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Updated 12/04/2024
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Updated 12/10/2020

Jul 13

Financing Venezuela’s Future in the Aftermath of Disaster

The double earthquakes of June 24 accentuated a year of profound change in Venezuela. What was already a significant undertaking by the interim government in collaboration with the U.S. administration to address years of economic mismanagement and infrastructural deterioration, has become even more urgent in the face of a tragedy that has claimed thousands of lives and livelihoods while causing economic damages of up to $37 billion, per early estimates. But, as the world rallies in support of Venezuela, can this disaster present an opportunity to attract the resources needed to accelerate the country’s long-term reconstruction? In this episode of Latin America in Focus, AS/COA’s Luisa Leme talks to representatives from two organizations that have been responding to Venezuela’s humanitarian and financial challenges for years: the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and CAF – The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. Rafael Velasquez Garcia, who leads the IRC’s emergency response in Venezuela, explains the earthquakes add another 1.4 million people in need of humanitarian attention to the almost 8 million whom aid organizations had identified before June 24. Combined with rebuilding thousands of structures and repairing the water and power supply, it’s a financing challenge CAF’s Ángel Cárdenas Sosa says multilateral development banks are working around the clock to meet and which will require the support of the public and private sectors. This episode was produced by Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Luisa Leme is the podcast’s executive producer and this week’s host. See information on how to donate to CAF’s Recovery and Reconstruction Fund: https://www.caf.com/en/specials/recovery-and-reconstruction-fund-for-venezuela/ and how to support the IRC’s work in Venezuela: https://www.rescue.org/article/how-help-survivors-earthquakes-venezuela For more details on the earthquakes, the response from U.S. and regional governments, and other organizations you can support, read AS/COA Online’s coverage: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/venezuelas-twin-earthquakes-what-happened-relief-efforts-and-how-help If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: latamfocus@as-coa.org The music in the podcast is “Norwegian Wood” performed by the C4 Trio for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
Jun 25

What Will Keiko Fujimori Face as President of Peru?

On her fourth attempt, Keiko Fujimori is set to finally become Peru’s president. The right-wing former congresswoman will enter the presidential palace having bested her opponent, leftist lawmaker Roberto Sánchez, with just 50.1 percent of valid votes in the June 7 second round. “Our country is very divided,” says guest Alfredo Thorne, a former Peruvian finance minister, of the country’s third consecutive razor-thin runoff. But he also has optimism for the future his country’s liberal democracy after a decade of high presidential turnover. As Thorne tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis in this episode of Latin America in Focus, Peru’s Congress will have a Senate for the first time in 30 years and the fact that Fujimori will need to reach across the aisle “means that the true embryo of democracy is in that Congress.” On the trade front, the former World Bank senior economist predicts that Fujimori’s administration is unlikely to break from Beijing even as it seeks to “keep fluid relations with Washington.” As for the crucially steadying role of Peru’s Central Bank, Thorne remains confident in its institutional strength, even with the potential departure of its revered chief, Julio Velarde. This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host. See AS/COA Online’s ongoing coverage of Peru’s 2026 election: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/peru-elects-2026-ongoing-coverage-presidential-race And bookmark our election guide to keep up with all the key races this year in Latin America: https://www.as-coa.org/2026 Plus, read more of Alfredo Thorne’s analysis on Peru’s politics and economy in Americas Quarterly: https://americasquarterly.org/aq-author/alfredo-e-thorne/ If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: latamfocus@as-coa.org The music in the podcast are "Inti Raymi" by Curi Cachimuel and “Tempestad” performed by Las Tipas for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
Jun 11

Sandra Borda on the Figures and Forces behind Colombia’s Presidential Race

The Colombian electorate sent a clear message with the two candidates they sent to the June 21 presidential runoff: they are no longer interested in politics as usual. With far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Senator Iván Cepeda concentrating 85 percent of the first-round vote, the country’s traditional center and center-right parties have receded to the background. “[Colombia’s] political and ideological spectrum is now wider than it was before,” says Dr. Sandra Borda, a Bogotá-based professor at the Universidad de los Andes, adding that the country’s relatively new left-right divide has brought it closer to polarized political contexts more familiar to the rest of the region. In this episode of Latin America in Focus, the prominent political commentator talks to AS/COA’s Carin Zissis about the influence of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, ex-President Álvaro Uribe, and U.S. President Donald Trump on the current and future political discourse. And with voters focused on security and economic issues, Dr. Borda analyzes the choice between de la Espriella’s mano dura and Cepeda’s promises to carry on Petro’s leftist agenda. This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host. If you enjoyed this episode, write us a review and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice. Send us feedback: latamfocus@as-coa.org The music in the podcast is “Dame la Mano Juancho” performed by Shangó Dely for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
May 14

