
2025-06-031h 16
The LatinNews PodcastThe Rise of the Far-Right in the Southern ConeHow much is historical revisionism in South America's southern cone responsible for a rise in the far-right in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay? What does this mean for the largely prevailing consensus on the brutality and the indefensible and egregious human rights violations perpetrated by the dictatorships in the 1970s and 1980s? Can we point to an amnesia of these periods which has contributed to a democratic backsliding in the region? Where do President Javier Milei, former president Jair Bolsonaro, Chilean politician Jose Antonio Kast, and others, fit into this? In this episode of the LatinNews podcast w...
2025-05-2251 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Importance of Chile's Pension ReformsAs if we hardly need reminding that Chile's controversial pension reforms were the focal point of protests at the heart of the civil unrest or "estallido social". This has been particularly incendiary in Chile with the AFP's origins dating back to the Pinochet dictatorship. Chile has always seemed like the Switzerland of Latin America, routinely topping regionally adjusted league tables, but obviously it was massively inequitable and the pension system bred particular resentment over time. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Nicholas Barr, Professor of Public Economics at the London School of Ec...
2025-05-0639 min
The LatinNews PodcastTrinidad and Tobago's Balancing ActOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the implications of mass deportations from the United States and the possible effects of this on Trinidad and Tobago's society, the current state of emergency due to violent crime as well as the upcoming elections in April. With the surge in gang-driven crime due to transnational drugs, arms and people trafficking, Trinidad and Tobago finds itself negotiating a precarious balancing act in managing the challenges of being located alongside Venezuela and adhering to demands from the United States. We speak to Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, an...
2025-04-2239 min
Simply Economics, from MexicoMexico’s Economic Struggles: Recession Risks and Trade TensionsIn today's episode, we delve into Mexico's looming economic challenges as Fitch Ratings predicts a GDP contraction for 2025. We explore the impact of U.S. trade tensions and the Mexican government's fiscal strategies. Despite some positive indicators like stable inflation and exchange rates, the threat of recession remains. Join us as we analyze the factors influencing Mexico's economic outlook and the potential for recovery in 2026.
Sources:
https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2679639-risks-rising-for-possible-recession-in-mexico-analysts
https://mexicobusiness.news/finance/news/mexico-lowers-growth-forecast-amid-trade-uncertainty
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/business/trumps-tariff-mexicos-economy-part-3needs-a-rethink-a-perspective-from-our-ceo-part-3/
https://www.latinnews.com/component/k2/item/105420.html...
2025-04-1804 minSimply Economics, from MexicoMexico’s Economic Crossroads: Trade Tensions and Future ProspectsIn today's episode, we explore the growing economic uncertainty in Mexico amid escalating trade tensions with the United States. We discuss the implications of new tariffs, the country's National Development Plan 2025–2030, and Fitch Ratings' forecast of a potential recession. Join us as we analyze the critical factors shaping Mexico's economic trajectory and the government's response to these challenges.
Sources:
https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2679639-risks-rising-for-possible-recession-in-mexico-analysts
https://mexicobusiness.news/finance/news/mexico-lowers-growth-forecast-amid-trade-uncertainty
https://www.latinnews.com/component/k2/item/105420.html?archive=3&Itemid=6&cat_id=836243%3Ain-brief-fitch-affirms-mexico-s-stable-outlook-but-notes-risks
https://macroattachment.cloud.itau.com.br/attachments/2b44fe...
2025-04-1804 min
The LatinNews PodcastWas Panama a Bad Deal for the United States?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a profound look at current events involving Panama, most notably the statements about the country made by President Trump. Was Panama a bad deal for the US? Is there a possibility of the US invading Panama in a second take on 1989's operation Just Cause? Does China control the canal? It's a sign of the times that we have to seriously consider the possibility of President Trump ordering an invasion of a democratic ally. So, we put Panama's diplomatic tensions with the US into a historical context and deconstruct m...
2025-04-0158 min
The LatinNews PodcastIs President Lula Out of Touch with Reality in Brazil?As his popularity continues to wane, President Lula appears as if disconnected to the new realities in Brazil as he faces the most testing time in his political career. The weakness of Brazil's currency, the rising cost of living, the disastrous municipal elections in October 2024, the fiscal deficit and investor concerns are all issues which Lula needs to face up to but, as yet, has been unable to address. This week on The LatinNews Podcast, we speak to Richard Lapper, author and journalist and expert on Latin America. Lapper speaks about the potential consequences of Lu...
