In The News

Venezuela Scrambles for Food Despite Oil Boom

Rory Carroll November 15, 2007
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has gained both prestige and notoriety for his use of oil diplomacy throughout Latin America. An oil boom combined with Chávez’s socialist policies has had two consequences: a surge of imported luxury goods and a shortage of food staples. According to the research group Datanalisis, as much as a quarter of the supply of food staples is “disrupted,” and any stock...

Using Chavez as Counterpoint, Bush Pursues Latin Trade Pacts

Steven R. Weisman November 7, 2007
In an effort to push new trade accords with Peru, Panama and Colombia through US Congress, President Bush has repeatedly insisted that these accords would strengthen democracy in the region and weaken the influence of Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez. Democrats, labor unions and advocacy groups – Bush’s main opposition to this agenda – are skeptical of rhetoric that makes free trade a synonym for...

Trade Deal Sparks Fight Over Socks

Ian Swanson November 1, 2007
The US Congress and Department of Commerce are considering raising tariffs on sock imports from Honduras. Passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement in 2005 decreased protections between the US and several Latin American states, and some analysts suggest that factories based in the US will close and move jobs to Honduras, with its low production costs. A Canadian company is taking...

Argentina’s Presidential Front-Runner Goes Global

Monte Reel October 16, 2007
The United States is not the only country contemplating the candidacy of a recent president’s wife. In Argentina, first lady and presidential frontrunner Cristina Fernández de Kirchner powers through the final leg of her campaign, largely run outside of Argentina. In the wake of massive economic collapse in 2001, her husband turned his attention inward to address enormous debt and widespread...

Latin America’s Hidden War in Iraq

Kristina Mani October 11, 2007
The mercenary companies operating in Iraq recruit a large number of fighters from Latin America – roughly a third of the estimated 30,000 currently deployed. The region boasts a large number of trained ex-military fighters, and a high level of unemployment makes many willing to accept wages that are a fraction of what American or British elite forces demand. An intense need for soldiers in the...

US Lets in More Immigrants for Farms

Nicole Gaouette October 9, 2007
Despite earlier promises about strict enforcement of immigration laws, the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Labor are reportedly easing policies to welcome more immigrant workers ready to harvest tomatoes, fruit and other crops before they rot. The US refuses to release details, but farmers clamor for more workers, claiming that citizens have no interest in joining the...

The New AIPAC?

Mira Kamdar October 3, 2007
Inspired by the success of AIPAC and other lobbying organizations in forging a pro-Israeli American foreign policy, Indian-American groups are beginning to hit their stride. The biggest success for what World Policy Institute fellow Mira Kamdar calls the "India lobby" has been the overwhelming passage through the US Congress of a nuclear-cooperation deal that would legitimize India...