Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former president of Costa Rica and current professor of practice at The Fletcher School of Tufts University: “Globally we are experiencing a competition between regions and systems, and in this geopolitical scheme the game is played regionally. In this global/regional competition that involves trade, but goes beyond it, the Western Hemisphere risks falling behind to the detriment of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. As opposed to Asia and Europe, the Western Hemisphere has consistently missed opportunities to exploit the potential of regional synergies. This must change. And a hemisphere-wide, green sustainable transformation needs to be at the center of efforts going forward. The industrial policy at the heart of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents an umbrella for joint development, partnership and investment in Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen the political and economic position of the whole region while improving…”