2025-03-1845 min
The LatinNews PodcastCrucial Elections Ahead for SurinameSuriname will vote for a new president on 25 May 2025 in what are seen as crucial elections set against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and the forthcoming exploitation of potentially wealth-changing oil reserves for the country.Presently, there are 15 to 17 parties registered and in this episode of The LatinNews Podcast we provide an explainer of the main parties and political players, the most pressing concerns of the electorate such as the economy, healthcare and relations with Guyana. Joining us is journalist Ank Kuipers who provides us with insightful considerations of current events in Suriname. We delve i...
2025-02-2542 min
Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made SmallAdventure Travel with Richard McColl - Colombia Calling PodcastRichard McCollColombia Jack of All Trades!Colombia Calling PodcastRichard is a long-time freelance foreign correspondent based in Colombia, host of the Colombia Calling podcast and the LatinNews podcast, author of Colombia at a Crossroads and owner of two small guesthouses in Mompos...in addition to being a husband to Alba and father to two small boys.summaryIn this episode, Jason Elkins speaks with Richard McColl, a passionate advocate for Colombia and host of the Colombia Calling podcast. They explore Richard's journey from England to Colombia, discussing the...
2025-02-231h 04
The LatinNews PodcastMercosur & EU Trade Deal: Breakthrough or Breakdown?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the challenges ahead for Mercosur, Mercado Común del Sur (Southern Common Market), as this trading bloc seeks to sign a FTA with the EU despite opposition from several European nations and approval from others, political polarization and enmity between Argentina's President Milei and Brazil's President Lula. Does this new look deal being negotiated differ at all from the original one, what can we expect during this era of new international contexts with the government of President Trump in the USA, will Mercosur expand and will th...
2025-02-1145 min
The LatinNews PodcastWill the Milei Model in Argentina Be Exported to Other Latin American Countries?If we take President Milei's achievements in Argentina at his word, his policies have led to the reduction of inflation, created a fiscal surplus and a reduction of the country's credit debts. He has avoided impeachment, hyperinflation, reduced price indexes, controlled social unrest and carried out far-reaching austerity measures.Can President Milei consolidate stability, avoid problems with the exchange rate and maintain fiscal discipline in 2025 all in the lead up to mid-term elections in October?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Jorge Morgenstern, chief economist at Galicia MAS and formerly...
2025-01-2846 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhy Are El Salvador and Costa Rica Rethinking Mining Laws?Despite mineral production never having dominated the economies of Central American countries, change appears to be on the horizon. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we talk to Paul Harris, Americas editor for Mining Journal, Senior editor for Kitco and organizer of the Colombia Gold Symposium to hear his thoughts on upcoming decisions in El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Firstly, President Bukele's proposal to walk back his country's 2017 total ban on metal mining in El Salvador and encourage multinational firms to exploit gold deposits, meanwhile, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves submitted a bill to the unicameral N...
2025-01-1433 min
The LatinNews PodcastCuba's Current Wartime EconomyHundreds and thousands of Cubans have arrived in the US since 2022, power outages are becoming more frequent and the island does not generate enough from exports to pay for its imports, does anything remain of the "achievements of the Revolution" such as: health, education and social equality? On the LatinNews podcast this week, we speak to William LeoGrande, Professor of Government and a specialist in Latin American politics and the US Foreign Policy toward Latin America and ask: what next for Cuba and the regime? December 2024 is the 10th anniversary of Obama's decision to normalize re...
2024-12-1035 min
The LatinNews PodcastHow Will Latin America Fare Under President Trump?Specialists on Latin America are hopeful that the region will play a more central role in President Trump's foreign policy agenda. However, how does the importance of Latin America rank regarding the US pulling back from Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East? Can Trump's advisors have a unified view of US policy towards Latin America or can we expect a foreign policy forged through a prism of migration and drugs alone? This week on The LatinNews podcast we speak to Tom Shannon, formerly undersecretary of state for political affairs in the US Department of State, U...
2024-11-2653 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Tragedy in Haiti Is Growing Exponentially: A Security Intervention Against Gangs Is NeededThere are approximately 150 gangs in Haiti and between them have killed ten thousand people over three years, they control 80 per cent of Port au Prince and recent massacres have stunned even the most hardened observers. Presently there are 400 security personnel from Kenya, deployed in the country as a UN mission to support Haiti's police force, with a further 600 more due in November. The Kenyan force is underfunded and understaffed and the humanitarian tragedy for the Haitian people is set to continue. On the LatinNews podcast this week, we speak to Renata Segura, Program Director for Latin America a...
