The Americas Quarterly Podcast

Latin America has been at the center of the world’s attention in 2026—and not only because of Venezuela. This week, we take a step back to understand the current moment and its implications for the region’s long-term outlook, from the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, to the future of USMCA, and upcoming elections in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. What do recent events mean for Latin America’s political and economic future?

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The fate of Venezuela hinges on the country’s once-proud energy sector. Since Maduro’s capture two weeks ago, questions about how the industry could be recovered have become critically important: What’s the real state of the Venezuelan oil industry today? Under what conditions might U.S. companies be able to deliver on the $100 billion in investment that President Trump says is needed? Can the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez ...

The capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela was one of the most dramatic developments in U.S.-Latin America relations in more than 30 years. In Venezuela, a country that has suffered for more than a decade from repression, economic depression and an exodus of more than 8 million people, it opened the door for change. Yet, days after the arrest, the Chavista government is still in charge, led by Maduro’s former vice president Delcy R...

Despite trade tensions and political uncertainty, 2025 was not a bad year for Latin America's economies, with growth of around 2.4 percent, broadly in line with post-pandemic trends. In this episode we look ahead to 2026 and analyze the outlook for the region, from fiscal pressures and a pivotal election in Brazil to uncertainty around Argentina’s recovery under Javier Milei and the evolving trade relationship between Mexico a...

2025 has been an extraordinarily active year for U.S. policy in Latin America. With the release of President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy, which places the Western Hemisphere first and promises to “reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine,” along with a new “Trump Corollary” aimed at countering China’s influence, the trend has become even clearer. We discuss the defining features of this assertive approach and what...

Right-wing candidates are gaining victories across Latin America. Chile will likely turn right in the upcoming second round of elections, Javier Milei made legislative gains in Argentina and in Bolivia recent elections ended 20 years of Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party leadership. With key races ahead in 2026, some analysts say the right could become the region’s dominant political force, echoing the sweeping “pink tide” of the...

Chileans head to the polls this Sunday, November 16. In the last election cycle, Gabriel Boric won following the massive 2019 protests that shook the nation to its core. At the time, it seemed Chile was set for sweeping structural change: the classic poster child for neoliberal economic policy in Latin America appeared ready to build a stronger welfare state and elect leaders from the left. Six years later, some change has occurred...

The recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, has intensified speculation about Washington’s true objectives in the Southern Caribbean. In this episode of the Americas Quarterly Podcast, we examine what’s really behind the Trump administration’s escalating military activity. Is it a hardline campaign against drug cartels, or the opening moves of a broader effort to pressure Venezuelan le...

Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum has hit the one-year mark of her presidency. In that time she has had to balance three key relationships: with President Donald Trump, with her still-powerful predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador and with the Mexican public. She faced skepticism, but has surprised many. Sheinbaum’s approval rating is at 73%, and a plurality of Mexicans said in a recent poll that her government is off to a better start ...

Argentina’s President Javier Milei just got a much-needed boost from his ally, U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House has signaled plans for a $20 billion swap line to contribute to Argentina’s fragile reserves—a lifeline coming just as Milei faces market turmoil, political setbacks and a corruption scandal close to home. With midterm elections set for the end of the month, the big question is whether this support can keep Mi...

Latin America is entering a packed election season, with Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru and Brazil all set to elect presidents in the next 13 months. This is happening just as organized crime reaches unprecedented power. In several of these countries, crime is showing up in polls as the number one political issue. Security expert Lucía Dammert explains how booming cocaine production, money laundering and criminal infilt...

A landmark trial is underway in Brazil: former President Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, stands accused of trying to overturn the 2022 election. Alongside military officials and ex-ministers, Bolsonaro faces charges that could reshape Brazil’s political future — and reverberate globally. The U.S. has recently launched a campaign against Brazil’s judiciary in a show of support for Bolsonaro. Journalist Patric...

Bolivia's long-dominant MAS party has suffered a historic defeat, with its presidential candidate winning just 3% of the vote. The result reflects deep frustration over the country’s economic crisis and political infighting. In a surprise outcome, Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira led the first round, followed by former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga. The two will be in a runoff on October 19. In this episode, we speak with Bolivian...

In this special mid-year episode, we take a step back for a look at where the region’s economies stand, and the picture is better than many expected. We evaluate the impact of Trump’s new tariffs, the short- and medium-term prospects for Mexico's economy, as well as positive indicators like falling inflation in Argentina and resilient growth in Brazil. Our guest is Ernesto Revilla, Chief Economist for Latin America at Citigrou...

A major confrontation is brewing between the United States and Brazil, driven by the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the deepening legal troubles of his close Brazilian ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro. As Brazil’s judiciary pursues charges against the former president for attempting to overturn the 2022 election, Trump has retaliated with threats of steep tariffs and revoked visas for Brazilian Supreme Court jus...

As Gustavo Petro spars with Donald Trump, violence is surging in Colombia ahead of next year’s elections. The attempted assassination of conservative presidential candidate Miguel Uribe in June set off alarm bells all over Latin America. Since then, there have been other causes for concern, including a series of car bombs in Cali and news of a plot against another right-wing candidate. In this episode, political analyst Sergio Guzm...

As Brazil prepares to host the 2025 BRICS Summit, questions are swirling about the future of the group, as well as China’s growing presence in Latin America. In this episode, we explore the shifting dynamics of global influence with Oliver Stuenkel, professor of international relations at Fundação Getúlio Vargas, in São Paulo, and a visiting scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. W...

The recent arrests of two prominent critics of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele have sparked renewed concerns about the country's democratic backsliding. In this episode we discuss the detentions of attorney Ruth López and constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya, both vocal opponents of Bukele, and what these developments might signal about the president’s tightening grip on power.  We also talk about challenges on the ec...

On May 20, two top aides to Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada were shot dead in a rare daytime attack, raising questions about security under Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum. Known for her tougher stance on organized crime, Sheinbaum has overseen a drop in homicides and taken bold steps like extraditing cartel leaders. In this episode we speak with security expert Eduardo Guerrero to unpack the recent violence, what has def...