The Americas Archive

Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the United Nations General Assembly, met with business leaders in New York and held talks with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington. Though no concrete deals were made, there was progress on improving the strained relationship between India and the U.S. The visit was also significant since Modi was denied a visa to the U.S. in 2004, owing to his failure as chief minister of Gujarat to prevent a 2002 outbreak of religious violence that left over 1,000 people dead. Unsurprisingly, strengthening economic ties was high on Modi’s agenda. During a breakfast […]

President Barack Obama has set his course for the U.S. conflict with the so-called Islamic State (IS). The deep roots of the extremist organization, the chaotic conditions in Iraq and Syria, and Obama’s determination to limit American involvement will make this a long slog. Months, even years will pass with few demonstrable gains. Whoever moves into the White House after Obama will inherit the crisis. Over time, though, the situation will undergo major shifts, each forcing the United States to re-examine its strategy. To be ready to exploit opportunities and avoid risks, American leaders must anticipate what the big “game […]

Elections matter, and October’s presidential election in Brazil matters a lot. That’s because the country faces some difficult near-term choices on the economy and foreign policy, and the path that Brazil’s next president takes will have broad implications not just for the Brazilian people, but for Latin America and the United States. For most of this year, incumbent president Dilma Rousseff figured to be re-elected with relative ease. Having successfully hosted the World Cup soccer tournament in July and maneuvered through the street protests and riots that shook Brazil in 2013—and as the political heir of her predecessor, highly popular […]

Electoral democracy is flourishing across Latin America. But if the region has eagerly embraced pluralism to decide policy, many problems must still be addressed, ranging from insecurity and corruption to balancing economic growth with environmental concerns. This report covers the full spectrum of Latin America’s challenges. Mexico Mexico’s Energy Reform: A Major First Step on a Very Long JourneyBy Jed BaileyJan. 3, 2014 Rise of Self-Defense Groups Highlights Mexico’s State-Level Security ChallengesBy Benoît Gomis and Jerónimo MoharJan. 24, 2014 Mexico’s Scaled-Backed Gendarmerie Force No Security PanaceaBy Nathaniel Parish FlanneryAug. 1, 2014 Central America and the Caribbean Border Disputes, Political Tensions […]

This summer, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went on a five-nation tour of Latin America, visiting Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile and Brazil. In an email interview, Melba Falck Reyes, professor in the Pacific studies department at the University of Guadalajara, discussed Japan’s ties with Latin America. WPR: What are de main outcomes of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent Latin America tour? Melba Falck Reyes: With this visit Abe was seeking to consolidate and deepen relations with these countries, emphasizing four main areas: economic relations, cooperation, political dialogue and peace, stability and prosperity of the international community. Regarding […]

After nearly six years in office, the Obama administration has still not found the appropriate balance in its foreign policy rhetoric between making the case for continued U.S. leadership of the international system and encouraging other countries to help lighten America’s load by taking up more of the burden. This is often reflected in the frustration that comes through in the speeches and statements of senior leaders, including those of the president himself, that other states seem to fail to appreciate how endorsing and then providing concrete support to realize a U.S. position in international affairs is in their interest. […]