2024-11-1243 min
The LatinNews PodcastUrban Mobility: Latin America as a Creative IncubatorOn this week's LatinNews Podcast, we explore the themes of urban mobility, transport infrastructure, and social inequities in Latin American cities, and discover why cities in the region serve as creative urban incubators.We speak with Dr. Daniel Oviedo, Associate Professor at UCL's Development Planning Unit and an expert on economic and spatial inequalities in urban environments, about what can be done to make Latin American cities more inclusive, provide better opportunities for vulnerable populations, and improve social policy.Follow LatinNews for analysis on economic, political, and security developments in Latin America & the...
2024-10-2947 min
The LatinNews PodcastPresident Arévalo's Election: A Glitch in the MatrixBy all accounts, Bernardo Arévalo was not expected to win Guatemala's 2023 presidential election. The shock of his victory took the Guatemalan establishment by surprise, and his win has been described by Edgar Ortiz, an expert in constitutional law and political risk in Guatemala, and our guest this week, as "a glitch in the matrix."In his efforts to address Guatemala's widespread institutional corruption, rampant extortion, and poverty reduction, Arévalo has faced stiff resistance from the Pacto de Corruptos and Consuelo Porras, the current Attorney General. Arévalo recognises the need to modernise and democratise the Gua...
2024-10-1441 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhat Is China's Endgame in Latin America?China's engagement with Latin America is a complex and multifaceted relationship that is both broad and substantial. The PRC's use of commercial tools and instruments of State to create a global economic order that functions to its benefit has not gone unnoticed. So, this week on The LatinNews Podcast, we speak to Dr Evan Ellis, Latin American Research Professor at the US Army War College about China's goals, their support of illiberal regimes in the region, their ability to control risk and the APEC summit in Peru this November, before the G20 meeting in Brazil. Tu...
2024-10-0144 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Deadly Fragmentation of Mexico's Drugs TradeHow did Mexico get here? While all eyes are on the growing civil war within the Sinaloa Cartel, between those loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who was arrested on July 25, and the Chapitos, accused of betraying him, in order to understand current events in Mexico's fluid drugs trade, it's necessary to step back and take all of the information in careful context. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Benjamin Smith, Professor of Latin American History at the University of Warwick and author of: "The Dope: the Real Story of the Mexican Drugs Trade...
2024-09-1743 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Deadly Fragmentation of Mexico's Drugs TradeHow did Mexico get here? While all eyes are on the growing civil war within the Sinaloa Cartel, between those loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who was arrested on July 25, and the Chapitos, accused of betraying him, in order to understand current events in Mexico's fluid drugs trade, it is necessary to step back and take all of the information in careful context. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Benjamin Smith, Professor of Latin American History at the University of Warwick and author of: "The Dope: the Real Story of the Mexican Drugs Trade...
2024-09-1743 min
The LatinNews PodcastPre-electoral Instability and Economic Morass leave Bolivia in a Political LimboBolivians go to the polls on 1 December 2024 in a referendum to decide on the removal of fuel subsidies and to define whether to admit continuous or discontinuous presidential re-election. As if this weren't enough, on the same date, there are also judicial elections and another challenge to be clarified in the referendum is the shortage of dollars in the country. Everything points to a significant clash of politics and personalities between the current embattled President Luis Arce and former president Evo Morales as we gear up for the first round of presidential elections in August 2025. On...
2024-09-0337 min
The LatinNews PodcastPre-Electoral Instability and Economic Morass Leave Bolivia in a Political LimboBolivians go to the polls on 1 December 2024 in a referendum to decide on the removal of fuel subsidies and to define whether to admit continuous or discontinuous presidential re-election. As if this weren't enough, on the same date, there are also judicial elections and another challenge to be clarified in the referendum is the shortage of dollars in the country. Everything points to a significant clash of politics and personalities between the current embattled President Luis Arce and former president Evo Morales as we gear up for the first round of presidential elections in August 2025. On...
