The personalization of policy is rarely wise, and in U.S. embassies, it risks shaping political analysis to reflect what diplomats think Washington wants to hear. In my view, this happened in Brazil.
Last Friday, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—the leading candidate in October’s presidential election—announced Geraldo Alckmin as his running mate during a press conference in São Paulo.
Bukele has responded to critics with derision, even changing his Twitter bio to “Dictator of El Salvador.” He leaves just enough doubt to say, “I was only joking.” But it’s not a joke.
The spectre of populism – both of the left and right variety – has hung over Latin American politics and economics since the 19th century but, for the last two decades, a new wave of populist movements and leaders has developed as a result of ongoing economic dislocation and popular anger at the political class.
Despite the high COVID-19 death toll in Brazil, the president’s popularity is still rising. What strategies is he using and will the administration be able to maintain and build on its momentum for the 2022 elections?
Global Americans and the Canadian Council for the Americas presents a webinar to reflect on the recent events happening in the United States.
In recent years, Vladimir Putin’s Russia has become increasingly strategically interested in Latin America. Despite clear geopolitical goals, the Kremlin’s relationship with the region has been marked by pragmatic realpolitik.
The candidate Brazilians choose as their new president will face challenges on multiple fronts: inequality, corruption, violence and economic stagnation. The field is wide open, but the risk that Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist in the mold of Donald Trump, will win remains high.
To remain relevant in a rapidly shifting environment, the PT must return to its base and find new leaders capable of voicing the needs that captivate Brazil’s next generation.
