Latin America in Focus
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- 12. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
Latin America in Focus is the leading English-language podcast on Latin American politics, economics, and policy. What does AI's tectonic change mean for Latin America? Are youth losing faith in democracy? Can the region power up its lithium and critical minerals prospects? Will security or foreign policy influence elections? Latin America in Focus (or LatAmFocus) takes on topics like these, giving context to the big issues affecting the Americas today. Twice a month, Americas Society / Council of the Americas Online team brings you in-depth interviews with top experts, journalists, artists, and entrepreneurs on the ground in and from countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, and more. Go in depth on the latest trends in Latin American politics, regional trade and economics, foreign policy, and culture in this podcast series by Americas Society/Council of the Americas.
Folgen 246
What’s behind Mexico’s AI-Fueled Export Boom?
U.S.-Mexico trade is flourishing, and an AI tech boom is feeding it. Mexico's computer hardware exports to the United States have more than doubled year-on-year, hitting a value of $133 billion in the first …
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U.S.-Mexico trade is flourishing, and an AI tech boom is feeding it. Mexico's computer hardware exports to the United States have more than doubled year-on-year, hitting a value of $133 billion in the first nine months of 2026. The electronics export spike fed Mexico's 3.2 percent GDP growth in the third quarter—the country’s strongest growth level in three years.
But there are caveats. Some analysts warn that Mexico is acting an assembly point for Asian inputs, limiting job creation and domestic value-added content. Then there’s the question of how the U.S. midterms might have an impact on the AI sector and trade policy. In this episode, host Carin Zissis speaks to two experts about the diverse implications of Mexico's manufacturing shift. First, economist Sofía Ramírez, executive director of think tank México ¿cómo vamos?, covers how Mexico's growing tech manufacturing and assembly has changed its trade relations with the United States and Asian countries, as well as opportunities to better integrate North America's tech supply chains. Then, Jesús Silva, who leads Arizona State University's Diversifying Semiconductor Supply Chains program, unpacks the impact on Mexico's labor dynamics, natural resources, and more.
This episode was produced by Associate Producer Khalea Robertson and Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is your host.
Learn more about Mexico’s advanced-tech sector in a report produced by The North American Project, an initiative co-founded by México ¿Cómo Vamos? and the U.S.-Mexico Foundation.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is "Prince” performed by Juanjo Gómez for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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What’s Testing Keiko Fujimori’s Presidential Honeymoon?
Peru's President Keiko Fujimori wasted no time defining the two immediate priorities of her administration: Rising insecurity and an impending El Niño were top themes in her July 28 inauguration address. Three …
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Peru's President Keiko Fujimori wasted no time defining the two immediate priorities of her administration: Rising insecurity and an impending El Niño were top themes in her July 28 inauguration address. Three months into her presidency, Fujimori's pledge to tackle these issues has run into a major hurdle: Congress.
In this episode, Peruvian political analyst Carlos Meléndez unpacks the new president's early challenges to negotiate with a polarized, newly bicameral legislature and overcome Peru's "underperforming state capacity" as she seeks quick progress on her agenda. In a conversation with AS/COA Online's Khalea Robertson, Meléndez also explains Fujimori's pragmatic approach to balancing closer U.S. cooperation with longstanding Chinese trade ties and the "unusual" 17-point drop in the leader's approval rating as she approaches the 100-day milestone of her presidency.
This episode was produced by Associate Producer Khalea Robertson and Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is your host.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]The music in the podcast is "One Day at a Time” performed by Franco Pinna for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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The Shield of the Americas Cracks Open a Debate in Chile
In September, the government of President José Antonio Kast of Chile set off a firestorm back home when it opted to join the Shield of the Americas. But why would signing on to a security initiative, launched …
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In September, the government of President José Antonio Kast of Chile set off a firestorm back home when it opted to join the Shield of the Americas. But why would signing on to a security initiative, launched by the Trump administration, cause a domestic divide? After all, voters concerned about crime helped propel Kast into office earlier this year, much as mano dura security pledges have given rise to a wave of right-wing wins across the hemisphere.
“Chile has a long tradition where foreign affairs are regularly treated as a national interest dynamic, so you normally seek consensus,” says Diego Sazo, head of international relations research at AthenaLab, a Santiago-based think tank focused on security and defense. In this episode, he talks with AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about what a hemispheric initiative like the Shield offers the Americas, how it’s broadened to include economic and political dimensions, why it’s been so contentious in Chile, and the initiative’s prospects to outlast swings in the electoral pendulums.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.
Mentioned in this episode:
Diego Sazo’s paper exploring the Shield of the Americas. https://www.athenalab.org/en/noticias/2026/09/24/el-escudo-de-las-americas-y-los-limites-de-la-coordinacion-voluntaria-claves-de-la-adhesion-plena-de-chile/
U.S. Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby’s piece on the Donroe Doctrine in Americas Quarterly. https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/elbridge-colby-on-the-opportunities-of-the-donroe-doctrine/
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is "Laberintitis" performed by Lester Paredes for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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:
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As Brazil Faces a Familiar Rivalry, What's Changed for Voters?
