Pope Francis and his trip to the Andes region of Latin America provides the central theme on Latin Pulse. The program includes a deep theological discussion of how Pope Francis is redirecting the philosophy of the Church to take the concerns of poverty more seriously. The program also discusses the Church’s views on LGBT rights, indigenous issues, and euthanasia. The program also reviews the political issues in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay that intersect with the pope’s trip. The news segment of the program covers the criticisms of ecological policies in Ecuador leveled by the pope during his trip.
Explainer: Free Trade Agreements under Trump
With right-left polarization amongst the region’s politicians, and growing U.S.-China competition among its economies, Latin America’s most likely response to any U.S. trade actions will be further intra-regional conflict and division.