Latin America Commentary & Analysis

Atlantic Council Poll Finds Bipartisan Support for Wider Cuba Opening

By Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

With presidential races heating up in key primary states, the Atlantic Council’s new US-Cuba poll of voters in America’s heartland finds majority support in both parties for further opening trade, travel, and investment with Cuba. Voters in Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa—though they largely consider the United States on the ‘wrong track’—strongly favor lifting trade […]

Social Progress Reconsidered: What Really Is Success?

By Roberta Braga

Economic growth has improved the lives of millions worldwide, yet it has become increasingly clear that measures of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are not the sole indicators of a society’s growth and well-being. In considering social progress, it is important to account for citizens’ access to basic necessities, to knowledge, and to opportunities for growth. […]

In Argentina, a Promise of Change

By Ashish Kumar Sen

It is little surprise that Argentina’s presidential elections have gone into a second round, but what is startling is the narrow margin between the two leading candidates—both of whom promise change, one more so than the other. Daniel Scioli, endorsed by Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner who is barred from seeking a third term, […]

Guatemala’s New President Faces His Biggest Challenge: Governing

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Jimmy Morales, a former comedian, has won a landslide election victory to become the next President of Guatemala. That was the easy part. Now comes the hard part: governing. Morales won twice the number of votes than his opponent, former First Lady Sandra Torres, in a runoff election on Oct. 25. He will take office […]

Spotlight: Argentina

By Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Read the Spotlight OnlineArgentines go to the polls on October 25 for what is shaping up to be one of the most important elections in years. Whoever wins — either this Sunday or in a likely November 22 runoff — will end the twelve-year Kirchner era. Who will tango their way into the Casa Rosada? […]

Biden: Colombian President Santos a ‘Man of Peace’

Remarks* by Vice President Joe Biden at the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards Ceremony, October 1, 2015 The American Museum of Natural History New York, New York      THE VICE PRESIDENT:  If you applaud much more, that whale is going to fall out of the sky.  (Laughter.)       Thank you for that gracious introduction.  I’m […]

Colombian President Santos’ Quest for Peace

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award recipient shunned popularity in bid for peace with leftist guerrillas The Atlantic Council will honor Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos with its Global Citizen Award in New York on October 1 in recognition of his unwavering commitment to make peace with leftist guerrillas and end Latin America’s longest-running war. Santos […]

Colombia’s Peace Negotiations: Keeping the Focus on Transitional Justice

By Andrea Saldarriaga Jiménez

A pledge by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo Londoño (better known by the nom de guerre Timochenko), the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), at their historic meeting in Havana on September 23 to end Latin America’s longest-running conflict within six months has raised expectations for peace. But while […]

Next on the US-Cuba Horizon

By Jason Marczak

Since December 17, 2014, seismic changes in US-Cuba relations have reshaped the landscape of each country’s interactions with Latin America and the global community. Despite much optimism, there is still a long road ahead for Cuba’s languishing economy, which needs to grow its nascent private sector and attract greater foreign investment. As much of the […]