2024-09-0337 min
The LatinNews PodcastSanctions in Latin America: An Important Diplomatic Tool or Ineffective Economic Coercion?In theory, sanctions are designed to force governments to defend business interests, restore or seek democracy, respect human rights, protect the environment, fight corruption and tackle international crime and Latin America - according to a new report - is disproportionately targeted. "Sanctions in Latin America: the Regrettable Rise of a World of Prohibitions," a new report authored by Andrew Thompson a Latin America Analyst addresses the types of sanctions placed on countries and individuals or companies and groups in the region and the increasingly complex manners by which they are evaded. Tune in to The La...
2024-08-2049 min
The LatinNews PodcastSanctions in Latin America: An Important Diplomatic Tool or Ineffective Economic Coercion?In theory, sanctions are designed to force governments to defend business interests, restore or seek democracy, respect human rights, protect the environment, fight corruption and tackle international crime and Latin America - according to a new report - is disproportionately targeted. "Sanctions in Latin America: the Regrettable Rise of a World of Prohibitions," a new report authored by Andrew Thompson a Latin America Analyst addresses the types of sanctions placed on countries and individuals or companies and groups in the region and the increasingly complex manners by which they are evaded. Tune in to hear fr...
2024-08-2049 min
The LatinNews PodcastChile's Long Standing Historical DebtOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at what is being done to resolve the long standing conflict between the Chilean government and the Mapuche indigenous people, inhabitants of parts of south-central Chile, who have suffered from a policy of "pacification" which resulted in a tragic history of exterminations and displacement. Tracing its roots back to the time of Chile's independence from Spain in 1810, the Mapuche conflict has evolved over time and there is now an increase in violent acts as militant Mapuche groups seek greater recognition and rights to ancestral lands. The magnitude of...
2024-08-0658 min
The LatinNews PodcastChile's Long Standing Historical DebtOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at what is being done to resolve the long standing conflict between the Chilean government and the Mapuche indigenous people, inhabitants of parts of south-central Chile, who have suffered from a policy of "pacification" which resulted in a tragic history of exterminations and displacement. Tracing its roots back to the time of Chile's independence from Spain in 1810, the Mapuche conflict has evolved over time and there is now an increase in violent acts as militant Mapuche groups seek greater recognition and rights to ancestral lands. The magnitude of...
2024-08-0658 min
The LatinNews PodcastElections in Venezuela: Best and Worst Case ScenariosVenezuela will vote for a new president on 28 July in what will not be free and fair elections, that much is certain. But, which way will it go? On The LatinNews Podcast this week we explore some of the worst case scenarios facing Venezuela including the possibility of increased repression and massive voter fraud. Or, will Nicolas Maduro seek a negotiated exit for himself and his entourage? Joining us is Dr Javier Corrales, the Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor of Political Science at Amherst College to share his thoughts on the elections, the influence of external ac...
2024-07-2439 min
The LatinNews PodcastElections in Venezuela: Best and Worst Case ScenariosVenezuela will vote for a new president on 28 July in what will not be free and fair elections, that much is certain. But, which way will it go? On The LatinNews Podcast this week we explore some of the worst case scenarios facing Venezuela including the possibility of increased repression and massive voter fraud. Or, will Nicolas Maduro seek a negotiated exit for himself and his entourage? Joining us is Dr Javier Corrales, the Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor of Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts to share his thoughts on the elections, the influence of...
2024-07-2439 min
The LatinNews PodcastCould Petro’s Total Peace be Working?Colombia’s cluster of armed conflicts seem interminable on the surface but President Gustavo Petro, the country’s first leftwing premier and a former guerrilla himself, has made Total Peace (Paz Total) a cornerstone policy of his government in an attempt to pull the nation from continual asymmetrical conflicts scattered all about the territory. And while Petro’s approval rating sits at a perilous 32% at the half-way point of his tenure, behind the scenes, Total Peace, a sequence of parallel dialogues conducted with each warring faction, from left wing guerrillas to organized crime syndicates, may just yield some pos...
2024-07-0950 min
The LatinNews PodcastWill Claudia Sheinbaum Be Mexico's Continuity President?The Mexican electorate made history on 2 June by electing the country's first woman president in Claudia Sheinbaum, former Mexico City mayor, scientist, academic and protege of outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). Much has been reported about Sheinbaum's possible difficulty in distancing herself from AMLO's influence, but ironically, rather than giving her some freedom to pursue her own policies, her supermajority in Congress will mean that she is almost obliged to continue her predecessor's reform agenda. On the LatinNews podcast this week, we discuss the relevance of the election results and what these mean for...
