OP-ED: MEXICO: The Checklist Against Corruption
In Mexico, there is a saying: “el que no tranza no avanza”. This sensational spelling is steeped in irony. For many Mexicans - it embodies the modus operandi of the…
Corruption
OP-ED: MEXICO: Corruption - A Shadow Looming Over President Peña
The latest scandal in a long list of setbacks for President Enrique Peña Nieto was revealed in the form of a well-documented journalistic research published by online news portal Animal…
MEXICO: Government Illegally Spied on Activists, Journalists and Lawyers
Prominent Mexican activists, journalists and lawyers were illegally spied upon by the Mexican Government using spyware which infected their smartphones. The spyware was installed on devices after targets were lured…
OP-ED: POLITICS: Can Leftist Populism be Defeated in South America?
(Cross-posted article by Facundo Barbaro; Young Diplomats) - The latest elections and polls led the world to believe that the depleted and drifting leftist governments of the region were about to…
POLITICS: South American Geopolitical Forecast of 2017
By Vincent Lofaso - In South America, the geopolitical prospects differ between countries. Some nations will focus on deterring criminal syndications and settle peace deals with rebel forces while others…
MEXICO: The Importance of Extraditing El Chapo
Mexico’s National Security Commissioner reported late last week that Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s extradition to the U.S would likely take place in early 2017. This decision is long overdue. Although…
PANAMA: Plata, Plomo y la Politica: Fighting the War on Firearms and Corruption
Economic crisis brings history changing implications. Each country handles insecurity, political tensions, and corruption distinctly. Survival is of mutual interest. When it comes to survivalist crisis management, Panama is a…
MEXICO: Thousands Call for President’s Immediate Resignation
Thousands of protesters used the Mexican Independence Day (September 16th) celebrations in the capital as an opportunity to show their deep felt resentment towards President, Enrique Peña Nieto and his…
BRAZIL: Dilma Makes Final Plea in Impeachment Trial
UPDATE: Since the article’s original publication, President Dilma has has been officially removed from office by the affirmative vote of 61 senators to 20. However, she was not barred from…
GUATEMALA: Perez & Baldetti Face New Corruption Investigations
Former President and Vice President will undergo a trial for a third case of corruption allegedly involving more than U$S82 million. Specifically, Judge Miguel Angel Galvez has accused the pair…
COLOMBIA: Humanitarian Crisis in La Guajira
News from the northern La Guajira region in Colombia is bleak. In the fast few days another child died from malnutrition. According to indigenous leader Javier Rojas Uriana, this latest…
PERU: Decoding President PPK - Past, Present & Keiko Fujimori
While many are relieved that fascist Fujimorism will not return to the Peruvian Presidency (at least for now), it is equally crucial to analyze what newly elected President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski…
EDITOR’s NOTES: Panama Papers Behind the Scenes
At this point, you’re probably familiar with the news that 370 journalists from around the world have participated in an intensive international investigation into tax havens, culminating with the release…
ANALYSIS: The Latin American Leadership Question
A fundamental question of the role of Latin American leadership is more pivotal than ever. Highly popular ex-union leader Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva stopped being Brazilian president in 2010. And yet Lula…
URUGUAY: Surpasses Chile As Least Corrupt Latin American Country
According to Transparency International’s 2015 ranking regarding the classification of a total of 168 countries by perceived corruption, Uruguay outranks Chile as the least corrupt Latin American country, with Venezuela allegedly…
PANAMA: Ex-President Martinelli Accused of Corruption
In a new legal blow to Panamanian Ex-President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), the Supreme Court of Panama has approved trial for one of the country’s most controversial political cases in recent…
GUATEMALA: OTTO PÉREZ MOLINA’S SWIFT FALL FROM GRACE
Guatemalan president resigns and is arrested within hours; Victory for anti-corruption movement; National elections set for 6 September In less than 24 hours, General Otto Pérez Molina went from being…
Brazil’s Legal Maracanazo - Lula and Odebrecht
With the death of World Cup futbol legend Alcides Ghiggia this weekend, Uruguay is remembering the Maracanazo victory against Brazil 65 years ago. Brazil, however, has a current Maracanazo -…
Pope Francis’ Political Influence in Latin America
It is during the Vatican’s continued efforts to reestablish credibility after years of corruption allegations that Pope Francis makes a second trip to one of the most Catholic-dominant regions on…
URUGUAY: FIFA corruption scandal
Football is at the heart of Uruguayan culture. Multinational corruption is not. So when the two aspects combine amid the on-going FIFA corruption scandal, eye brows haven risen. Last month,…
Guatemala: Corruption scandals spark social protests
Corruption scandals spark social protests; Guatemala and Paraguay sign agreement on tourism; Guatemalan drug trafficker is secretly sentenced in the US Corruption scandals spark social protests A high-profile corruption case linking Vice-President…
VENEZUELA: Two songs, two revolutions
Music is fundamental to passion and culture. In Venezuela, passion and culture have also amounted to revolution. But Chávez-supporters (aka ‘Bolivarians’) are not the only ones rallying nationalism and certainly…
Brazil: Unprecedented corruption at Petrobras
The unfolding corruption crisis involving Petrobras and the Brazilian government shows no signs of abating (Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz 2011) The already bruised presidency of Dilma Rousseff faces an onslaught of popular…
Brazil: corruption scandal picking up pace
The investigation into the Petrobras corruption scandal might sink President Rousseff’s second term before it has scarcely begun. In Brazil only “prostitutes, blacks and the poor” are ever arrested. So…
Mexico: Iguala kidnapping threatens the ‘Mexican moment’
The disappearance of forty-three students in Mexico has brought attention to an ugly aspect of the country which President Enrique Peña Nieto has tried to hide beneath his program of…