While the Inter-American Foundation may have lacked the rock-and-roll-star power (and mud) of its fellow 1969 creation, the IAF set the path for development assistance to build civil society, private initiative and democracy in the Americas.
As Brexit looms over the UK, its heavy dependence on the EU for agricultural imports could push them toward Latin American markets, but a range of barriers are likely to limit such action.
The recently announced sanctions on Venezuelan assets aren’t an embargo, but you can’t blame people for thinking so given this embargo-loving NSC. Either way unless used as more than a stick, even these marginal changes are unlikely to achieve their goal.
Political developments in Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil and once again in Peru should remind us that tackling corruption—to quote Ringo Starr—”… just don’t come easy.” Worse, it can often turn anti-democratic.
A revived law would subject foreign owners of Cuban assets to U.S. lawsuits.
Venezuela’s opposition leader has failed to gain enough military support to oust Nicolás Maduro, and Washington’s policies aren’t helping him.
As the standoff continues without much sign of a plan B from the White House, the Maduro government is threatening to arrest President Juan Guaidó. It’s time for the other members of the 50-plus international coalition to put some muscle into the game.
A group of nine Republican U.S. Senators have sent a letter to Secretary of State Pompeo asking him to cut U.S. funding to the IACHR. What they’re doing is undercutting their own party’s human rights agenda.
Ivan Duque’s low approval ratings have been blamed on missteps, migrants and a mentor that never seems to go away. But there are structural reasons too, and those aren’t likely to go away after his term.
The events of January 23 were a victory for the once divided and dispirited Venezuelan opposition. But with Maduro so far refusing to step aside and a rogues’ gallery of governments lining up to support him, could the U.S. have stumbled into an international showdown?
