The LatinNews Podcast

In this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, we assess Cuba’s deepening economic crisis under intensifying US pressure and ask a central question: does severe hardship necessarily lead to regime collapse?

The grinding strategy targeting oil supplies has sharply reduced fuel availability, paralysed transport and worsened daily life on the island. Yet despite visible deterioration, public order remains intact and the Cuban stat...

In a far-reaching conversation, this week on The LatinNews Podcast, we take a look ahead over 2026 and the possible implications and consequences of US policy towards Latin America. 

We ask, how does the US government justify working with a Venezuelan regime that so profoundly espouses the idea of 21st century socialism? Is there any move towards a restoration of democracy in Venezuela? How will President Trump's rela...

Costa Rica has long been the envy of its neighbors in Central America, enjoying economic stability and growth, dependency and security. As we approach the first round of Presidential elections on 1 February 2026, citizens now face the key question of whether they cast their vote for continuity or change?

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we sit down with Ronald Alfaro Redondo, Professor of Political Science at the University of Co...

In our first episode of 2026, we take a look at Chile under president-elect José Antonio Kast who is due to be sworn into office in March 2026, marking a significant swing to the Right in the Andean nation. 

Joining us on The LatinNews Podcast this week is Lucia Dammert, Professor of International Relations at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile. 

We discuss how Kast won the elections so convincingly and what were the failures of Pr...

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the recent presidential election in Honduras and explore why the incumbent party performed so poorly, the probable outcomes from this neck and neck contest between Salvador Nasralla and Nasry Asfura, the role of President Trump and the pardon of former president Juan Orlando Hernández. 

Joining us is Lucas Perelló, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Flo...

Argentina's colourful President Javier Milei has been in power for two years and on The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at his record so far and possible outcomes for the future after a successful midterm elections and significant public approval for his mandate. 

Joining us is Carlos Gervasoni, Associate Professor and chair of Political Science and International Studies at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. We disc...

Over the past 12 years, Jamaica has faced up to challenging hardships in order to earn hard won gains in terms of ordering the economy, reducing the debt to GDP ratio from 150% to 60% and reducing unemployment to 3.3%. It was, in short, an incredible success story. 

And then in November 2025, the island was struck by Hurricane Melissa, leaving the country in tatters. The two main industries of tourism and agriculture have been sever...

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at the results of the recent presidential elections in Bolivia and the challenges ahead for president-elect Rodrigo Paz.

Can this pragmatic leader respond creatively to tests including, a contracting economy, the current decline in the MAS party, the revisitation of diplomatic ties between the country and the United States, the Lithium question and regional relationships. 

In a far-reaching...

Why is there a build-up of the US armed forces in the southern Caribbean? According to Dr. Evan Ellis, Latin America Research Professor and General Douglas Macarthur Research Chair at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, our guest on The LatinNews Podcast this week, this is about putting an end to a significant strategic threat to U.S. interests that are threatening the core of things that President Trump said he ...

Newly re-elected President Irfaan Ali will have to move fast on promises to convert his country's sizable oil income into tangible benefits for Guyana's poor, beyond huge prestige infrastructure projects. If President Ali is unable to capitalize and create a coherent development plan and enable a reorientation of Guyana's economy, there will be cause for concern, not least from Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the new WIN...

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we look at how criminal organizations offer basic order and security in Latin America and how decades of authorities resorting to repressive strategies in order to address underlying social problems have provided fertile platforms for criminal shadow governments. 

Misguided state policies have shown that political questions have to change and there is now the need to rethink how to deal ...

Following the historic defeat of the MAS in the first round of presidential elections in August 2025, Bolivians are left with two options to vote for, both to the right of centre. Former president Jorge Quiroga will face Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira in a run-off set to take place on 19 October 2025. 

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we take a look at the results of the first round and explore some of the reason for the t...

In one of his final acts as president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador pushed through a contentious judicial reform. López Obrador celebrated the overhaul of the judiciary as a necessity and an important legacy of his government.

A primary concern is that the reform weakens judicial independence, reducing checks and balances on the government. There are fears the election process could be open to political influence,...

Threats of political violence and a deteriorating security situation are raising concerns as Colombia approaches its presidential elections in May 2026, while tensions with the United States have also increased. Security challenges are expected to weigh heavily on the upcoming electoral period.

This week on The LatinNews Podcast, host Richard McColl speaks with Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Analyst for the Andes Region at In...

Under President Santiago Peña, Paraguay is enjoying economic stability, the fastest growth in Latin America, the lowest debt to GDP ratio in the region, a stable currency and the award of investment grade status for the first time ever. 

And, while this is impressive and cause for celebration, analysts are asking what the Paraguayan government is doing to combat corruption? 

On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we ...

President Noboa’s victory in Ecuador seems to have owed a huge amount to his sweeping crackdown on organised crime, which has seen the military permanently mobilised against gangs. Insecurity is repeatedly identified as voters’ main concern. Can Noboa deliver? 

It's clear that Noboa stands and falls on security and voters gave him the benefit of the doubt that he needed more time and that his rival González would be t...

The biggest threat to Peru's efforts to further tap into its vast copper ore reserves is the growing number of informal and illegal mining activities. Conflicts between property owners and concession holders have become a critical issue, and the Peruvian government is striving to find a balance. Peru's rich copper and gold ore reserves have attracted hundreds of thousands of small-scale miners, most of whom operate in are...

Security and violent crime are the single most pressing issues on the minds of voters regarding the presidential elections in Costa Rica in February 2026 and so, on The LatinNews Podcast this week, we investigate the causes for these troubles - including inequality and marginalization - and what President Rodrigo Chaves has done to combat this. 

We discuss the broader trends in the region regarding the elections, Costa Ric...

The recent election of American Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church. Not only is Leo XIV the first pope from the United States, but he is also a pontiff deeply connected to Latin America, where he dedicated nearly forty years to pastoral work, particularly in Peru. In this respect, Leo would appear to be another Latin American pope and there is great excitement in the region resul...