The Dominican Republic’s Luis Abinader is one of the most popular leaders in Latin America, if not the world, so it may come as little surprise that Abinader appears to be on comfortable footing to win in the first round of the country’s presidential vote on May 19. But then again, the country’s political climate differs from that of the rest of Latin America in that presidents tend to be popular, elections don’t usually go to runoffs, and polarization levels remain low. In this episode, Temple University Professor Emeritus Rosario Espinal talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis, providing a larger context to this Dominican electoral cycle.

This is the fourth episode in our 2024 election series. Prior episodes covered the economic agenda for Panama’s next president, the youth vote in Mexico, and Nayib Bukele’s global reach. Get this content and more electoral insight in this year guide at www.as-coa.org/2024. Access a poll tracker for the Dominican presidential race.

We will host President Abinader at the 54th Washington Conference on the Americas. Learn more about the May 8, 2024 event: https://www.as-coa.org/wca2024Read an Americas Quarterly profile of the president: https://americasquarterly.org/article/the-rare-popular-incumbent/

Jon Orbach produced this episode. Maria Despradel contributed reporting. Carin Zissis is the host. Get other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at: [email protected]

The music in this podcast is "Pacholí” performed by Pedro Martínez for Americas Society. Watch the full performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIwKjvpkzN8
Find out about upcoming concerts at: www.musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

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An old adversary of Latin America is back: Dengue. The current outbreak of the mosquito-transmitted disease is the worst in years. Across the region, from Argentina to Brazil to Puerto Rico, images of hospitals filled with patients are coming into view. Four years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, how well-equipped is the region to tackle this one—or those to follow? In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mariangela Simão, the head of the Brazilian Instituto Todos pela Saude and formerly of the WHO. In a conversation with AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison, she covers the outbreak, the strengths and liabilities Latin America has in battling pandemics, and what advice she’d give Brazil’s president. 

Learn about AS/COA’s Healthcare Series: https://www.as-coa.org/healthcare

Visit www.as-coa.org/podcast to subscribe at your preferred platform and so you don’t miss future episodes. Send us feedback at [email protected] or via X at @ASCOA. 

The music in this podcast is performed by Bobby Sanabria and the Multiverse Big Band for Americas Society. 
Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members. 

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Panama is facing a moment of uncertainty amid an electoral race with eight candidates, droughts affecting the Panama Canal, and fallout over massive 2023 mining protests. But Felipe Chapman, chairman and managing partner of economic and financial advisory firm INDESA, remains optimistic about his country’s future. In a conversation with AS/COA Vice President Randy Melzi, he says Panama’s challenges are “fixable” as he outlines the economic agenda for the next administration.

This is the third episode in our monthly series on 2024 elections in Latin America. Listen to the first episode on Nayib Bukele’s global reach and the second episode on Mexico’s youth vote. 

See our Panama election poll tracker at: www.as-coa.org/panama-polls

Get election coverage in our guide at: www.as-coa.org/2024

Visit www.as-coa.org/podcast to subscribe at your preferred platform and so you don’t miss future episodes. 
Send us feedback at [email protected] or via X at @ASCOA.

The music in this podcast is "Cadenza con pajarillo,”  performed by Eddy Marcano & Trío Acústico for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

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Just hours before Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, the State Department’s Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere Brian A. Nichols joined AS/COA in an event covering the state of U.S. policy in the Americas. In a conversation with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, Ambassador Nichols laid out the administration’s positions on regional quagmires, such as Haiti’s humanitarian and political crises and the fairness of Venezuela’s July elections. But he also delved into opportunities in the region like partnering on critical minerals and renewable energy with Argentina or deepening already strong economic ties with Mexico. What will Washington do if the Maduro regime doesn’t allow opposition candidate María Corina Machado to run? How will Mexico’s election affect the bilateral relationship? All this and more are covered in this episode.

Watch the video of this event: https://www.as-coa.org/BrianNichols2024

Visit www.as-coa.org/podcast to subscribe at your preferred platform and so you don’t miss future episodes. 

Send us feedback at [email protected] or via X at @ASCOA.