“In general, Brazilians are not very happy with this competition,” says pollster Felipe Nunes ahead of the October 4 presidential first round. With voters again facing a choice between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva …
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“In general, Brazilians are not very happy with this competition,” says pollster Felipe Nunes ahead of the October 4 presidential first round. With voters again facing a choice between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the left and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro on the right, the Quaest CEO talks to AS/COA’s Luisa Leme about how an increasingly informed electorate worries over recurrent pocketbook issues and a sweeping corruption crisis that has ensnared figures across the political spectrum.
The conversation covers Lula’s struggles to sell voters on affordability and Bolsonaro’s efforts to moderate the firebrand style of his father, jailed ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, as both candidates try win over independents without alienating their bases.
What will be the decisive factor in the race, per Nunes? Voter turnout. “If we see a 50-50 vote intention in the second round, what will make the difference is if you guarantee that your voters will be able to show up,” he said.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme with support from Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.Stay up to date with AS/COA Online’s ongoing coverage of Brazil’s 2026 elections, https://www.as-coa.org/content/guide-2026-brazilian-elections including our poll tracker that features Quaest surveys. https://www.as-coa.org/articles/poll-tracker-brazils-2026-presidential-election
And listen to our previous episodes with Felipe Nunes on the key issues that drove the 2022 election and that year’s Lula–Bolsonaro runoff.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is Paulo Bellinati's "Baião de gude” performed by Newman Oltman Guitar Duo and João Luiz for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.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:
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How Is a Changing World Reshaping Perspectives in the Americas?
A regional rightward tilt, tariff tensions, and a more muscular U.S. foreign policy: geopolitical dynamics in the Americas are witnessing tectonic shifts. As we kickstart a new season of Latin America in Focus …
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A regional rightward tilt, tariff tensions, and a more muscular U.S. foreign policy: geopolitical dynamics in the Americas are witnessing tectonic shifts. As we kickstart a new season of Latin America in Focus, we’re delving deep into how these shifts are affecting U.S. and Latin American perceptions of themselves, each other, and the world around them, bringing together conversations with experts who are surveying views across the hemisphere.
Ahead of November’s midterm elections in the United States, Pew Research Center’s Mark Hugo Lopez and Gabriel Piña talks with AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison about why voter turnout among this fast-growing bloc will be decisive, with pocketbook issues top of mind and presidential approval rating slipping among Latino Trump voters.
Then, host Carin Zissis speaks with U.S–Mexico Foundation Managing Director Enrique Perret about the economic and security concerns shaping U.S. voter views on Mexico, and why Americans are increasingly wary of U.S. tariffs on Mexican goods, saying: “We now have 19 months with tariffs, and I think people are saying, ‘That’s enough. You used the tool, but now it’s affecting the prices of goods in America—the price of construction, vehicles, food, everything.’”
But Latin Americans are also shifting in their view of the world. International relations analyst Monica Hirst talks with AS/COA’s Luisa Leme about the AMLAT Radar, a survey of 10 Latin American countries supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, saying: “You don't have a perception in the region that there are hegemonic powers in place,” adding that the region’s citizens instead have “pragmatic,” multipolar perspectives on foreign policy in which the United States, China, and Europe each play distinct roles.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.
Read the surveys referenced in this episode:
- Pew Center for Research on presidential approval ratings among U.S. Latinos and the relationship between party affiliation and ethnic self-identification;
- USMF quarterly surveys on U.S. voter attitudes towards the U.S.–Mexico relationship;
- The 2026 AMLAT Radar Survey.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is “Me Gusta Soñar” performed by C4 Trío for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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:
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Reissue: What's ahead for China's Latin America Ties in the Great Power Game?
This episode is a re-run of Ep.228, of January 29, 2026. Latin America in Focus is going on a Summer break and it will be back in September with more episodes. Stay tuned! The Trump’s administration national …
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This episode is a re-run of Ep.228, of January 29, 2026. Latin America in Focus is going on a Summer break and it will be back in September with more episodes. Stay tuned!
The Trump’s administration national security strategy was the talk of the foreign policy world late last year, not least of all because it renewed Washington’s focus on the Americas. But a few days later, China released its own policy paper focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. But then the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro of January 3 upended the hemispheric chessboard.Parsifal D’Sola Alvarado of the Andrés Bello Foundation for China and Latin America Research joined AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis to talk about why this new era marks an end of what he calls “cheap ambiguity” for hemispheric countries figuring out how to juggle ties with the two great powers. He explains what we can glean from China’s reaction to U.S. moves in Venezuela; how countries such as Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico been adjusting their approach to Beijing; and why Latin America needs to get its own China strategy up and running.
Read D'Sola’s analysis on what the post-Maduro era means for Sino–Latin American ties: t.ly/l05Jh
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The music in the podcast was “Collector,” performed by Jorge Haro for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/membership Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
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:
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Financing Venezuela’s Future in the Aftermath of Disaster
The double earthquakes of June 24 accentuated a year of profound change in Venezuela. What was already a significant undertaking by the interim government in collaboration with the U.S. administration to …
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The double earthquakes of June 24 accentuated a year of profound change in Venezuela. What was already a significant undertaking by the interim government in collaboration with the U.S. administration to address years of economic mismanagement and infrastructural deterioration, has become even more urgent in the face of a tragedy that has claimed thousands of lives and livelihoods while causing economic damages of up to $37 billion, per early estimates.
