The outlook for the Andean region in 2016 varies greatly by country. Peru is gearing up for April’s presidential and legislative elections. Despite the uncertainty and concerns over crime and corruption, the country’s economic outlook remains positive. In Bolivia, President Evo Morales—the country’s longest-serving leader— lost a February referendum to run for a fourth term as head of state. The economy, while still strong, is expected to continue to slow in 2016. Ecuador, on the other hand, has experienced no growth in 2015 and low oil prices have greatly reduced government revenues. Due to these factors and the effects of El Niño, the recession is unlikely to stop before the end of 2016. Finally, Venezuela is facing a profound economic and political crisis with few signs that the many challenges will be resolved any time soon.
In this context, the Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to feature the top US diplomats in these four important countries to share their views about the political and economic situations and US policy priorities.
Follow this event on Twitter at #DialogueCOM and @The_Dialogue.
Speakers:Brian NicholsUS Ambassador to Peru
Todd ChapmanUS Ambassador to Ecuador |
Annie PforzheimerDirector of Andean Affairs, US Department of State
Peter BrennanCharge of Affairs, US Embassy, La Paz, Bolivia |
Moderator:Michael ShifterPresident, Inter-American Dialogue |