AS/COA Online

New and Old Challenges to Follow Dominican Election
President Leonel Fernández Reyna, credited with turning his country's economy around in the past four years, is expected to win a May 16 reelection bid. Fernández's administration would face a set of challenges in a new term, ranging from food price inflation to a remittance slowdown to persistent social inequality. Read more. A feature in the latest issue of Americas Quarterly examines Latin American social assistance policies.

News of the Americas

Weekly Roundup: Bolivia's Recall Plans, EU-LatAm Summit, and Chilean Competitiveness

Interpol plans to release data on documents found on a FARC leader's laptop, Mexico's drug war escalates, and the World Bank president visits Latin America. Read these stories and more in the Weekly Roundup.

Defying the Downturn

Following the release of first quarter indicators and news of record FDI rates, several Latin American countries showed capacity to weather global economic volatility. But analysts warn of slower growth in the coming year.

Research & Analysis

Secretary General José Manuel Insulza on the OAS Role in the Western Hemisphere

In an AS/COA Online interview, OAS Secretary General José Manuel Insulza describes the role of the agency in negotiating recent border tensions between Ecuador and Colombia, autonomy and recall votes in Bolivia, and U.S.-Cuba relations. "[T]he OAS has to prove itself as the main forum for political dialogue in the Americas," said Insulza.

Audio: Santiago's Children Book Launch

At a book launch for Steven Reifeinberg’s Santiago’s Children, AS/COA's Chris Sabatini, Miami Herald's Pablo Bachelet, NYU's Patricio Navia, and Reifenberg analyzed Chile from the brutal military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet to current opportunities. Listen to an audio podcast of the panel discussion.

Improved Infrastructure: Latin America's Gateway to Global Markets

FedEx Express' Juan Cento warns that the while Latin America has experience its highest economic growth rates since the late 1970s, poor transportation infrastructure and regulatory barriers "undermine the region's competitive strengths." He suggests the development of public and private sector partnerships to boost regional infrastructure.

Washington Conference

38th Washington Conference: "The Globalization of the Americas"

The Council of the Americas held the 38th Annual Washington Conference on the Americas on May 6 and 7, drawing together a selection of the region's most influential officials—including the presidents of the United States and Panama—to address the most pressing policy issues affecting the Western Hemisphere. Read more and access program summaries, as well as audio, from the conference.