But, as the world rallies in support of Venezuela, can this disaster present an opportunity to attract the resources needed to accelerate the country’s long-term reconstruction? In this episode of Latin America in Focus, AS/COA’s Luisa Leme talks to representatives from two organizations that have been responding to Venezuela’s humanitarian and financial challenges for years: the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and CAF – The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Rafael Velasquez Garcia, who leads the IRC’s emergency response in Venezuela, explains the earthquakes add another 1.4 million people in need of humanitarian attention to the almost 8 million whom aid organizations had identified before June 24. Combined with rebuilding thousands of structures and repairing the water and power supply, it’s a financing challenge CAF’s Ángel Cárdenas Sosa says multilateral development banks are working around the clock to meet and which will require the support of the public and private sectors.
This episode was produced by Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Luisa Leme is the podcast’s executive producer and this week’s host.
See information on how to donate to CAF’s Recovery and Reconstruction Fund: https://www.caf.com/en/specials/recovery-and-reconstruction-fund-for-venezuela/ and how to support the IRC’s work in Venezuela: https://www.rescue.org/article/how-help-survivors-earthquakes-venezuela
For more details on the earthquakes, the response from U.S. and regional governments, and other organizations you can support, read AS/COA Online’s coverage: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/venezuelas-twin-earthquakes-what-happened-relief-efforts-and-how-help
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is “Norwegian Wood” performed by the C4 Trio for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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:
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What Will Keiko Fujimori Face as President of Peru?
On her fourth attempt, Keiko Fujimori is set to finally become Peru’s president. The right-wing former congresswoman will enter the presidential palace having bested her opponent, leftist lawmaker Roberto …
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On her fourth attempt, Keiko Fujimori is set to finally become Peru’s president. The right-wing former congresswoman will enter the presidential palace having bested her opponent, leftist lawmaker Roberto Sánchez, with just 50.1 percent of valid votes in the June 7 second round.
“Our country is very divided,” says guest Alfredo Thorne, a former Peruvian finance minister, of the country’s third consecutive razor-thin runoff. But he also has optimism for the future his country’s liberal democracy after a decade of high presidential turnover. As Thorne tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis in this episode of Latin America in Focus, Peru’s Congress will have a Senate for the first time in 30 years and the fact that Fujimori will need to reach across the aisle “means that the true embryo of democracy is in that Congress.”
On the trade front, the former World Bank senior economist predicts that Fujimori’s administration is unlikely to break from Beijing even as it seeks to “keep fluid relations with Washington.” As for the crucially steadying role of Peru’s Central Bank, Thorne remains confident in its institutional strength, even with the potential departure of its revered chief, Julio Velarde.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.
See AS/COA Online’s ongoing coverage of Peru’s 2026 election: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/peru-elects-2026-ongoing-coverage-presidential-race And bookmark our election guide to keep up with all the key races this year in Latin America: https://www.as-coa.org/2026
Plus, read more of Alfredo Thorne’s analysis on Peru’s politics and economy in Americas Quarterly: https://americasquarterly.org/aq-author/alfredo-e-thorne/
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast are "Inti Raymi" by Curi Cachimuel and “Tempestad” performed by Las Tipas for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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:
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Sandra Borda on the Figures and Forces behind Colombia’s Presidential Race
The Colombian electorate sent a clear message with the two candidates they sent to the June 21 presidential runoff: they are no longer interested in politics as usual. With far-right lawyer Abelardo de la …
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The Colombian electorate sent a clear message with the two candidates they sent to the June 21 presidential runoff: they are no longer interested in politics as usual. With far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Senator Iván Cepeda concentrating 85 percent of the first-round vote, the country’s traditional center and center-right parties have receded to the background.
“[Colombia’s] political and ideological spectrum is now wider than it was before,” says Dr. Sandra Borda, a Bogotá-based professor at the Universidad de los Andes, adding that the country’s relatively new left-right divide has brought it closer to polarized political contexts more familiar to the rest of the region.
In this episode of Latin America in Focus, the prominent political commentator talks to AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about the influence of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, ex-President Álvaro Uribe, and U.S. President Donald Trump on the current and future political discourse. And with voters focused on security and economic issues, Dr. Borda analyzes the choice between de la Espriella’s mano dura and Cepeda’s promises to carry on Petro’s leftist agenda.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]The music in the podcast is “Dame la Mano Juancho” performed by Shangó Dely for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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
Instagram: @ascoa
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Jorge Castañeda on the Frictions Straining U.S.-Mexico Ties
From Mexico’s Cuba ties to Washington's persistent tariff pledges, points of friction keep coming up between Mexico and the United States, reaching a crescendo last month when the U.S. Department of Justice …
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From Mexico’s Cuba ties to Washington's persistent tariff pledges, points of friction keep coming up between Mexico and the United States, reaching a crescendo last month when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted 10 Mexican officials, including a sitting governor from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s own party.