What Trump and Lula Want from U.S.-Brazil Ties

After months of tensions, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump emerged from a May meeting at the White House smiling for the cameras. The leaders, both facing critical elections, sought to project international strength during delicate domestic moments, as they tackled a bilateral trade and security agenda. “We need to be very careful in interpreting the meeting,” Fernanda Magnotta of the Brazilian Center for International Relations told AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme, “The differences in agendas and interests between the two governments are structural, and they are there, and they are going to be there.” In this episode, Magnotta breaks down how Washington’s interest in securing the South American country’s rare earths as an alternative to Chinese dependency could facilitate Brasília’s push to resolve trade disputes while avoiding FTO designations on criminal groups operating in Brazilian territory. “The word that for me defines the meeting and the future of this relationship is sobriety,” said Magnotta, explaining the road forward for bilateral economic ties. This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is the host. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus and send us feedback at latamfocus@as-coa.org. For more of Dr. Magnotta’s analysis on this topic, check out her articles in Americas Quarterly on the Trump-Lula relationship https://americasquarterly.org/article/trump-and-lula-think-differently-will-they-find-common-ground/ and the U.S. interest in Brazil’s rare earths. https://americasquarterly.org/article/can-brazil-and-the-u-s-reach-a-deal-on-rare-earths/ The music in the podcast is “Galopada,” by Itiberê Zwarg, performed for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
06/11/2019

Making Sense of a New U.S.-Mexican Migration Deal

Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Mexican goods is over—for now. The next question is how a U.S.-Mexican deal seeking to stem migration will take shape. Mexico Security Initiative’s Stephanie Leutert tells host Carin Zissis why Mexico might succeed at slowing Central American migration—if only in the short term. Listen to our previous episode with Leutert covering the migrant caravan crisis: https://bit.ly/2yv74wz Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
10/22/2018

Amid Caravan Crisis, a Look at Mexico's Migration Policy

Thousands in a migrant caravan are making their way on foot, through tear gas, and over rivers to get from Central America to the United States. "They know what they're facing when they hit Mexico, they know what they're facing with the Trump administration…and they keep moving forward," Stephanie Leutert, Mexico Security Initiative director at UT Austin’s Strauss Center, tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis in an episode that takes stock of Mexico’s migration policy as it prepares for a new president. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
09/13/2022

Mexico's March toward the 2024 Election

From the presidential state of the union to Independence Day, September in Mexico is a politically momentous time. This year, it saw President Andrés Manuel López Obrador usher through a deepening military control over public security just in time for independence celebrations. In this episode, political analyst Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about AMLO’s military moves, the building of his legacy, and how it all relates to a 2024 presidential race that’s already well underway. Listen to a prior episode with Bravo Regidor about AMLO’s first 100 days in office: t.ly/BFOZ Hear other episodes and subscribe to Latin America in Focus at: www.as-coa.org/podcast The music in this episode is Cantos de México by Carlos Chávez performed by Orquesta Pasatono for Americas Society. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
Feb 12