The music in this podcast is Arrecife Urbano, performed by Cuarteto de Guitarras de Costa Rica for Americas Society. Watch the performance: https://youtu.be/jUHzWiavG1o?si=0gUQiE_jmUjeNZ8g 

Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

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In Mexico’s 2024 vote, more than a quarter of eligible voters are under 30 and nearly half are under 40. That means younger voters have an opportunity to play a major role in an election not only for president, but one that will see more than 20,000 seats up for grabs. But they have to participate if they want to have an impact. Me Veo, an organization focused on getting out the vote in this election, is seeking to do just that. Its director, Alexandra Zapata, joined the podcast to spells out ways to get Mexico’s young voters engaged. And in the opening segment, Professor Noam Lupu of Vanderbilt University’s LAPOP Lab explains the latest AmericasBarometer report, which shows Latin America’s young voters may be more committed to democracy than previously thought.  

Access the 2023 AmericasBarometer report: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/ 

This is the second episode in our monthly series on 2024 elections in Latin America. Listen to the first episode on El Salvador’s expat votes and Nayib Bukele’s reach: http://t.ly/H0Lnd  
Get more election coverage in our guide at: www.as-coa.org/2024  
See our Mexico election poll tracker at: http://t.ly/NPtoz

Visit www.as-coa.org/podcast to subscribe at your preferred platform and so you don’t miss future episodes.
Send us feedback at [email protected] or via X at @ASCOA.  
The music in this podcast was performed by Ernest Ranglin at Americas Society. Watch the performance: t.ly/9wmDJ  Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org  

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.  

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When it comes to corruption perceptions, Latin America is stagnating. And what’s one major obstacle to improvement? Judiciary independence, explains Transparency International’s Luciana Torchiaro. In this episode, she dives deep into how the region fared in her organization’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, released in January 2024, and tells AS/COA Online’s Luisa Leme why attempts to weaken the judiciaries in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras are hindering the battle against corruption. But the news isn’t all bad. She explains how steps taken in the Dominican Republic serve as a model, and why Chile has an opportunity to restore its standing as a regional transparency leader.

Access the Transparency International 2023 report: http://t.ly/nvrSP

Read Luciana Torchiaro’s analysis on the challenges to independent judiciaries in Latin America: http://t.ly/1Q3ZW

AS/COA also monitors corruption progress in Latin America. See our 2023 Capacity to Combat Corruption Index, published in partnership with Control Risks: https://www.as-coa.org/CCC2023

The music in this episode is “Compay” by Ártemis Duo. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRxcjm2Sia4 Find out about upcoming concerts at: www.musicoftheamericas.org

Check out other episodes and subscribe to Latin America in Focus on your preferred platform via: www.as-coa.org/podcast

We’d love to hear from you. Share feedback at: [email protected]

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2024 will be a big year for Latin American elections, and the first one takes place in El Salvador. Popular President Nayib Bukele is likely to win a race that showcases his regional—and global—influence. Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas’ Roberta Braga explains how Bukele’s social media strategy spreads beyond El Salvador’s borders and calls for a rethink of how online disinformation. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Michael Paarlberg delves into how that message is being received in the large Salvadoran diaspora, which is expected to vote in record numbers this year.

This episode will be the first in a series exploring the year’s elections and the forces shaping them. Catch the series and learn about 2024 elections via our guide at: www.as-coa.org/2024

Read our Explainer: El Salvador's 2024 Presidential and Legislative Elections

This podcast was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme with support from Jon Orbach. Carin Zissis is the host.
The music in this podcast is “Receitas de Samba” by C4 Trio and  was recorded for Americas Society.

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at: www.as-coa.org/podcast  
Send us feedback at: [email protected]
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members. 

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2024 doesn’t just mark Mexico’s biggest elections ever, but the tenth anniversary since Morena, the party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, became an official party. And it now faces a test: will it build on its expanding control or find itself reined in by Mexican voters in June 2024? In this episode, long-time pollster Lorena Becerra and CIDE political scientist Javier Aparicio cover whether Morena could become a hegemonic party akin to the PRI, the challenges for López Obrador’s chosen successor Claudia Sheinbaum and the opposition’s Xóchitl Gálvez, and where Mexico sits in Latin America’s anti-incumbency arc. “Morena’s Achilles’ heel is for them to become part of the old party system at some point,” Becerra tells AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis. “And that can happen if they don't prove to be different.”

This podcast was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is the host.

AS/COA Online will be covering Mexico’s elections. Get regular updates at: www.as-coa.org/mexicoelects2024

Check out our poll tracker at: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/poll-tracker-contenders-mexicos-2024-presidential-vote
Learn about other 2024 elections in our guide at: www.as-coa.org/2024

This podcast was produced by Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is the host.

