This is the second installment of the research piece “Climate Migration in Latin America: a future ‘flood of refugees’ to the North?” which exclusively explores the migratory consequences environmental manifestations of human-induced climate change may have in Latin America. [...]
Archive for the Category: "Reports"
Massive Earthquake Striking Chile Raises Once Again Issues of Environmental and Climate Migration in Latin America
The Yanomami: Malaria, Genocide and Policy Prospects
• A Black Mark for Brazil • The situation couldn’t be more urgent The Yanomami of the Brazilian Amazon have been decimated in the last 20 years by an incursion of prospect-miners (garimpeiros) who brought diseases (especially malaria) and other maladies to their hitherto relatively isolated co[...]
FARQaeda* (FARC + Al Qaeda): A Real Threat or a Matter of Circumstantial Evidence?
Over the past several months, a number of reports have circulated that address the subject of drug trafficking ties between South American narcotics trafficking interests and terrorist organizations, principally Al Qaeda and its smaller affiliates now known to be based in Northern Africa. These ass[...]
Ecuador: Trials with Democracy
Ecuador is a country that, according to conservative human rights body, Freedom House, stands “at the threshold” of democracy, but not for the first time. The small Andean country has a long history of inconsistent democratic governments, interrupted by sporadic military juntas and authoritarian[...]
¿Cambio? The Obama Administration in Latin America: A Disappointing Year in Retrospective
In a memorandum written as Barack Obama assumed office in January 2009, COHA’s Research Fellows Guy Hursthouse and Tomás Ayuso considered the widespread Latin American expectations of a dramatic shift in approach from Washington under the new president, and outlined an agenda for change. This[...]
Honduras’ Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo: Another Disaster for Central American Democracy Waiting in the Wing
Tomorrow, January 27th, as the world’s eyes continue to be riveted on the unfolding disaster in Haiti, Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo will be installed as Honduras’ president, succeeding de facto president Roberto Micheletti. Lobo, a supporter of the June 28th military coup that ousted P[...]
Peacekeeping and Military Operations by Latin American Militaries: Between Being a Good Samaritan and Servicing the National Interest
A December 14, 2009 report by the Spanish security-news agency Infodefensa.com states that Colombia is now prepared to dispatch a battalion of its Special Forces and air force personnel to Afghanistan. The Colombian involvement is being sponsored by Spain in order to aid Coalition forces now engaged[...]
The Dirty Little Secret: Nuclear Security Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean
Globally, nuclear power has become an increasingly important source of energy, accounting for about 15% of the world’s electricity supply. When it comes to Latin America, 3.1% of electricity comes from this source. However, the nettlesome security issues resulting from utilizing nuclear energy sou[...]
Bus Rapid Transit and the Latin American City: Successes to Date, But Miles to Go
Over the past fifteen years, cities throughout Latin America have achieved a modest, yet significant, revolution in urban design through the adoption and refinement of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Promising the benefits of developed world transit systems at developing world prices, BRT has quic[...]
Chávez Must Look Homeward To Nurse His Ailing Revolution and Reinforce His Constituency
- Economic hard times eroding his constituency - Venezuelan leader would do well to more carefully choose his shots In 1998, Venezuelans broke with political tradition by electing a well-known and controversial populist colonel named Hugo Chávez Frias as president. They ignored precedent because [...]
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