On Episode 6 of The LatinNews Podcast, Pamela K Starr, Professor of International Relations at USC, Los Angeles, joins us to discuss President Lopez Obrador's legacy in Mexico. We look at the defining features of his tenure, the increase in the role of the military, resource nationalism, political polarization, threats to journalists and an assault on autonomous institutions such as the electoral authority. Additionally, we discuss Lopez Obrador's chosen successor for the 2024 elections: Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.    Show Notes: • The Morena Party • Lopez Obrador’s most likely successor • Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) • The Fourth Transformation   Pamela Starr is a professor of the practice of international relations and public diplomacy, a senior advisor at Monarch Global Strategies, and a global fellow at the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Prior to USC, Starr was the senior analyst responsible for Mexico at the Eurasia Group, one of the world's leading global political risk advisory and consulting firms, and a professor at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City. Starr has briefed American and Mexican officials on the bilateral relationship, including former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade, as well as ambassadors, diplomats, intelligence officials, legislators, and staffers from both countries. She has testified before the U.S. Congress and is an active speaker and author. Starr has been quoted in over 50 newspapers, news magazines, and wire services in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Asia including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and the Financial Times. She has opinion articles in over a dozen outlets. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Described as "hapless and stolid but hardworking" by Dr Emily Morris, President Diaz-Canel was re-elected to his post in April 2023 as life for ordinary Cubans remains increasingly difficult. On this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, Dr Morris discusses the political and economic effects of the nation's dual currency system and its end, if there are any possibilities of meaningful political reform there on the horizon and finally, the overwhelming sense of despair being felt by the Cuban population.   Show Notes: • What is the dual-currency system? • Impact of the dual-currency on the economy • 2021 Cuban Protests • Cuban foreign policy   Dr Emily Morris is a Research Fellow at University College London’s Institute of the Americas (UCLIA). For 13 years she worked for the Economist Intelligence Unit, where she was a Senior Editor/Economist covering the economies of Latin America, and in 2011 she completed her doctoral thesis on Cuban economic policy and outcomes since 1990. As well as lecturing Masters level students, she is now doing consultancy work on Cuban and Latin American economics. Dr Morris's current research includes studies of Cuban macroeconomic management and performance, climate change mitigation and transport strategies, and emerging currents in Latin American Political Economy. She is lead researcher for a collaboration project between UCL and the Cuban ministry of transport, helping to formulate an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable transport strategy for the city of Havana. Dr Morris lectures in the Political Economy of Development in Latin America, Latin American Economics, and Economic and Social Transformation in Cuba. Ten years ago she wrote an article for LatinNews, covering Cuba's dual-currency system. On the latest episode of The LatinNews Podcast she joins Richard McColl to discuss current developments in Cuba. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Andrew Nickson, Honourary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies at the University of Birmingham and expert in Paraguay's politics joins The LatinNews Podcast  on Episode 4 to provide an overview of the recent elections and some of the serious dilemmas facing the Colorado Party's president-elect Santiago Peña.  On the home-front, can Peña combat the rampant corruption, drug-related violence, poor education levels and increase trust in government institutions - including accusations of fraud in the recent elections? And internationally, how will his government negotiate the terms of energy sales from the Itaipu dam with Brazil, continue to recognise Taiwan, snubbing China, and move the Paraguayan embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem without angering key trade partners in the Arab world?  The outlook for one of the most unequal countries in the Americas, in terms of income and wealth, isn't positive.   Show Notes: • Overview of the elections in Paraguay • The origins of President-elect Santiago Pena • Horacio Cartes' influence in Paraguay • The re-negotiation of the Itaipu dam   Andrew Nickson has four decades' experience of teaching, research and consultancy on public administration reform, local governance, decentralization and urban water supply. He has a particular interest in Sierra Leone, Nepal and Paraguay, countries where he has had long-term work assignments. He is currently lead trainer on ‘Decentralised Governance and Peacebuilding’ and ‘Acting Locally: Citizen Participation for Resilient Institutions’ for the Turin-based United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), delivered both through distance learning and face-to-face courses. He writes regularly for the Economist Intelligence Unit, Oxford Analytica and HIS Markit. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

On Episode 3 of the LatinNews Podcast we take a look at Lula 3.0 in Brazil and discuss the challenges facing the president. Richard Lapper, author of "Beef, Bible and Bullets, Brazil in the Age of Bolsonaro," joins us to discuss four main talking points, Brazil's relationship with China and Russia, the economy, the political difficulties within Brazil and finally, the environment and protection of the Amazon.    Show Notes: • Brazil, China and Russia • Brazil's stance on the Ukraine invasion • Where will the economy growth come from? • Protection of the Amazon   Richard Lapper is a writer and consultant, specializing in Latin America. He has extensive experience as a journalist in the region and is a research affiliate at King’s College, London. Richard is author of ‘Beef, Bullets and Bible: Brazil in The Age of Bolsonaro’ published in June 2021 by Manchester University Press. He worked for the Financial Times for 25 years, occupying the post of Latin America editor between 1998 and 2008. He was a principal at FT Confidential between 2010 and 2015, an FT information service for investors. He has written and broadcast widely on Latin America and Southern Africa and spoken at a range of international conferences. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

On Episode 2 of The LatinNews Podcast, we discuss the challenges facing President Gabriel Boric as he seeks to regain the political initiative which has swung considerably in favour of the rightwing opposition. Freelance journalist and expert analyst on Chile, Andrew Thompson joins The LatinNews Podcast to share his thoughts on the issues most affecting Boric from protests by militant Mapuche groups, Chile's worsening security situation, economic inequality and his need to score a quick and effective win, soon. Can Boric succeed in getting his government's second attempt at a constitutional reform passed through a referendum in December 2023?   Show Notes: • Chilean democracy - post Pinochet era • The emergence of Gabriel Boric  • Why did the constitution reform fail?  • Can President Boric claw back support? Andrew Thompson is a journalist and political risk analyst who covers Latin America.  He was previously a foreign correspondent in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, and head of the BBC’s Latin American Service.  He is currently focusing on journalism, economic analysis and political risk on a number of projects with different organizations, including Oxford Business Group, EIU, LatinNews, and Canning House.   Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.