The music in this podcast was recorded for Americas Society and includes: “La danza del camalote” by José Caro, https://bit.ly/3GIzaYa as well as "Cheni" and "Nostalgia" by La Bruja de Texcoco. https://bit.ly/48fEkX7 

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at: www.as-coa.org/podcast 
Send us feedback at: [email protected] 
Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members. 

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Earlier this year, Latin American literature lost a champion when Edith Grossman, one of the foremost Spanish language translators, passed away. Grossman not only translated some of the region's master writers, but she advocated for her profession and for the value of reading in translation. In this episode, two acclaimed translators, Megan McDowell and Esther Allen, speak about her legacy, the titles grabbing attention in the United States, the role of women authors in a current Latin American boom, and the connection between books in translation and events in the region today.  

Below is a list of authors and titles available in English mentioned in this podcast:

• Why Translation Matters, by Edith Grossman
• The Silentiary, by Antonio di Benedetto, translated from Spanish by Esther Allen, introduction by Juan José Saer
• Zama, by Antonio di Benedetto, translated from Spanish by Esther Allen
• The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, by Mariana Enríquez, translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell
• The Words That Remain, by Stênio Gardel, translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato; Winner, National Book Awards 2023 for Translated Literature
• Seven Empty Houses, by Samanta Schweblin, translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell; Winner, National Book Awards 2022 for Translated Literature
• Ways of Going Home, by Alejandro Zambra, translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell

The music in this episode was performed for Americas Society and includes:

• “Fiesta Manka,” performed by Dario Acosta Teich & Eleanor Dubinsky. https://bit.ly/3uNqRas  
• “Editus and "Danzón," performed by Ricardo Ramírez and Edín Solís. https://bit.ly/46CvLo4  
• "Isla," performed by Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna https://bit.ly/3T5QJc2

Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org  

This episode was produced by Chase Harrison and Executive Producer Luisa Leme. Carin Zissis is the host.  
Learn more about and subscribe to Latin America in Focus: www.as-coa.org/podcast

We’d love to hear from you. Share feedback at: [email protected]  

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members. 

Follow us on social media:

Twitter/X: @ASCOA
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
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On October 29, Colombians voted for mayors and governors across the country, and President Gustavo Petro’s candidates fared poorly in an election that many say served as a referendum on his leadership. Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, talks with AS/COA Online’s Jon Orbach about what we can learn from mayoral races in Bogotá and Medellín, how the overall results provide a window into the mood in Colombia, and why Washington should pay attention to the country’s domestic politics. 

This podcast was produced by Jon Orbach. Carin Zissis is the host. Luisa Leme is the executive producer. 

Learn more about this year’s Latin American elections at: www.as-coa.org/2023

The music in this episode is “Gentil Montaña” performed by the Fabian Forero Trio. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/OsE9ENAq12Y?si=9B4TStMwJNPf3aK1 Find out about upcoming concerts at: www.musicoftheamericas.org

Check out other episodes and subscribe to Latin America in Focus on your preferred platform via: www.as-coa.org/podcast

We’d love to hear from you. Share feedback at: [email protected]

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

Follow us on social media:

Twitter/X: @ASCOA
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
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October was a busy month for Venezuela. The United States eased sanctions on the country’s oil sector, the opposition and the Maduro regime sketched out an electoral roadmap, and María Corina Machado triumphed in the opposition primary. What does all this mean for the country’s energy sector? 

"I estimate that instead of getting half a billion dollars per month, they will be getting closer to a billion dollars per month. So, it's a very important amount of money that Maduro could use to improve his electoral chances by spending money for electoral purposes," says Francisco Monaldi, a fellow and the director of the Latin American Energy Program at Rice University’s Baker Institute. He spoke with AS/COA Venezuela Working Group Director Guillermo Zubillaga about the outlook for the sector and Venezuela's 2024 elections. 

This podcast was produced by Jon Orbach. Carin Zissis is the host. Luisa Leme is the executive producer.

Listen to an Americas Quarterly’s interview with the White House’s Juan Gonzalez that is mentioned in the episode: t.ly/foX6f

The music in this episode is “Pasa Mi Padre” performed by Jorge Torres. Watch the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgJUwTOsK1w

Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Check out other episodes and subscribe to Latin America in Focus on your preferred platform via: www.as-coa.org/podcast

We’d love to hear from you. Share feedback at: [email protected]

Follow us on social media:

Twitter/X: @ASCOA
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
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