Why the Right Hasn’t Risen in Mexico — Yet

Across Latin America, the political right has been on the march. From El Salvador to Argentina, we’ve seen the pink tide recede as voters back right-wing leaders who are oftentimes allied with the MAGA movement in the United States. Then there’s Mexico. The largest Spanish-speaking country in the world remains firmly in the hands of Morena, a left-wing party, and its popular president, Claudia Sheinbaum. That doesn’t mean the right-wing leaders haven’t tried to break ground. As we’ll hear, the ultra-Catholic Eduardo Verástegui, who brought CPAC to Mexico, made a failed bid to run as an independent in 2024. And the name of one man has been making the rounds as a potential opposition figure: libertarian business leader and media mogul Ricardo Salinas Pliego. In this episode, we hear from Gema Kloppe-Santamaría, a historian and sociologist at the University College Cork and George Washington University, and Alex González Ormerod, director of the Mexico Political Economist and author of the book La derecha no existe (pero ahí está) on the state of the Mexican right today. In a conversation with host Carin Zissis, our guests explain why a 100-year-old religious conflict weighs on the Mexican right today, what’s behind the decline of the traditional conservative party—the PAN, and what it would take for the Mexican right to stage a comeback. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at latamfocus@as-coa.org. Find out more about right-wing movements in Mexico by reading articles by both of our guests and our host in Americas Quarterly. Alex González Ormerod: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/the-death-and-rebirth-of-the-mexican-right/ Gema Kloppe-Santamaría: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/the-long-shadow-of-mexicos-war-over-catholicism/ Carin Zissis: https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/right-wing-populism-hasnt-thrived-in-mexico-why/ The music in the podcast was “Cascabel jarana de arco” performed by Alejandro Loredo for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
11/23/2021

COP26's Gauntlet for Brazil and Latin America

At November’s COP26 climate conference, countries met to generate stronger action on climate change. In attendance was Institute Talanoa’s Natalie Unterstell, a former Brazilian negotiator at climate summits. Unterstell talks to AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme about what happened at COP26, what it means for Latin America, and what more Brazil—the region’s biggest contributor to climate change—can do. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/
11/13/2025

Can Rodrigo Paz Unearth Bolivia’s Lithium Potential?

For decades, Bolivia’s abundant reserves of lithium, thought to be the largest in the world, have been touted as the country’s ticket to economic prosperity. But time and again, the sector has run into political hurdles, social resistance, technical issues, and a lack of investment. As newly inaugurated President Rodrigo Paz enters office under a promise of “Capitalism for all,” what will it take to get Bolivia’s lithium sector off—and out from under—the ground? In this episode, political scientist Dr. Diego von Vacano of Texas A&M University, unpacks Bolivia’s decades-long struggle to advance its lithium industry, how it compares with Chile and Argentina—the other two points of the “lithium triangle,” and prospects for Paz to attract the foreign investment needed to develop critical technological infrastructure while attending to social and environmental concerns. Learn more about Bolivia’s 2025 election https://www.as-coa.org/articles/explainer-bolivias-2025-elections and other votes across Latin America this year. https://www.as-coa.org/content/guide-2025-latin-american-elections The music in the podcast is "Octubre" by Carla Derpic and Mauricio Copa for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art exhibitions, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.   Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at latamfocus@as-coa.org. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.Follow us on social media:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/

Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA), founded by David Rockefeller more than 60 years ago, promotes dialogue and cooperation to advance growth and prosperity across the Western Hemisphere. Our podcasts bring the best of analysis focusing on the latest trends in politics, economics, and culture throughout the Americas. With Latin America in Focus, go in depth on the latest trends in Latin American politics, economics, and culture. What does AI's tectonic change mean for Latin America? Are youth losing faith in democracy? Can the region power up its lithium prospects? Latin American Focus takes on topics like these, giving context to the big issues affecting the region today. Twice a month, the AS/COA Online team brings you in-depth interviews with top experts, on the ground in and from countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile. And Council of the Americas BRAVO Leadership Forums brings together Latin America’s business leaders to promote cross-industry collaboration on critical issues impacting the region. The conversations highlight remarkable business visionaries, pioneers, and entrepreneurs from Latin America, who are transforming their industries and driving positive impact in their fields.

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We Connect the Americas

Top Shows

Financing Venezuela’s Future in the Aftermath of Disaster

What Will Keiko Fujimori Face as President of Peru?

Sandra Borda on the Figures and Forces behind Colombia’s Presidential Race

What Trump and Lula Want from U.S.-Brazil Ties

Making Sense of a New U.S.-Mexican Migration Deal

Amid Caravan Crisis, a Look at Mexico's Migration Policy

Mexico's March toward the 2024 Election

Why the Right Hasn’t Risen in Mexico — Yet

COP26's Gauntlet for Brazil and Latin America

Can Rodrigo Paz Unearth Bolivia’s Lithium Potential?

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