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© 2024 The Americas Quarterly Podcast
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The AQ Podcast is a conversation on politics and economics in Latin America hosted by Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly
148 Episodes
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In Brazil, unemployment is at a record low, inflation is under control and growth projections are being revised up. However, the Lula administration is having a hard time moving forward with expected reforms, and financial markets are reacting negatively. This episode dissects the forces behind these trends. Why is Lula facing resistance in Congress? What are the economic debates under way inside the administration, and who is winning? How is Lula himself handling the challenges of a third te...
Twice a year the AQ Podcast takes stock of Latin America’s economies — what the region is doing well and where the challenges are. There is good news — inflation below OECD levels, for example, but growth is still below potential, according to our guest, William F. Maloney, Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. He argues that more competition within countries could be a motor for change. William also provides some clarity on the trend that’s been at the top of...
Venezuelans are scheduled to vote for president on July 28th. In today’s episode, we look at the state of the negotiations between the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition, assess how inclined Maduro is to accept a possible defeat and if there’s any chance for a transition to democracy. The opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, a former diplomat and academic, has about 60% support in polls, compared to support of just 9% support for President Maduro. Our guest is Michael...
Claudia Sheinbaum's victory in the Mexican elections was expected, but the 30-point margin surprised many and gave her and the Morena coalition a mandate like few others in Latin America’s recent political history. In this episode, Viri Ríos, a scholar and one of Mexico's most prominent intellectual personalities, discusses how the country got here and looks ahead to what she thinks Sheinbaum and Morena do with that power, as well as to what extent Sheinbaum’s six-year term be a continuation ...
Peru's story in the past 20 years has gone from fast growth and poverty reduction to fractious politics and a dwindling economy. In this episode, Alfredo Thorne, a former finance minister (2016-2017), makes the case for how the country could get back on track to restore growth and distribute it more fairly between rich and poor, Lima and the rest of the country. In his view, high copper prices and new ports expected to be inaugurated soon provide that opportunity, despite the risks associated...
Panama’s president-elect José Raúl Mulino assumes control of a country struggling with challenges that pertain not only to its population but to many other countries as well. Climate change is affecting the Panama canal and there is rising migration through the Darien Gap. Panama is also a theater for the U.S.-China competition. In today's episode we explore what to expect from Mulino's term in office regarding these and other issues, such as the copper mine that has been a center of controve...
In an attempt to gauge what another Joe Biden or Donald Trump administration would mean for policy toward Latin America, the AQ Podcast is bringing in people with intimate knowledge of both camps. In this episode, Ricardo Zúniga, a major figure on Latin America policy under the Barack Obama and Biden administrations, reviews the major events on the past fours years and looks ahead to what could change if Biden is reelected in November. He discusses overarching policy strategies towards the re...
Since Javier Milei took office in December, life has become even more difficult in Argentina. Real salaries have fallen by more than 20% since December. Inflation has lowered, but is still running high, above 270% on an annual basis. Yet Milei’s approval rating is still around 50%. In today's episode we discuss with pollster and political strategist Ana Iparraguirre why that is. We also talk about the state of his pro-market agenda, what he is likely to achieve in the near future and what to ...
Brazil's economy performed better than expected last year, expanding almost 3%. But in 2024 the outlook is more complex, as last year's sources of growth are not expected to perform in the same way. There is also a tug of war inside the Lula administration about public spending and government oversight in national oil company Petrobras. In this episode we assess Latin America's largest economy from an investment perspective and look at the politics behind recent government decisions and what ...
The Venezuelan dictatorship is preparing to hold an election on July 28th. Despite signs that the race will not be free or fair, the opposition is willing to participate. In this episode, we dive into the motives and tactics on both sides. What is Maduro looking for, and is there a real chance he could lose? What is going on behind the curtains with the opposition – why are they willing to participate, how divided is this, and who are the members likely to support? Our guest is Jose Vicente C...
Organized crime has in recent years begun to affect formerly calm countries like Chile and Ecuador, while remaining strong in places such as Mexico and Brazil. In this episode, an analysis of recent crime trends in the region. We’ll also assess how governments have been responding – some choose to disengage altogether, while others toughen their approach. Our guest is Jeremy McDermott, one of the founders of InSight Crime, a think tank and publication that produces in-depth reports and analys...
Less than three months away from Mexico's elections, many analysts see it as a given that Claudia Sheinbaum, the frontrunner, is likely to win. Sheinbaum’s biggest asset is the endorsement of the current president, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, who seems to be transferring his popularity to her candidacy. But there are still a lot of questions about this race and about the candidates. Is there any chance that the opposition candidate Xochitl Gálvez could still pull this off? Wha...
The goal of building ties between global south countries has driven foreign policy in Latin America and elsewhere in recent years. In this episode we dive into what that has amounted to. What have been the most successful examples of cooperation between Latin America and other global south countries? Which presidents have prioritized this, and what's their motivation? What are the challenges or barriers hindering effective cooperation between Latin America and other global south countries? An...
Political instability persists in Peru. This week, Prime Minister Alberto Otarola resigned and Congress is expected to decide if it will remove the members of the Junta Nacional de Justicia, a body that helps select the composition of the judiciary. This is just the latest in a crisis that has been running for years – Peru famously has had six presidents in seven years. Some Peruvians say their democracy is under threat. What’s the best framework to think about the kind of democratic backslid...
Since he took office in January 2023 Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been extremely active on the global stage, traveling frequently and offering himself as a mediator on big issues like the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. At times he has stirred controversy, as was the case with recent remarks on the war in Gaza. On today’s podcast, an analysis of Brazil’s foreign policy as the country prepares to host the...
LGBTQ+ rights have been a political battleground between social conservatives and progressives throughout Latin America. While some countries set the standards for greater freedoms at the beginning of the century, a backlash has recently been gaining ground in some portions of the Western Hemisphere. No doubt, the situation is complex. Today, in our podcast, we will give an overview of LGBTQ+ issues in the region, how they intersect with politics, and where they’re headed in years to come.
Javier Milei came into office in Argentina promising radical changes. Once there, Milei moved quickly and aggressively – through decrees and an “omnibus” bill sent to Congress he pushed changes to more than 300 laws. While the decrees are still valid, the omnibus bill failed to get approved. On today’s podcast we’ll try to take stock of where Argentina stands now. What is the future of Milei's proposed reforms? What is the status of his political support after a little more than 2 months in o...
Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee, and polls show him with a chance of winning the election in November. With that in mind, in this episode we try to gauge what Trump 2.0 would entail for U.S. policy toward Latin America. Our guest is the former U.S. ambassador to the OAS (Organization of American States) under Trump, Carlos Trujillo. Trujillo continues to speak to the former president and is seen in Washington as an insightful voice on what might happen in Latin America shou...
Ecuador has become a critical front in the battle against criminal groups in Latin America. The country's 36-year-old president, Daniel Noboa, has tried to exert authority by arresting thousands of people, pushing for a 'war tax' and calling for a referendum on security matters. Can he succeed? And how is the political landscape likely to evolve in the coming months? Our guest today is Maria Teresa Escobar, a journalist based in Quito. Currently a freelancer, she is one of the founders of the...
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