2024-06-2538 min
The LatinNews PodcastSouth American Organized Crime: The Tren de AraguaOn this week's LatinNews Podcast, we discuss the reach and main characteristics of the Tren de Aragua criminal group, from its beginnings in the Tocorón prison in Venezuela, to its spread through South America. We speak to Chris Dalby, director of the World of Crime media company and publishing and expert on organized crime, about the reasons for the Tren de Aragua's startling growth, adaptability and violence. The Tren de Aragua currently control a broad criminal portfolio of crimes including drug trafficking, illegal mining, extortion, migrant smuggling, trafficking of women for sexual exploitation and kid...
2024-06-1140 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhat Is Behind Jamaica's Success Story?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at how Jamaica has turned its economy around to start enjoying strong growth, low unemployment, reductions in debt burdens and attracting investors. Marla Dukharan, a renowned economist and advisor on the Caribbean provides us with an impartial analysis of Jamaica's success story. And, while we can celebrate these advances, there are looming challenges for the island, in climate change and security, ahead. Follow LatinNews for analysis on economic, political, and security developments in Latin America & the Caribbean. Twitter: @latinnewslondon LinkedIn: Latin American Ne...
2024-05-2938 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhat is behind Jamaica's Success Story?On the LatinNews podcast this week, we take a look at how Jamaica has turned its economy around to start enjoying strong growth, low unemployment, reductions in debt burdens and attracting investors. Marla Dukharan, a renowned economist and advisor on the Caribbean provides us with an impartial analysis of Jamaica's success story. And, while we can celebrate these advances, there are looming challenges for the island, in climate change and security, ahead.
2024-05-2838 min
The LatinNews PodcastMurders Are Falling, Yet Insecurity Fears in Brazil Increase—What Can President Lula Do?Murder rates in Brazil have fallen under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but surveys show that people believe violence to have increased in the country. There is little trust in the police and judicial system, 64,2 million live in households with food insecurity, there have been more than 4 million cases of dengue in the first four months of 2024 alone, so how can Lula reduce the massive inequalities in Brazilian society, combat organized crime run from prisons and address poverty? On The LatinNews Podcast this week we speak to Graham Denyer Willis, Professor of Global Politics and Society i...
2024-05-1436 min
The LatinNews PodcastChallenges Ahead for Panama's StabilityOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we discuss the myriad of challenges facing a new government in Panama. Outgoing president Laurentino Cortizo is immensely unpopular and the victorious candidate in May's presidential elections will have to face up to growing public unrest due to corruption, the stuttering economy, climate change and its effects on the Panama Canal, mass migrations and the urgent need to find new resources for the country. We speak to Carlos Guevara-Mann, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Master of Science in International Affairs at Florida State University at the Republic of Pana...
2024-04-3044 min
The LatinNews PodcastNo Snap Elections in Belize as Prime Minister John Briceño Consolidates PowerSpeculation about a potential early election call in Belize has been dismissed by Prime Minister John Briceño. Тhе Рrіmе Міnіѕtеr’ѕ соmmеntѕ fоllоw thе Реорlе’ѕ Unіtеd Раrtу’ѕ (РUР) rесеnt vісtоrу іn munісіраl еlесtіоnѕ, in which thеу ѕесurеd а ѕіgnіfісаnt mајоrіtу over the United Democratic Party (UDP). Тhе РUР’ѕ ѕtrоng ѕhоwіng hаd lеd ѕоmе оbѕеrvеrѕ tо bеlіеvе thаt thе раrtу mіght саріtаlіzе оn іtѕ mоmеntum аnd ѕееk аn еаrlу mаndаtе frоm thе реорlе. This week on The LatinNews Podcast, we speak to Victor Bulmer-Thomas, Emeritus Profess...
2024-04-0932 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Environmental and Social History of Deforestation in the AmazonOn The LatinNews Podcast we discuss the Environmental and Social History of Deforestation in the Amazon and the Latin American region. In a far-reaching episode, we take a look at the tenurial structure, technologies and political regimes in understanding rapid forest conversions, and the complex dynamics of forest resurgence now found throughout the tropical world. Our guest, Professor Susanna Hecht is a specialist on tropical development in Latin America, especially the Amazon Basin and Central America. Her research focuses on the political economies of development ranging from corporate frontiers of cattle and export commodity agriculture (like soy, o...
