2018 has been a year marked by great political uncertainty for Latin American energy markets. Oil prices are up, creating strong incentives for investment, rising US natural gas exports are creating a new source of flexible, cheaper energy for Latin American consumers, and the cost of wind and solar energy is declining dramatically. However, Latin America continues to face uncertainty in energy policy as new governments take office in many countries and geopolitical tensions between the US and China are on the rise. With many questions on the table, government officials, corporate representatives, and analysts gathered on October 25 at the Inter-American Dialogue to assess the future of energy policy in the Western Hemisphere.
How much impact did the spread of misinformation have on Brazil’s election? How did this play out in other presidential races in the region this year, such as in Colombia and Costa Rica? What effects does false propaganda on social
media have on Latin American democracies, and what should be done, if anything, to control it?
Laura Chinchilla, Maria Velez de Berliner, Silvio Waisbord, Cristina Tardáguila
A new report by Dialogue fellow Kevin Casas, Paola González and Liliana Mesías analyzes the dominant trends in police behavior and organization and predicts how they will shape police forces over time.
Kevin Casas-Zamora, Paola González , Liliana Mesías
On December 7, 2018, the Inter-American Dialogue’s Working Group on Latin America met for its 31st session. Dating back to 2001, the group is one of the longest-running and most successful initiatives at the Dialogue.
The Inter-American Dialogue and the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program hosted President of the Colombian Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition to discuss the challenges of constructing a coherent and honest narrative of the Colombian conflict.
Electric mobility would bring a host of benefits to Latin America. Countries like Chile are taking the lead in adopting electric buses and promoting private use of electric vehicles. Yet hefty price tags and a lack of charging infrastructure are among the barriers that must be surmounted for widespread uptake in the region.
The Inter-American Dialogue co-hosted an event with President Ivan Duque Marquez called “Colombia’s Domestic and Regional Opportunities and Challenges.”
In a wide-ranging panel about current events in energy, Lisa Viscidi commented on the shift in the US energy trade balance and its effects on foreign policy, Chinese financing for foreign energy projects, the importance of upgrading transmission lines for expanding renewable power generation, and how the Green New Deal attempts to reframe the discussion on climate change in the US.
The U.S. president needs to keep cooperating closely with Mexico, steer clear of any military action in Venezuela and refrain from bullying his partners and allies in the region.
On April 12, the Inter-American Dialogue, in partnership with the Latin America Program at the Wilson Center, hosted a conversation with the current Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia, Alberto Carrasquilla.