"U.S.-Mexican relations are probably in their worst moment that I can remember since the 1970s,” the former Foreign Minister of Mexico Jorge Castañeda tells AS/COA's Carin Zissis. “Never were there so many fronts open at the same time."
In this episode, Dr. Castañeda, a long-time Latin America expert and author of more than 15 books on foreign affairs, breaks down not only what's at stake for bilateral ties, but covers Mexico's relationship with Cuba and the U.S. policy approach to the island.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is your host.
If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: [email protected]
The music in the podcast is “Candombe Jam 1,” by Carlos Quintana, performed for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
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:
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What Trump and Lula Want from U.S.-Brazil Ties
After months of tensions, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump emerged from a May meeting at the White House smiling for the cameras. The leaders, both facing critical …
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After months of tensions, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump emerged from a May meeting at the White House smiling for the cameras. The leaders, both facing critical elections, sought to project international strength during delicate domestic moments, as they tackled a bilateral trade and security agenda.
“We need to be very careful in interpreting the meeting,” Fernanda Magnotta of the Brazilian Center for International Relations told AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme, “The differences in agendas and interests between the two governments are structural, and they are there, and they are going to be there.” In this episode, Magnotta breaks down how Washington’s interest in securing the South American country’s rare earths as an alternative to Chinese dependency could facilitate Brasília’s push to resolve trade disputes while avoiding FTO designations on criminal groups operating in Brazilian territory.
“The word that for me defines the meeting and the future of this relationship is sobriety,” said Magnotta, explaining the road forward for bilateral economic ties.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is the host.
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus and send us feedback at [email protected].
For more of Dr. Magnotta’s analysis on this topic, check out her articles in Americas Quarterly on the Trump-Lula relationship https://americasquarterly.org/article/trump-and-lula-think-differently-will-they-find-common-ground/ and the U.S. interest in Brazil’s rare earths. https://americasquarterly.org/article/can-brazil-and-the-u-s-reach-a-deal-on-rare-earths/
The music in the podcast is “Galopada,” by Itiberê Zwarg, performed for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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
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Mercosur, EU, and the New Frontiers of Free Trade
On May 1, a transatlantic trade deal covering 31 countries and a quarter of global GDP comes into effect. Some thought it would never materialize, but after 25 years of off-and-on negotiations, Mercosur and the …
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On May 1, a transatlantic trade deal covering 31 countries and a quarter of global GDP comes into effect. Some thought it would never materialize, but after 25 years of off-and-on negotiations, Mercosur and the European Union committed to one of the largest free-trade deals in the world. So why did the two trade blocs to sign on the dotted line?
“ The reality is that today, given the approach that the United States is taking on trade policy, it really is nudging countries [...] to go ahead and take those risks. Because the risk of doing nothing is much higher than the risk of doing something," says trade expert Kellie Meiman Hock, a senior counselor at McLarty Associates and advisor to COA's Trade Advisory Group. In her return to the podcast, Meiman Hock explains how recent U.S. trade policy spurred Mercosur and other countries across the hemisphere to diversify their commercial relationships.
She also covers the wrinkles left for the South American and European trade blocs to iron out in the agreement, and other deals in the pipeline as countries search for stability in a trade landscape she describes to AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme as “completely unexplored territory.”
This episode was produced by Luisa Leme with support from Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is the host.
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus and send us feedback at [email protected].
Listen to our previous episode with Kellie Meiman Hock on the impact of the Trump administration’s tariff policy on Latin America:
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-trade-and-tensions-latin-america-braces-trumps-tariffsThe music in the podcast is Paulo Moura's "Tarde de Chuva," performed byCliff Korman Ensemble for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
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:
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The Math Behind Cartel Recruitment in Mexico
Aftera February military operation led to the death ofNemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera, Mexicanauthorities searched the cartel leader’s cabin and uncovered logs showing that low-level members of El Mencho’s …
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Aftera February military operation led to the death ofNemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera, Mexicanauthorities searched the cartel leader’s cabin and uncovered logs showing that low-level members of El Mencho’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel earned aslittle as $140 per week. Many people were surprised by how little the cartel lookouts and hitmen earn, given that their jobs can be, quite literally, deadly. Despite that, the number of people working for these crime groups could fill Estadio Azteca, the stadium where the World Cup kickoff will take place, about two times over.
In this week's episode, Complexity Science Hub’s Dr. Rafael Prieto-Curiel covers why stemming cartel recruitment is crucial for curbing violence in Mexico. The mathematician coauthored a groundbreaking study calculating that, with 175,000 members, cartels represent Mexico’s fifth-largest employer. Moreover, he estimates that they count as the country’s top recruiter, given that they have to repeatedly replenish their ranks following arrests, killings, and disappearances. “They are preventing their own collapse,” he tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis.
This episode was produced by Khalea Robertson, Luisa Leme, and Camilo Salas. Carin Zissis is the host.
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus and send us feedback at [email protected].
Read Dr. Prieto-Curiel's research in Science.
