News and Politics

Decrease in Aid in Mexico

By US Latin American Relations
May 7, 2018

The United States has over a billion-dollar budget of foreign aid to help several countries throughout the world. This type of aid has fostered economic development for nations within the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition, it has been crucial for many Latin American countries to receive assistance, as it is used in efforts to promote security, reduce poverty, and for humanitarian aid (WOLA statement). However, since 2017, the Trump administration has been working feverishly to make budget cuts across all sectors of U.S.

Energy reform in the Mexican elections: continuity or change?

By Mariana Daniela Ceva Alvarez
May 2, 2018

Since the 1990s, Mexico’s energy policy has shown a tendency to prioritize short-term objectives as well as its relationship with North America, which resulted in a focus on the production of crude oil for exports to the US. In contrast, the reform passed in 2013 focused on lowering energy costs for Mexican households, increasing investment and employment, and putting the government at the center as owner of oil and gas and regulator of the oil industry. The national presidential elections of 2018 will define the path Mexico will follow in the coming years.

Costa Rica's presidential election proves support for LGBTQ community

By Rachel Rozak
April 24, 2018

At the start of 2018, Costa Rican polls were predicting that its presidential race would come down to a bout between the Party for National Liberation (Partido de Liberación Nacional, or PLN) candidate Antonio Álvarez and his Party for National Integration (Partido de Integración Nacional, or PIN) competitor, Juan Diego Castro.  

Political Integration as a Strategy of Conflict Resolution: The FARC in Colombian Elections

By Rachel Bierly
April 18, 2018

The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) as they were originally called, have functioned as a Marxist-Leninist guerilla group founded in 1964, composed mainly of farmers and laborers whose goal was to fight the inequality and repression in Colombia. Mainly operating in rural areas, the FARC had an estimated 20,000 active fighters at the height of their power in the early 2000s. The FARC were a part of a dark period of Colombia’s history, when guerilla groups, paramilitaries, and drug lords provoked violence across the nation.

Who is actually meddling in Mexico's elections? Russia or the U.S.?

By Rachel Rozak
April 17, 2018

As Mexico’s July elections quickly approach, many are raising concerns regarding potential foul-play from Russia.  In December of last year, the U.S.’s former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster alarmed Mexicans and internationals alike when he announced in a speech to the Jamestown Foundation in Washington that evidence of Russian meddling in Mexico’s elections had already been uncovered (Garcia & Torres 2018).  

Analysis of US-Venezuela Economic Relations and US President Trump’s Decision to Ban the Petro

By Brian Lander
April 16, 2018

This article was written as part of the course “Latin American Economic Development” offered by Professor Marla Ripoll, Department of Economic, University of Pittsburgh.

 

The United States Treasury Secretary announced on last March that President Donald

Trump signed an executive order banning all transactions within the United States or by US

citizens that involve Venezuela’s new cryptocurrency. The petro, which was Venezuelan

president Nicolás Maduro’s plan to combat the rising hyperinflation and devaluation of the

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