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Latin America’s Moment

Latin America’s Moment analyzes economic, political, and social issues and trends throughout the Western Hemisphere.

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An illegal gold mining camp is discovered in Madre de Díos during a Peruvian military operation in 2019.
An illegal gold mining camp is discovered in Madre de Díos during a Peruvian military operation in 2019. Guadalupe Pardo/Reuters

Illegal Gold Finances Latin America’s Dictators & Cartels. The United States Must Lead the Fight Against It.

Four policy ideas to curb illegal gold mining in the Western Hemisphere.

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Latin America
Drug Traffickers Launder Millions Through Remittances. Here’s How to Stop Them.
Four steps Congress and U.S. embassies can take to safeguard remittances from abuse. 
Latin America
How Organized Crime Threatens Latin America
Organized crime is today an even more intractable problem for Latin America’s democracies than the anti-democratic coup-makers, insurgents, and oligopolists of the past. But governments don’t have to let it go unchecked. 
Colombia
“Total Peace” is Dead. For Petro, Partial Peace is the Best Remaining Option
Gustavo Petro must rethink his talks with armed groups before they fail completely.
  • Brazil
    Brazil’s Other Deforestation Threat Plus Benefits of Blue Collar Immigration
    Deforestation progress in the Amazon offset by losses in the Cerrado; Blue collar immigration’s fiscal and economic benefits.
  • Venezuela
    In Venezuela, the Latin American Left Will Show Us What it Really Stands For
    The presidents of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico must constrain Maduro to negotiate—for their own good.
  • Colombia
    Colombia Isn’t Ready for a New Venezuelan Migration Wave, Plus Bukele’s Mano Dura Threats Won’t Fix the Economy
    Petro leaves Colombia ill-equipped to handle a new Venezuelan migration wave; Bukele’s mano dura tactics got results on crime, but won’t fix the economy.
  • Bolivia
    Civilian-controlled Militaries Keep Coups Out of Latin America Plus Trump's VP Pick Signals Hawkish Latin America Policy
    Civilian-controlled militaries keep coups out of Latin America; Trump’s Vance VP pick signals a Latin America policy hawkish on migration and Mexican organized crime.
  • Venezuela
    This Is How Maduro Could Lose Control
    Autocrats have fumbled rigged elections in the past. Here’s why Venezuela’s might be next.
  • Latin America
    Stagnant Urban Productivity Stunts Latin America’s Economic Growth, Plus Chinese Lenders Turn Away From Latin America
    Stagnant urban productivity stunts Latin America’s economic growth; Chinese lenders turn away from Latin America.
  • Guatemala
    Latin America’s Demographic Opportunity Plus Arévalo’s First Four Months
    Latin America’s openness to migration may offset downsides of aging populations; Arévalo’s reform agenda for Guatemala inches forward, but roadblocks are multiplying.