The music in the podcast is performed byAlejandro Escuer and Leandro Díaz Keller for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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What's on the Trade Menu? Beef
When the United States and Argentina signed a bilateral trade deal in February, one part of the agreement turned heads: Washington would be quadrupling the amount of tariff-free beef it would allow to be …
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When the United States and Argentina signed a bilateral trade deal in February, one part of the agreement turned heads: Washington would be quadrupling the amount of tariff-free beef it would allow to be imported from the South American country.
Historically, the United States, like countries across the world, limits the amount of beef it imports to help promote its domestic ranching industry.
But now, the United States and Europe are opening their markets, just as China, who became the largest consumer of South American beef in recent years, is imposing quotas on the product for the first time.
Argentine trade expert Francisco Resnicoff joins AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison to talk all things beef. How will new trade pacts and quotas affect the beef market? And what do shifts in the beef industry mean for domestic politics in countries like Argentina?
This episode was produced by Luisa Leme and Camilo Salas. Carin Zissis is the host.
Share and subscribeatApple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus atwww.as-coa.org/podcastand send us feedback at[email protected].Francisco Resnicoff previously joined the podcast to discuss the 2024 G20. Listen to the episode: https://shorturl.at/TYaTY
Find out more about Trump’s policies in Latin America by subscribing to our weekly newsletter covering Washington’s hemispheric policy: www.as-coa.org/dispatch
The music in the podcast is “Chacarera en el aire," performed byNicolás Fioravanti forAmericasSociety.Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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What Will It Take to Secure Haiti’s 2026 Elections?
Haiti has been without an elected leader since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and a spiraling security crisis threatens to derail plans to hold elections this August. In this episode, Romain …
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Haiti has been without an elected leader since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and a spiraling security crisis threatens to derail plans to hold elections this August.
In this episode, Romain Le Cour-Grandmaison, director of the Haiti and Caribbean Observatory at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, covers bumpy governance transitions and “the triangular relationship between the political sector, economic sector, and violent actors” in Haiti, as well as the role U.S. government’s role in addressing the crisis. Bringing on-the-ground observations of Haiti’s turbulent security context, Le Cour traces the complicated—and uncertain—path to the country’s first election in a decade. And as for the long-term future of Haiti’s democracy, he stressed, “We need to address and dismantle the system that makes the gangs attractive to political and economic actors and vice versa. So basically, we need a justice component.”
This episode was produced by Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is the host. Latin America in Focus’ executive producer is Luisa Leme.
Share and subscribeatApple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus atwww.as-coa.org/podcastand send us feedback at[email protected].
Read Romain Le Cour's article on "Ending Haiti's Criminal Governance Crisis" in Americas Quarterly.
The music in the podcast is "Finesse," performed by Rafa Aslan forAmericasSociety.Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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After IEEPA, What Tariff Tools Will Trump Turn to Next?
Close followers of trade news were waiting for this moment: On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 against President Donald Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or …
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Close followers of trade news were waiting for this moment: On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 against President Donald Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to slap tariffs on trade partners around the world.
Trump first used IEEPA, a measure typically used to apply sanctions, a year ago, when he imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China with the argument that these three countries hadn’t done enough to stop fentanyl flows into the United States. Then he invoked IEEPA again in April 2025, when he slapped tariffs on countries around the world.Although SCOTUS' decision reined in Trump's tariffs on one front,he soon enough used another piece of legislation, section 122, to impose new global duties.
“President Trump has a huge trade arsenal at his disposal, and what we're going to be seeing in the next few weeks is the Trump administration using other measures [that are] more procedural but are less legally exposed,” Diego Marroquín Bitar, a fellow with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies and USMCA expert, told AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis.
From IEEPA to legal measures like 122, 232, and 301, understanding trade policy can be like speaking another language. Marroquín untangles them all, explaining what the Court decision means for issues like the upcoming USMCA review and the future of trade policy in the region.
This episode was produced by Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is the host.
Share and subscribeatApple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access othr episodes of Latin America in Focus atwww.as-coa.org/podcastand send us feedback at[email protected].
Diego Marroquín Bitar previously joined the podcast to discuss why corn is a thorny U.S-Mexico trade issue. Listen to the episode: t.ly/yCPW0
Find out more about Trump’s policies in Latin America by subscribing to our weekly newsletter covering Washington’s hemispheric policy, visit: www.as-coa.org/dispatch
The music in the podcast performed byHeloísa Fernandes forAmericasSociety.Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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Why the Right Hasn’t Risen in Mexico — Yet
Across Latin America, the political right has been on the march. From El Salvador to Argentina, we’ve seen the pink tide recede as voters back right-wing leaders who are oftentimes allied with the MAGA movement …
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Across Latin America, the political right has been on the march. From El Salvador to Argentina, we’ve seen the pink tide recede as voters back right-wing leaders who are oftentimes allied with the MAGA movement in the United States.