2024-03-2648 min
The LatinNews PodcastAre President Noboa's New Measures Working for Ecuador?The combination of a weak state and strong criminal forces has led to a near-doubling of homicides each year in Ecuador since 2020 and the nation's murder rate for 2023 was around 40 per 100,000 people, making it the highest in Ecuador's history and therefore one of the most violent in Latin America. In this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Ivan Briscoe, Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Crisis Group and Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, a Fellow at Crisis Group, are President Noboa's new measures working for Ecuador? We cover details leading up to the cr...
2024-03-1239 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Dominican Republic: A Success Story of Democratic Politics in the RegionOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask Dr Jacqueline Jimenez Polanco, Associate Professor of Sociology at the Bronx Community College of the City University of New York, to what can we attribute the success of the anti-corruption and anti-impunity politics in the Dominican Republic? With elections on the horizon for May 2024, will the victor continue in the same vein of combating official corruption, addressing tensions with Haiti and protecting the country's all-important tourism revenue? We explore these topics and the historical background to current politics in the Dominican Republic. Dr Jimenez Polanco is the au...
2024-02-2748 min
The LatinNews PodcastUruguay: The Benchmark for Democracy in Latin AmericaOn The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Martin Weinstein, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at William Paterson University in New Jersey and author of dozens of books on Uruguay, his opinions on the upcoming presidential elections in Uruguay in October 2024. Uruguay is unlikely to lose its reputation as the "Switzerland of Latin America," however there are challenges ahead for the successful candidate in the elections, be they from the leftist Frente Amplio or right-of-centre Partido Nacional. These include the issues of security and narco-trafficking, continued tensions with Mercosur and an urgent need to reform the p...
2024-02-1350 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Challenges Facing Honduras and President Xiomara CastroOn this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Rosemary Joyce, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, how governable is Honduras considering the challenges facing the country and President Xiomara Castro? In reality, Hondurans can point to the 2009 coup against President Zelaya (current President Xiomara Castro's husband) as a pivotal moment of seismic proportions and consequences in Honduras' political landscape. After that moment, the country endured 12 years or three presidential terms of mismanagement under President Porfirio Lobo (now charged by the US with having taken bribes from narco-trafficking organizations) and President Juan Orlando H...
2024-01-3042 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan "Anarcho-Capitalist" President Javier Milei Deliver an Economic Miracle in Argentina?On the first LatinNews podcast episode for 2024, we welcome back Jon Farmer, Editor in Chief of Latin News to provide us with an in-depth look at Argentina's President Javier Milei, his election, his domestic policies, plans for the troubled economy, foreign policies and the relationship with the IMF. Milei was voted in as an indictment of the political class in Argentina, but can he pull off the economic miracle required to turn the country around, for how long can the people survive his austerity measures and finally is there a possibility that he may not see out h...
2024-01-1638 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Costa Rica's Straight-Talking President Rodrigo Chaves Stand Up to the Country's Political Elites?On the final episode of The LatinNews Podcast for 2023, we ask Ronald Alfaro-Redondo, a researcher in Political Science at the University of Costa Rica and at the State of the Nation Program, how Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves can build on popular discontent with the country's long-established political elites? Alfaro-Redondo leads us through a complex weave of issues facing President Chaves, not least regarding the political class in Costa Rica but also, the rise of populism in the region, his approval ratings, press attacks, the future of the welfare state and the presence of drugs gangs in C...
2023-12-0535 min
The LatinNews PodcastIs the Latin American Illicit Drug Business Changing?The illicit drug business continues to be profitable, violent and deeply embedded in the economies and political systems in Latin America and so, on the LatinNews podcast this week, we discuss the eight main headlines as explained in a new report written by Andrew Thompson, a journalist and political risk analyst covering the region. Thompson describes new factors in the drugs trade, including the evolution of the opioids market in the United States, the Chinese and Mexican role in the fentanyl supply chain, potential signs of weakness in the Colombian cocaine market, the importance of the triple fr...
2023-11-2144 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Panama Cope With Trends Affecting International Trade?The post-war era of growth has been replaced by a much more uncertain, nationalistic and dangerous world and nowhere is this more evident when it comes to the current trend of repositioning in the global supply chain network which therefore directly affects Panama and the Panama Canal. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask Andrew Thomas PhD, Professor of International Business at the College of Business at the University of Akron and author of "The Canal of Panama and Globalization: Growth and Challenges in the 21st Century," can Panama effectively respond to issues such as climate c...
