In recent years, the authoritarian Ortega-Murillo regime has consolidated power, systematically dismantled organized opposition, and brutally cracked down on public protests. To push back against the regime, the United States has deployed sanctions, on individuals, entities, and state-owned companies, as well as directed its executive directors at multilateral lending institutions to oppose financing to Managua. These measures remain insufficient to place genuine pressure on the regime,...

After four years of a so-called “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign against Venezuela, there seems to be a push from Washington to revisit this sanctions architecture. Sanctions relief has long been a priority for the Maduro regime, which also ascribes blame for all manner of Venezuela’s economic woes on the U.S.-led sanctions campaign. However, the United States should be highly skeptical about pledges from the regime without concrete signs of improvement, and must be able to credibly...

AUKUS, the newly-established security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States, has made waves of late as a result of its focus on helping Australia operate, acquire, and eventually build its own nuclear-powered attack submarines. But the agreement goes well beyond that, to touch on emerging technologies and providing greater deterrence to revisionist and revanchist powers. Canada, despite its membership in important partnerships like NATO and the Five Eyes, was...

Rising geopolitical tensions between the United States, Russia, and China, have prompted some to argue the world is heading towards a polarized and fragmented future, with some countries split into opposing camps between democracies and autocracies and others not wanting to choose sides. In Latin America, rising U.S.-China competition has provoked fears that the region may be forced to choose between the economic development and trade which China offers, and its longstanding relationship with...

Latin American and Caribbean countries face mounting risks from natural disasters, with the region ranking as one of the most climate vulnerable areas in the world. With climate change likely to exacerbate these challenges, developing effective strategies for delivering Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), is of critical importance in the Western Hemisphere.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with CDR (ret.) Pat Paterson, Professor of Practice at National Defense...

On April 3, 2023, the Maduro regime denounced the statement by International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan that the ICC would continue to press its investigation into human rights abuses perpetrated by the Venezuelan security forces. This marks the latest bout in a series of exchanges between the regime and the court, as Maduro seeks to undermine the investigation by pretending to address the question of impunity with occasional trials. In this "Best of 35 West" episode, Ryan C. Berg...

The Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have long faced challenges from gangs which have become entrenched criminal networks. In response, governments throughout the region have periodically adopted hardline, or mano dura, security policies to clamp down on gangs. Most recently, El Salvador has seen one of the most extreme versions of such a policy under President Nayib Bukele, using a state of emergency to curtail constitutional protections, jailing upwards of...

More than one year after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, Latin America and the Caribbean has been impacted in a number of ways. Demand for oil has prompted the United States to pursue an opening to Venezuela, empowering the authoritarian Maduro regime even as Washington denounces extra-hemispheric dictators. Meanwhile, disruptions to energy and fertilizer supplies more broadly have stalled economic recovery in a region already struggling to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.  In...

Semiconductors, materials used to control the flow of electricity through a circuit in precise patterns, are the lifeblood of the modern digital economy. However, the global semiconductor industry remains highly concentrated, signaling a clear need to develop supply chain resiliency in the semiconductor industry. This trend in turn carries significant potential for Latin American countries, which could see their burgeoning chip manufacturing and research industries catalyzed by new...

With a rich network of volcanoes on the Ring of Fire, Latin America is uniquely positioned to benefit from developing geothermal energy within their countries. However, because geothermal energy is not found at the surface level of the earth, exploration costs, which translate to market price, are very high, and at the moment limit the potential for Latin America to draw out its full geothermal potential. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Ximena Guardia Muguruza, an Environmental...

En este episodio especial en español Ryan C. Berg se sienta a conversar con Valeria Moy, directora general del Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad, uno de los centros de investigación más reconocido en México. Ellos conversaron sobre el estado del sector digital en México y los desafíos para el acceso seguro y fiable a Internet para todos. Aunque México tiene potencial significante en el espacio digital, el sector de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) sufre de...

In recent years, hydrogen has risen as an important prospect in the energy transition. Latin America is looking closely at the hydrogen industry, and governments in countries such as Chile, Colombia, Brazil, and Paraguay are betting on green hydrogen production; that is, hydrogen that is produced with renewable resources, such as wind and solar, as opposed to coal, natural gas, or other non-renewables.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Sunita Satyapal, Director of the U.S....