Then there’s Mexico. The largest Spanish-speaking country in the world remains firmly in the hands of Morena, a left-wing party, and its popular president, Claudia Sheinbaum. That doesn’t mean the right-wing leaders haven’t tried to break ground. As we’ll hear, the ultra-Catholic Eduardo Verástegui, who brought CPAC to Mexico, made a failed bid to run as an independent in 2024. And the name of one man has been making the rounds as a potential opposition figure: libertarian business leader and media mogul Ricardo Salinas Pliego.
In this episode, we hear from Gema Kloppe-Santamaría, a historian and sociologist at the University College Cork and George Washington University, and Alex González Ormerod, director of the Mexico Political Economist and author of the book La derecha no existe (pero ahí está) on the state of the Mexican right today. In a conversation with host Carin Zissis, our guests explain why a 100-year-old religious conflict weighs on the Mexican right today, what’s behind the decline of the traditional conservative party—the PAN, and what it would take for the Mexican right to stage a comeback.
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].
Find out more about right-wing movements in Mexico by reading articles by both of our guests and our host in Americas Quarterly.
Alex González Ormerod: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/the-death-and-rebirth-of-the-mexican-right/
Gema Kloppe-Santamaría: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/the-long-shadow-of-mexicos-war-over-catholicism/
Carin Zissis: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/right-wing-populism-hasnt-thrived-in-mexico-why/The music in the podcast was “Cascabel jarana de arco” performed by Alejandro Loredo for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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What's ahead for China's Latin America Ties in the Great Power Game?
The Trump’s administration national security strategy was the talk of the foreign policy world late last year, not least of all because it renewed Washington’s focus on the Americas. But a few days later, China …
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The Trump’s administration national security strategy was the talk of the foreign policy world late last year, not least of all because it renewed Washington’s focus on the Americas. But a few days later, China released its own policy paper focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. But then the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro of January 3 upended the hemispheric chessboard.
Parsifal D’Sola Alvarado of the Andrés Bello Foundation for China and Latin America Research joined AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis to talk about why this new era marks an end of what he calls “cheap ambiguity” for hemispheric countries figuring out how to juggle ties with the two great powers. He explains what we can glean from China’s reaction to U.S. moves in Venezuela; how countries such as Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico been adjusting their approach to Beijing; and why Latin America needs to get its own China strategy up and running.
Read D'Sola’s analysis on what the post-Maduro era means for Sino–Latin American ties: t.ly/l05Jh
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The music in the podcast was “Collector,” performed by Jorge Haro for Americas Society. https://youtu.be/R_2pw75RlcY?si=I60yHUNlUYddvEoe Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/membership Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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What’s on the Table for Brazil’s Security Issues ahead of 2026 Elections?
Organized crime continues to drive murder rates in Latin America and the Caribbean to levels well above global averages. Now in a context in which the United States has shown itself willing to flex its military …
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Organized crime continues to drive murder rates in Latin America and the Caribbean to levels well above global averages. Now in a context in which the United States has shown itself willing to flex its military muscle in the region in its battle against narcoterrorism, Latin American governments are under increasing pressure to appear tough on crime.
This episode zooms in on Brazil, from where security policy expert Robert Muggah, co-founder of the Igarapé Institute, speaks with AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme about how two recent major police operations shed light on the increasing sophistication of criminal actors. Ahead of Brazil’s elections in October, Muggah discusses the growing appeal of hard-line policies across the region while putting forward alternative, evidence-based solutions for sustainable crime and violence prevention.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The music in the podcast was performed by 2vieira, a trumpet-acoustic bass duo formed by brothers Sidmar and Sidiel Vieira, for Americas Society. https://youtu.be/Hn2vsuRK-2c Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/membership Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
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:
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Latin America in the Spotlight in 2026
From the Donroe Doctrine to tariff turmoil a rightward electoral tilt, 2025 was a year of shifts for Latin America. Now, with Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, and Peru gearing up for presidential votes in …
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From the Donroe Doctrine to tariff turmoil a rightward electoral tilt, 2025 was a year of shifts for Latin America. Now, with Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, and Peru gearing up for presidential votes in 2026, more change is on the way.To make sense of what's to come, this episode of Latin America in focus brings back four of our prior guests from across the region: Venezuelan journalist and political scientist Tony Frangie Mawad, Mexican international affairs expert Brenda Estefan, Brazilian journalist and political analyst Thomas Traumann, and Latino and hemispheric digital democracy expert Roberta Braga.Then, in conversation with host Carin Zissis, the OAS’ director of electoral monitoring, Gerardo de Icaza, draws on over a decade of experience overseeing missions in 27 countries to explain the evolving challenges on the ground for election observers, from being victims of increasing political polarization to finding practical ways to leverage artificial intelligence for stronger election processes—as well as what it all means for democracy in the region.
