Americas Quarterly

The next edition of The Americas This Week is out. Read Brenda Estefan on Mexico's Northern Triangle strategy, Robert Muggah on Ecuador's security referendum, Ricardo Zuniga on the AQ Podcast and more.

NEW: What would another Joe Biden term mean for US policy toward Latin America? Ricardo Zuniga, a major figure on Latin America policy under the Barack Obama and Biden administrations, joins the AQ Podcast to review the major events on the past four years and look ahead to what could change if Biden is reelected in November.  https://lnkd.in/edYuYstT

NEW: In what looks like a regional trend, a majority of Ecuadorians backed a series of controversial proposals to militarize the fight against organized crime. But the package of security measures proposed in a referendum last Sunday isn’t guaranteed to make residents safer, writes Robert Muggah. While burnishing the interim government’s “tough on crime” credentials, they risk militarizing law enforcement, overwhelming overcrowded prisons, fragmenting the country’s two dozen crime groups, and ignoring underlying challenges that are fueling insecurity in the first place. #security #ecuador #organizedcrime https://lnkd.in/efnEKzc9

NEW: The growth in nearshoring is one of the most exciting things to happen in the Americas in recent years, with millions of dollars pouring into Mexico and other countries in order to integrate the region’s supply chains. But for this hopeful trend to continue, there’s no doubt that infrastructure must catch up, writes Americas Society/Council of the Americas CEO Susan Segal. In 2023, the Inter-American Development Bank estimated that the infrastructure gap in Latin America represents 2.5% of the entire region’s GDP, or around $150 billion a year. Traditionally people have thought of infrastructure as ports, rail, roads and airports. But telecommunications and technology are also vitally important. #nearshoring #infrastructure #latinamerica #trade https://lnkd.in/dWJjC6bx

NEW: In the hours after midnight in March, a police task force swept through the streets of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s main port and business capital. The force made 12 arrests, including seven judges and a former congressman, as part of major investigations known as “Metástasis” and “Purga” (“purge” in Spanish) which in recent months have exposed links between organized crime and the highest realms of political power in Ecuador. Overseeing the operation from her office in Quito was Diana Salazar, the country’s indefatigable attorney general, who says her biggest fear is Ecuador becoming resigned to living with corruption and organized crime. But now, after Ecuador’s homicide rate soared by almost 500% between 2016 and 2022, it is hard to tell what she can achieve, writes Maria Escobar. #profile #anticorruption #ecuador https://lnkd.in/eumFtA5A

NEW: Latin America’s ports face a range of challenges, from narcotics to cyberattacks. How can they shore up their defenses? AQ identified 5 key recommendations: 1. Cybersecurity: Cyberattacks on logistics hubs are on the rise. Ports should have cyber incident response plans in place, make sure personnel are trained to respond, and take other precautions. 2. Don’t rely on reputation alone. Ports known for security problems often are undertaking efforts to improve, while those with safer reputations are sleeping on risks. 3. Deploy technology to better track containers. Visibility in the supply chain is crucial, experts say. 4. Build anti-corruption measures. Whistleblowers and other anonymous reporting mechanisms help identify corruption issues. 5. Improve cooperation and information exchange. Right now, public policy doesn’t do enough to facilitate cooperation. #ports #infrastructure #security #organizedcrime #cybersecurity https://lnkd.in/euMYRHsf

AQ's new special report on Latin America's ports is out! And so is a special edition of The Americas This Week. Find our cover story on Punta Arenas's green (and strategic) renaissance by Patricia Garip, 5 keys to better port security, as well as other issue content—like a profile of Ecuador's crusading attorney general by Maria Escobar, and a snapshot of public politics in Mexico City by Alex González Ormerod. And much more.

NEW: Punta Arenas, Chile might be located practically at the end of the world—but it’s not as remote as you might think. It’s become an unlikely hotspot for global shipping—merchant ships crossing the Strait of Magellan are up 83% compared with 2021. It’s a focus for the U.S. and China as climate-driven disruptions hit the Panama Canal, and a focal point for new green energy investment. But it needs a major infrastructure upgrade to seize the moment. Will it come in time? Patricia Garip takes a look for the cover story of AQ’s new special report on ports in Latin America:  #chile #ports #logistics #infrastructure #greenenergy https://lnkd.in/etZrhyff

NEW: They’re not always thought of as political hotspots. But ports are at the intersection of several crucial issues in Latin America and the Caribbean today—from organized crime and climate change to the U.S.-China rivalry and nearshoring. Read the lead editorial of our new special report on how Latin America’s ports are meeting the moment: #ports #logistics #infrastructure #organizedcrime #climatechange https://lnkd.in/e97TW_4A

NEW: In March, tragedy struck when two Honduran migrants were hit by a train in the southern state of Chiapas, killing one of them and seriously injuring the other. This somber event along the Maya Train route served as a poignant reminder of migrants’ perilous journeys through Mexico, the gateway between Central America and the U.S., writes Brenda Estefan. Mexico’s next president must depart from past policies and pursue more comprehensive strategies to promote development in its southern neighbors, while improving the management of migration from the Northern Triangle. #mexico #centralamerica #migration https://lnkd.in/ehdmDWDh