The Western Hemisphere has been rocked by a series of regional and global shocks, from supply chain disruptions, to growing food insecurity, to political polarization and ongoing environmental shifts. In the face of these disruptions, private enterprise and the business community play an important role, maintaining livelihoods, supporting innovative technologies, and advocating for sustainable development. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzón, a Visiting...

Journalists throughout the region must not only navigate rising disinformation, misinformation, and political polarization, but also threats to their own physical safety as the hemisphere continues to rank as one of the deadliest regions for journalist protections. To fortify the free and independent press throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, the Organization of American States recently announced the establishment of the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, a hub for best...

No dia 2 de Outubro, o povo brasileiro votou no primeiro turno das eleições presidenciais. Por mais que nenhum candidato tenha conseguido uma maioria total, o Presidente Jair Bolsonaro e o ex-presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, que ganharam respectivamente 43 e 48% dos votos válidos, irão para o segundo turno. Nessa semana, Ryan C. Berg conversará com Thiago de Aragão, um senior associate no CSIS e diretor de estratégia na Arko Advice. Juntos, eles analisam os resultados da eleição,...

On September 4, Chileans took to the polls for a constitutional referendum that saw a highly progressive draft constitution overwhelmingly rejected, with 62 percent voting against, and just 38 percent in favor. The outcome is a setback for the Boric government, which has tied itself to the constitutional reform project, and promises to lengthen an already long-running process. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Patricio Navia, Professor of Liberal Studies at New York University and...

China has significantly expanded its presence throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, elevating worries that the democratic traditions of the Western Hemisphere could be at risk. However, the types of engagement China pursues and the consequences they present are often poorly understood, leading to misunderstandings between Washington and the region.   In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Pepe Zhang, associate director and fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin...

Nicaragua’s descent into authoritarianism has had far-reaching humanitarian, economic, and diplomatic consequences. One lesser-understood dimension of this crisis has been the growing reliance of the Ortega-Murillo regime on extra-hemispheric authoritarian states to help cement its hold on power in the face of both international and domestic pressures. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Evan Ellis, research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic...

En este episodio especial en español Ryan C. Berg se sienta a conversar con Valeria Moy, directora general del Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad, uno de los centros de investigación más reconocido en México. Ellos conversaron sobre el estado del sector digital en México y los desafíos para el acceso seguro y fiable a Internet para todos. Aunque México tiene potencial significante en el espacio digital, el sector de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) sufre de...

Around the world, democratic institutions have come under siege, while consolidation within and between autocratic regimes has accelerated in recent years. As it becomes increasingly evident that autocrats are following a shared ‘playbook,’ it is of extreme importance that democracies build their own set of shared tactics for promoting civil and political rights, defending electoral integrity, and sustaining rule of law. In this "best of" episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Christopher...

The victory of Gustavo Petro in the recent Colombian presidential elections heralds a political change in Colombia. However, Colombia remains an important strategic partner for the U.S. in the hemisphere, and a new government does not change this fact. In this episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Peter Natiello, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Together, Margarita and...

In this special Portuguese-language episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Vice-Admiral Alexandre Rabello de Faria, Chairman of the Council of Delegates of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB). The IADB exists to provide the Organization of American States and its members with technical, advisory, and educational services on issues related to military and defense matters in the hemisphere. Together, they discuss the work of the IADB and the evolution of its role over the past 80 years. The...

As the Western Hemisphere works to recover from the ongoing pandemic, adjust to new global economic shocks, and create good-paying jobs and stable livelihoods for citizens, the private sector will play a key role in fostering development. Special Economic Zones, or SEZs represent an important and multifaceted tool for empowering economic development throughout the region, especially as the United States looks to nearshore or "friendshore" key industries.    In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits...

The upcoming Summit of the Americas ought to be an important venue for the United States and the region to align responses to shared challenges and strengthen hemispheric cooperation. Nevertheless, the summit is already struggling to live up to this potential, facing criticism that the current agenda downplays the concerns voiced by the region, as well as recent threats by several countries including Mexico, Bolivia, and Honduras to boycott the event. In this episode, Juan Cruz, Senior...

Around the world, democratic institutions have come under siege, while consolidation within and between autocratic regimes has accelerated in recent years. As it becomes increasingly evident that autocrats are following a shared ‘playbook,’ it is of extreme importance that democracies build their own set of shared tactics for promoting civil and political rights, defending electoral integrity, and sustaining rule of law. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Christopher...