2023-11-0729 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Panama cope with trends affecting international trade?The post-war era of growth has been replaced by a much more uncertain, nationalistic and dangerous world and nowhere is this more evident when it comes to the current trend of repositioning in the global supply chain network which therefore directly affects Panama and the Panama Canal. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask Andrew Thomas PhD, Professor of International Business at the College of Business at the University of Akron and author of "The Canal of Panama and Globalization: Growth and Challenges in the 21st Century," can Panama effectively respond to issues such as climate c...
2023-11-0731 min
The LatinNews PodcastNicaragua's Tropical Taliban Under Ortega and MurilloOn 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...
2023-10-2438 min
The LatinNews PodcastWho Is the Real Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador?Weaponizing social media with his own brand of populist authoritarianism, promoting cryptocurrency and imprisoning 70 thousand of his countrymen in order to pacify El Salvador's gang warfare, we ask, who is the real Nayib Bukele? Manuel Melendez-Sanchez, a PhD candidate in political science at Harvard University, joins us on the LatinNews podcast to discuss, not only Bukele's security policy - admired by some and abhorred by others - , but also his economic policy and concentration of power in El Salvador. Is El Salvador really the safest country in Latin America as President Bukele often claims?...
2023-10-1044 min
The LatinNews PodcastWill Guyana's Game-Changing Oil Wealth Be Used Wisely?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at what could go wrong with the administration of Guyana's oil wealth and whether such a tremendous windfall will be used to transform the economic and political landscape in the country. Incredibly, Guyana is set to quadruple its GDP by 2025, the same year as the next elections, so will the estimated 40 per cent of the population that lives in poverty see anything of this income? Anand Persaud, the Editor in Chief of the Starbroek News in Georgetown, Guyana discusses the possibilities, from a concentration of political power, co...
2023-09-2640 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhere Do Ecuador's Presidential Candidates Stand on the Issue of Extractive Industries and National Security?Debates on spiraling violence and the future of extractive industries dominate Ecuador's elections. On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask Carmen Martínez Novo, Professor at the University of Florida's Center for Latin American Studies: where do Ecuador's presidential candidates stand on the issue of extractive industries and national security? Bringing an expertise in indigenous rights and politics in Ecuador, Martínez Novo discusses the current spiral of violence in this electoral cycle in the country, the powerful and influential indigenous role in elections and the priorities of both presidential hopefuls, Luisa González and Da...
2023-09-1244 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Challenges Facing President Gustavo Petro in ColombiaOne thing is winning a presidential election and another is actually governing. President Gustavo Petro's approval ratings continue to fall, his coalition no longer has a majority, there are local elections ahead in Colombia in October and things do not look good. This week on The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Jenny Pearce, Research Professor at the Latin America and Caribbean Centre at the London School of Economics, how can President Petro face up to the barrage of challenges hurled at him by a strengthening opposition and at the same time commit to his "government of change" in t...
2023-08-2238 min
The LatinNews PodcastHope for Guatemala or More of the Same?On Episode 10 of The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Jo-Marie Burt, professor of political science and Latin American studies at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University about Guatemala's presidential elections. Guatemalans will vote on 20 August in the second round of the presidential elections in which establishment candidate Sandra Torres is pitted against outsider Bernardo Arevalo. We discuss the complex tangle of Guatemala's political landscape, the symbolic significance of Arevalo's surprise success in the first round and how the corporate authoritarian elites might swing the elections to their favoured candidate. S...
2023-08-0838 min
The LatinNews PodcastWhat Is Going On in Haiti?On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ask Renata Segura, Deputy Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Crisis Group and Diego Da Rín, Haiti expert at International Crisis Group, what is going on in Haiti?The prolongation of a series of corrupt governments has created an untenable situation consisting of three crises, economic, security and humanitarian. How can the cycle be broken to provide for the people of Haiti? Show Notes:• The current situation in Haiti?• The Haitian humanitarian crisis•...
2023-07-2540 min
The LatinNews PodcastNo Fair Elections in Sight for VenezuelaOn Episode 8 of The LatinNews Podcast we ask Ana Milagros Parra, political scientist and consultant based in Caracas, for her insights from on the ground in Venezuela where doubts abound about whether there will be primary elections in the short term in 2023 and how President Nicolás Maduro’s government is manipulating the political landscape to ensure total victory in 2024. Tune in for this and reflections on the mass migration from the country and the deep permeation of illegal armed groups from Colombia into illegal mining in Venezuela. Show Notes: • Upcoming electio...
