PERU: Castillo honeymoon unlikely to last as major obstacles and tests loom
Pedro Castillo will be sworn in as president today, 28 July. Castillo should also unveil his cabinet later in the day. The policy outlook is hazy and it is far from clear how Castillo can push ahead with his signature promise of constitutional reform. Congressional anta… Become a member to read the rest of […]
LATAM PULSE
This week, after prolonged uncertainty, Peru gets a new left-wing president. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is sending mixed messages about possible talks with the opposition. In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro is expected to appoint a “Big Center” figure to a key post. Me… Become a member to read the rest of this article
BRAZIL: Bolsonaro’s return to his Big Center origins is the new normal
Faced with dire electoral prospects in the polls and a Senate inquiry into the pandemic that will not cut him some slack, President Jair Bolsonaro has taken to threatening Brazil’s democracy on a regular basis. Of lately, he has intensified his push to end electronic voting and r… Become a member to read the […]
MEXICO: Referendum on ex-presidents is more show than substance
On 1 August, there will be a public referendum to decide whether to investigate ex-presidents for corruption and other wrongdoing. Officially, voters will be asked whether they agree that there should be action to “clarify” decisions by “political actors” over recent years. There… Become a member to read the rest of this article
CUBA: Protests can be stifled, but regime’s deeper challenges exposed
The wave of anti-government protests that broke out on 11 July and have continued sporadically since then represents the biggest crisis of Miguel Diaz-Canel’s presidency and one of the most delicate moments for the regime since the so-called Special Period of the 1990s. These pro… Become a member to read the rest of this […]
BRAZIL: Neither impeachment, nor reform, Bolsonaro out on a limb
The Senate inquiry into the pandemic (CPI) has reached a significant inflection point, having refocused from presidential denialism to systemic corruption. The CPI has divided supporters of the president in Congress, especially the “Big Center” parties. Reforms have bec… Become a member to read the rest of this article
CHILE: Spotlight on the radical left
Presidential primary voting is scheduled for 18 July. Two blocs representing the center-right Chile Vamos (CV) coalition and the more radical left Apruebo Dignidad coalition are participating. The center-left bloc now going under the name of Unidad Constituyente is not taking par… Become a member to read the rest of this article
LATAM PULSE
This week, Chile’s constituent assembly has got off to an inauspicious start. Brazil’s vaccine procurement probes will continue. It is one month since Peru’s presidential run-off vote with no official winner, though the leftist Pedro Castillo has already announced controversial p… Become a member to read the rest of this article
CHILE: Path to a new constitution unlikely to be straightforward
The constituent assembly specially elected to draft a new constitution officially opens on 4 July. Chile has an opportunity to build a more inclusive growth model and settle the political disaffection that exploded into major unrest in late-2019. However, political frag… Become a member to read the rest of this article
ECUADOR: Positive start for Lasso but challenges loom large
The early part of President Guillermo Lasso’s presidency was always going to revolve around his pledge to vaccinate 9mn people in his first 100 days in office – the so-called Plan 9/100. Five weeks after his inauguration, the target still looks ambitious, though new supply agreem… Become a member to read the rest of […]