Monitor what’s in store for 2026 elections with our guide at: www.as-coa.org/2026Listen to past episodes with our guests:
- Tony Frangie Mawad on Venezuelan elections: t.ly/DszOS
- Brenda Estefan on Mexican foreign policy: t.ly/2Mfs5
- Thomas Traumann on Brazilian votes: t.ly/jp64b
- Roberta Braga on Nayib Bukele’s online reach: t.ly/vU0tE
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.The music in the podcast is “Me Gusta Soñar,” our show's theme from the C4 Trío of Venezuela. https://youtu.be/NZ123ysut9s?si=tr5Qu25ujhSTXGIC Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org and share your love for Latin American culture and politics by joining Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
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:
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Andrés Velasco on How Latin America Can Reboot Its Economic Rules
Thirty-five years after the Washington Consensus, a group of the world’s leading economists have assembled a new book formulating an alternative road map for developing economies, The London Consensus: Economic …
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Thirty-five years after the Washington Consensus, a group of the world’s leading economists have assembled a new book formulating an alternative road map for developing economies, The London Consensus: Economic Principles for the 21st Century. One of the books co-editors, prominent Chilean economist Andrés Velasco, recently stopped by the New York headquarters of Americas Society/Council of the Americas to present core principles to guide refreshed and adaptable economic policies in Latin America and beyond.
In conversation with AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal, the former finance minister of Chile and current dean of the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science emphasized the need for greater attention to delivering well-being for all and boosting state capacity to complement private-sector efforts. Given the diversity of today’s challenges—from climate change, to AI and the future of work, to trade fragmentation and political polarization—Velasco called for economists and policymakers to be more like medical doctors: assessing symptoms before handing out prescriptions.
The music in the podcast is “One Day at a Time” by Franco Pinna for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org and share your love for Latin America by joining Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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:
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Can Rodrigo Paz Unearth Bolivia’s Lithium Potential?
For decades, Bolivia’s abundant reserves of lithium, thought to be the largest in the world, have been touted as the country’s ticket to economic prosperity. But time and again, the sector has run into …
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For decades, Bolivia’s abundant reserves of lithium, thought to be the largest in the world, have been touted as the country’s ticket to economic prosperity. But time and again, the sector has run into political hurdles, social resistance, technical issues, and a lack of investment. As newly inaugurated President Rodrigo Paz enters office under a promise of “Capitalism for all,” what will it take to get Bolivia’s lithium sector off—and out from under—the ground?
In this episode, political scientist Dr. Diego von Vacano of Texas A&M University, unpacks Bolivia’s decades-long struggle to advance its lithium industry, how it compares with Chile and Argentina—the other two points of the “lithium triangle,” and prospects for Paz to attract the foreign investment needed to develop critical technological infrastructure while attending to social and environmental concerns.
Learn more about Bolivia’s 2025 election https://www.as-coa.org/articles/explainer-bolivias-2025-elections and other votes across Latin America this year. https://www.as-coa.org/content/guide-2025-latin-american-elections
The music in the podcast is "Octubre" by Carla Derpic and Mauricio Copa for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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:
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Will Chileans Pivot at the Polls?
After two failed constitutional rewrites, Chileans return to the polls to pick their new president. And like those referendums, this year’s vote will be compulsory. In this episode, international lawyer and …
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After two failed constitutional rewrites, Chileans return to the polls to pick their new president. And like those referendums, this year’s vote will be compulsory. In this episode, international lawyer and columnist Paz Zárate covers what the mandatory vote could mean for the outcome of the first-round presidential vote. How are voters who typically don’t cast ballots approaching a contest where four right-wing candidates are polling in the double digits? From political platforms to infighting to foreign policy, Zárate gives a panorama ahead of the November 16 election.
This episode was produced by Chase Harrison with Executive Producer Luisa Leme.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The music in the podcast is “Sobre tu playa” by Inti-illimani performed for Americas Society: https://tinyurl.com/2p9nk4c8
Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Membership gives you preferential access to music performances, the art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.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:
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A Crack in U.S.-Colombia Cooperation
Colombia 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 …
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Colombia 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 security matters, and what the future might hold for the country’s politics.
This episode was produced by Chase Harrison with Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Additional production support was provided by Rafael de Osma.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The music in the podcast is “Acrílicos en la sonrisa” by Jacarandá Dúo and Angélica Achury for Americas Society: https://tinyurl.com/2p9nk4c8 Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.orgHear more of Guzmán’s commentary on Latin America in Focus episodes on Colombia’s 2023 midterms tinyurl.com/ew32zsnz and 2021 election tickets. https://tinyurl.com/yc77zy4s
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Membership gives you preferential access to music performances, the art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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Energy and Security Go Hand in Hand in the Caribbean
Things 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 …
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Things 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 "unbelievable story” of oil-powered economic transformation. Looking just across Guyana’s borders, he draws lessons from Trinidad and Tobago, a regional LNG pioneer now in decline, and maps out what’s ahead for future oil producer Suriname.
Learn more about Guyana’s September 2025 elections: https://ow.ly/IEAc50X4GaU
Listen to a past episode featuring Dr. Monaldi on Venezuela’s oil sector: https://ow.ly/g0vE50X4Gea
The music in the podcast is by Vin Gordon and the Original Wailers’ Horn Section for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org.
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
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Navigating Trump’s Tariff Tests—The Brazil Edition
On 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 …
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On 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 secretary.
In this episode, the second part of our two-part kickoff of the Latin America in Focus season, Barral discusses the impact of Bolsonaro’s trial on the bilateral relationship, information gaps impeding progress on trade negotiations, possible paths to reconciliation, and steps Brazil’s government has taken to protect its exporters in the meantime.
