Brazil's rapid economic growth has transformed the country into a new global heavyweight, but Brazil must not let an overly ambitious foreign policy agenda distract it from lingering domestic challenges.

Julia E. Sweig says that during her visit to Cuba, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff should sense the frustrating process of Cuba's transformation.

Julia E. Sweig discusses Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's upcoming visit to Cuba.

Julia E. Sweig discusses Republican Party primary candidate Newt Gingrich's reference in a recent campaign speech to Saul Alinsky and American exceptionalism.

This Independent Task Force finds that Brazil is a significant international actor whose influence on global issues is likely to increase and recommends that U.S. policymakers and others recognize its global standing and work with Brazil to develop complementary policies. This report is also available in Portuguese.

Having just returned from Cuba's Communist Party Congress, Council on Foreign Relations' Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies, Julia Sweig, shares her analysis of the political and economic reforms introduced by Raul Castro.

As Cuba's Communist Party convenes this weekend for the first time in fourteen years, President Raul Castro will look to clarify and gain support for economic reforms. CFR's Julia Sweig says the country has made significant strides toward modernization and suggests the United States should amend its restrictive Cuba policies.

President Obama's trip to Brazil hit many new and positive notes, signaling the great potential for boosting ties between the region's two largest economies and democracies, writes CFR's Julia Sweig.

Julia E. Sweig and Matias Spektor say that on his visit to Brazil, President Obama will encounter a transformed nation - and an opportunity to build a genuine partnership.

Peter Kornbluh and Julia E. Sweig say that the case against Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles has produced unprecedented cooperation between the Cuban and U.S. governments.

The election of Dilma Rousseff as president assures stability on domestic policies that have propelled Brazil in the Lula years, but China and the United States loom as foreign policy challenges, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

Brazil's rapid economic growth has transformed the country into a new global heavyweight, but Brazil must not let an overly ambitious foreign policy agenda distract it from lingering domestic challenges.

Julia Sweig says a "radical new phase" in Cuban history is unfolding in plain sight, but Washington does not seem to notice.

The announcement that Cuba's government will release more than fifty political prisoners could create political space for reforms in Cuba, and an easing of the U.S. embargo, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

Julia E. Sweig states that Secretary Clinton's visit to Brazil "may reflect a political will to make the relationship with Brazil a strategic priority for American foreign policy."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faces a difficult task persuading Brazil to join tougher UN sanctions on Iran, amid a series of important regional meetings, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

The Obama administration's missteps on the Honduran coup and Colombia have frustrated Latin American states hoping for fresh U.S. policies, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

In this compact reference guide, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba's unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.

Julia E. Sweig argues that the costs of maintaining the base at Guantanamo Bay outweigh the benefits.

Julia E. Sweig provides a road map for President Obama to improve relations between the United States and Cuba.

Julia E. Sweig, CFR's director of Latin American studies, says ties between Washington and Havana may change, but the United States has been downplaying expectations of a breakthrough.