2023-07-1139 min
The LatinNews PodcastHow Can Bolivia Industrialise Its Lithium Reserves?On Episode 7 of The LatinNews Podcast, we ask Diego Von Vacano, Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University: "How can Bolivia industrialize its Lithium reserves?" Can Bolivia position itself as the world leader for lithium extraction with a coherent and transparent policy and where do China, Russia and the USA fit into this puzzle? President Luis Arce would like to boost development in Bolivia - reaching out to the IDB, World Bank and others - but a political paranoia brought on by strong criticism from the outspoken former president Evo Morales is unsettling the political landscape. Tune...
2023-06-2734 min
The LatinNews PodcastDiscussing Mexico's President López Obrador's LegacyOn Episode 6 of The LatinNews Podcast, Pamela K Starr, Professor of International Relations at USC, Los Angeles, joins us to discuss President Lopez Obrador's legacy in Mexico. We look at the defining features of his tenure, the increase in the role of the military, resource nationalism, political polarization, threats to journalists and an assault on autonomous institutions such as the electoral authority. Additionally, we discuss Lopez Obrador's chosen successor for the 2024 elections: Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. Show Notes:• The Morena Party• Lopez Obrador’s most likely successor• Institutional Revolution...
2023-06-1339 min
The LatinNews PodcastNo Joy for Cuba as Economy Remains in a TroughDescribed as "hapless and stolid but hardworking" by Dr Emily Morris, President Diaz-Canel was re-elected to his post in April 2023 as life for ordinary Cubans remains increasingly difficult. On this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, Dr Morris discusses the political and economic effects of the nation's dual currency system and its end, if there are any possibilities of meaningful political reform there on the horizon and finally, the overwhelming sense of despair being felt by the Cuban population. Show Notes:• What is the dual-currency system?• Impact of the dual-currency on th...
2023-05-3036 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Santiago Peña, Paraguayan President-Elect, Effect Meaningful Change?Andrew Nickson, Honourary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies at the University of Birmingham and expert in Paraguay's politics joins The LatinNews Podcast on Episode 4 to provide an overview of the recent elections and some of the serious dilemmas facing the Colorado Party's president-elect Santiago Peña. On the home-front, can Peña combat the rampant corruption, drug-related violence, poor education levels and increase trust in government institutions - including accusations of fraud in the recent elections? And internationally, how will his government negotiate the terms of energy sales from the Itaipu dam with Brazil, cont...
2023-05-1639 min
The LatinNews PodcastThe Four Key Asks of Lula 3.0 in BrazilOn Episode 3 of the LatinNews Podcast we take a look at Lula 3.0 in Brazil and discuss the challenges facing the president. Richard Lapper, author of "Beef, Bible and Bullets, Brazil in the Age of Bolsonaro," joins us to discuss four main talking points, Brazil's relationship with China and Russia, the economy, the political difficulties within Brazil and finally, the environment and protection of the Amazon. Show Notes:• Brazil, China and Russia• Brazil's stance on the Ukraine invasion• Where will the economy growth come from?• Protection of the Ama...
2023-05-0343 min
The LatinNews PodcastCan Chile's President Boric Claw Back Support?On Episode 2 of The LatinNews Podcast, we discuss the challenges facing President Gabriel Boric as he seeks to regain the political initiative which has swung considerably in favour of the rightwing opposition. Freelance journalist and expert analyst on Chile, Andrew Thompson joins The LatinNews Podcast to share his thoughts on the issues most affecting Boric from protests by militant Mapuche groups, Chile's worsening security situation, economic inequality and his need to score a quick and effective win, soon. Can Boric succeed in getting his government's second attempt at a constitutional reform passed through a referendum in December 2023?
2023-04-1842 min
The LatinNews PodcastUnderstanding the Ongoing Political Crisis in PeruOn this, the first episode of the all-new LatinNews podcast, Jon Farmer, analyst and journalist, takes us through the reasons for Peru's current political crisis. We discuss several contemporary Peruvian presidents and their roles in today's unrest, beginning with current president Dina Boluarte and finishing with the Fujimori regime, taking in events along the way such as the Odebrecht scandal and the absence of any trust in the political class. Having seen six presidents in seven years, we ask, can the "Peruvian Paradox" continue, what does this mean for investment and tourism in the country and where can Peru...
2023-04-0440 min