Don't forget to listen to part one. In it, Kenneth Smith Ramos, a partner at Agon and Mexico’s former chief USMCA negotiator, analyzes the delicate balancing act that Mexico has to maintain in tariff talks with its most important trading partner as the USMCA review process unfolds.
Listen to Part 1 of this episode, on Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum government's delicate balancing act to protect bilateral trade ties.
This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme, along with host and AS/COA Online Editor-in-Chief Carin Zissis, and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson.Read about the Trump administration policies in the Americas to keep up on trade, migration, security, and more: www.as-coa.org/trump
The music in the podcast is “Me gusta soñar” by the C4 Trio for Americas Society. And if you like the soundtrack of this podcast, find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, the art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].
Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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:
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Navigating Trump’s Tariff Tests—The Mexico Edition
On 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 …
Shownotes
On 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 Mexico’s former chief USMCA negotiator, Smith Ramos tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis, “ In negotiating with the U.S., we're facing a complex three-ring circus where you have, of course, the trade issues, but [also] immigration and fentanyl issues.” As Mexico tries to juggle these demands, he adds, it’s also taking a more protectionist tone with China and other Asian economies.
Mexico may be the top trade U.S. partner, but it’s not the only Latin American giant navigating Washington’s new trade paradigm. Don’t miss the second part of this kickoff to the Latin America in Focus season that looks at the politically charged maelstrom facing Brazil. Listen to international trade advisor Welber Barral unpack the diplomatic hurdles upending U.S.-Brazil trade relations.
Read about the Trump administration policies in the Americas to keep up on trade, migration, security, and more: www.as-coa.org/trump
Learn about AS/COA’s programming and content on Mexico.
The music in the episode and soundtrack for the podcast is “Me gusta soñar,” by the C4 Trio for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts: musicoftheamericas.org
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, the art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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:
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Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
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Mafalda, Argentina’s Feisty Heroine, Now Speaks English
Mafalda, Quino’s beloved comic strip from Argentina—first published in 1964—has conquered the world, appearing in at least 25 languages. Six decades on, she is finally reaching Anglophone audiences, translated …
Shownotes
Mafalda, Quino’s beloved comic strip from Argentina—first published in 1964—has conquered the world, appearing in at least 25 languages. Six decades on, she is finally reaching Anglophone audiences, translated into English for the first time. Award-winning translator Frank Wynne speaks on his experience translating Mafalda into English, noting the challenges of preserving Quino's subtle humor and political commentary across cultures and languages and explaining why the beloved icon remains a perfect companion for today's turbulent times.
Read Mafalda: Book 1: https://archipelagobooks.org/book/mafalda-book-one/
Read Kamchatka, by Marcelo Figueras: https://groveatlantic.com/book/kamchatka/
Read The Mouse and its Child, by Russell Hoban: https://russellhoban.org/1967/01/01/title-the-mouse-and-his-child/
The music in this podcast was the classic milonga "El conventillo," performed by the Chúcara Trío. You also listened to Argentine harmonica player Santiago Álvarez. These were performed for the Americas Society “En Casa” series.
Visit AS/COA’s YouTube channel to see over 500 videos of music from across the Americas. And if you like the soundtrack of this podcast, find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org and consider becoming a member of Americas Society for preferential access to all concerts at 680 Park Avenue in New York, as well art exhibitions, book talks, and more exciting events.
Send us feedback at: [email protected]
Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
How a U.S. Tax Could Hit Latin American Remittances
Tucked 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 …
Shownotes
Tucked 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 region, how immigrants have adapted to maintain an economic lifeline, and the potential impact of the current political climate on future remittance flows.
For more of our coverage on the impact of Trump’s policies in Latin America, visit as-coa.org/trump to keep up to date with migration, trade, and more.
And to learn more about the IDB’s research on remittances, read the 2024 report co-authored by Maldonado and check out their blog, La Maleta Abierta.
The music in the podcast is “Sonora y sus ojos negros” by Suspenso del Norte and “Lamentos do Morro” by Felipe Reis for Americas Society’s “En Casa” concert series. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org.
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
What's Behind Brazil's International Game?
“Brazil has historically been a driving force of regional integration,” points out Laura Trajber Waisbich, Deputy Director of Programs at the Igarapé Institute. And under the administrations of President Lula …
Shownotes
“Brazil has historically been a driving force of regional integration,” points out Laura Trajber Waisbich, Deputy Director of Programs at the Igarapé Institute. And under the administrations of President Lula da Silva, the country has leveraged its size and diplomatic credibility to not only assert its own agency on the world stage, but also advocate for the needs of the Global South. The place for that? Multilateral organizations. In a year when Brazil hosts both the BRICS Summit and the COP30, Waisbich explores how Brazil navigates global divides and domestic pressures to spur action on climate and more.
The music in this podcast was “Acaçá” composed by the Brazilian giant Dorival Caymmi, and performed by Ternoar group for Americas Society “En Casa” concert series. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org.
Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected].
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.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
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
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