Brazilians learned they have a gay governor; LGBTQ acceptance is expanding in some countries; and Chile adopted full marriage equality.
Media coverage of the December 8-10 Summit for Democracy has largely focused on President Joe Biden’s remarks, coupled with critical reactions from China, Russia, and skeptical U.S. pundits. Few U.S. commentators seem to have bothered to listen to the three days of often thoughtful remarks by other world leaders and the many intelligent, emotionally engaging panelists representing a broad swath of civil society, business, and academia.
To be clear, November 7 is a complete farce. Rather than anything resembling a democratic election, the events of that day will approximate a coronation ceremony.
La crisis sanitaria global ha generado incertidumbre en la opinión pública, siendo un espacio propicio para la difusión de información engañosa por parte de actores domésticos y extranjeros.
This week, in a 6-3 decision that saw Chief Justice John Roberts side with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch, the United States Supreme Court refused to block a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that ordered the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to reinstate the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), the controversial, Trump-era immigration policy more commonly known as “Remain in Mexico.”
Last Sunday, a popular referendum—and flagship project of President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO)—asked Mexican voters whether ex-government officials should be subject to investigation and prosecution for allegations of impunity and corruption. However, the referendum, a key component of AMLO’s promises to crack down on graft and government impropriety, was a flop, drawing the participation of only seven percent of eligible voters, well below the 40 percent voter turnout threshold required for the referendum result to be legally binding (although over 98 percent of those who did cast ballots voted in favor of facilitating the prosecution of ex-officials).
The following interview between Global Americans’ Executive Director Guy Mentel and Francisco J. Monaldi took place this week as the Biden-Harris administration moves to combat climate change and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt global oil markets.
Once again, history seems to be repeating itself. The United States, along with the world’s other rich and mostly Western countries, continue to be accused of hoarding medical supplies, having purchased one billion surplus vaccine doses (more than is required to vaccinate their citizens). In their absence, China—and, to a lesser extent, Russia—have rushed to take advantage of the vaccine gap in the Global South, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Few voters flocked to Mexico’s opposition in last Sunday’s midterms, even with AMLO receiving poor grades in polls.
A recent publication by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)) highlighted the need for the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to “stay abreast of emerging S&T (Science and Technology) around the world, leverage others’ investments and seek out collaborations in areas where researchers need to remain at the leading edge.” The report makes clear that, in order to confront the challenge posed by revisionist powers (RPs) in Latin America, a far larger S&T engagement strategy that encompasses a “whole-of-government” approach must be undertaken.
