35 West

More than one year after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, Latin America and the Caribbean has been impacted in a number of ways. Demand for oil has prompted the United States to pursue an opening to Venezuela, empowering the authoritarian Maduro regime even as Washington denounces extra-hemispheric dictators. Meanwhile, disruptions to energy and fertilizer supplies more broadly have stalled economic recovery in a region already struggling to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy sit down to unpack a recent CSIS Americas commentary on Latin America's response to the war in Ukraine and reflect on developments in the hemisphere at about the one-year mark of the conflict. Together, they outline the economic, political, and diplomatic pressures the conflict has placed on governments throughout the region. They also delve into the tendency of many countries to hedge against offering support to Ukraine and the troubling implications this holds as the war enters into its second year.

Semiconductors, materials used to control the flow of electricity through a circuit in precise patterns, are the lifeblood of the modern digital economy. However, the global semiconductor industry remains highly concentrated, signaling a clear need to develop supply chain resiliency in the semiconductor industry. This trend in turn carries significant potential for Latin American countries, which could see their burgeoning chip manufacturing and research industries catalyzed by new investments.In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Jackie Sturm, Corporate Vice President for Global Supply Chain Operations at Intel Corporation. Together, they discuss rebalancing semiconductor supply chains, and opportunities for the Western Hemisphere, especially in countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil. They also highlight the importance of U.S. policy, notably the CHIPS Act, and the work Intel is doing to engage throughout the hemisphere to support resilient supply chains for this critical industry.

With a rich network of volcanoes on the Ring of Fire, Latin America is uniquely positioned to benefit from developing geothermal energy within their countries. However, because geothermal energy is not found at the surface level of the earth, exploration costs, which translate to market price, are very high, and at the moment limit the potential for Latin America to draw out its full geothermal potential.In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Ximena Guardia Muguruza, an Environmental Engineer and expert on geothermal energy currently studying at the University of Rekjavik. Together, they discuss the landscape of geothermal energy projects in Latin America, with a close focus on Peru, where the industry remains in its very early stages. They also unpack the key benefits offered by geothermal power sources, and outline what determinants of success will look like for tapping the full potential of geothermal in Peru, and throughout the hemisphere.

En este episodio especial en español Ryan C. Berg se sienta a conversar con Valeria Moy, directora general del Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad, uno de los centros de investigación más reconocido en México.Ellos conversaron sobre el estado del sector digital en México y los desafíos para el acceso seguro y fiable a Internet para todos. Aunque México tiene potencial significante en el espacio digital, el sector de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) sufre de prácticas anticompetitivas. Además la conversación se centró del estado más amplio de las relaciones económicas entre México y Estados Unidos, incluso el T-MEC y Diálogo Económico de Alto Nivel.In this special Spanish-Language episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Valeria Moy, Director General of the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, one of the most well-known think tanks in Mexico.They discussed the state of the digital sector in Mexico and the challenges to secure, reliable access to internet for all. While Mexico has great potential in the digital space, its Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector is held back by anticompetitive practices. The conversation also focused on broader developments in the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship, including the USMCA and High-Level Economic Dialogue.  

In recent years, hydrogen has risen as an important prospect in the energy transition. Latin America is looking closely at the hydrogen industry, and governments in countries such as Chile, Colombia, Brazil, and Paraguay are betting on green hydrogen production; that is, hydrogen that is produced with renewable resources, such as wind and solar, as opposed to coal, natural gas, or other non-renewables. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Sunita Satyapal, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Together, they unpack the uses and role of hydrogen, the state of play in the Western Hemisphere, and some of the actions the United States is taking to promote further hydrogen development. They also underscore the importance of partnerships across the public and private sectors to cultivate expertise and accelerate hydrogen technology adoption.

The Western Hemisphere has been rocked by a series of regional and global shocks, from supply chain disruptions, to growing food insecurity, to political polarization and ongoing environmental shifts. In the face of these disruptions, private enterprise and the business community play an important role, maintaining livelihoods, supporting innovative technologies, and advocating for sustainable development.In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzón, a Visiting Diplomatic Fellow with the CSIS Americas program, and former two-time Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. Together, they discuss the importance of the private sector for Latin America's post-pandemic recovery and economic future. They also dig into rising political polarization and democratic backsliding in the region, and how the private sector can respond to these challenges.

Journalists throughout the region must not only navigate rising disinformation, misinformation, and political polarization, but also threats to their own physical safety as the hemisphere continues to rank as one of the deadliest regions for journalist protections. To fortify the free and independent press throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, the Organization of American States recently announced the establishment of the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, a hub for best practices and support for journalists throughout the region.In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Ambassador John Feeley, former U.S. Ambassador to Panama and the inaugural Executive Director of the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas. Together, they discuss the Center's emergent role and efforts to uplift journalistic integrity amid a shifting media landscape. They also discuss the persistence of threats to journalists' safety, and the increased role of social media in shaping informational environments. 

No dia 2 de Outubro, o povo brasileiro votou no primeiro turno das eleições presidenciais. Por mais que nenhum candidato tenha conseguido uma maioria total, o Presidente Jair Bolsonaro e o ex-presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, que ganharam respectivamente 43 e 48% dos votos válidos, irão para o segundo turno.Nessa semana, Ryan C. Berg conversará com Thiago de Aragão, um senior associate no CSIS e diretor de estratégia na Arko Advice. Juntos, eles analisam os resultados da eleição, discutem as razões por trás da surpreendentemente pequena margem entre Lula e Bolsonaro e os principais erros das pesquisas, e o que podemos esperar até o segundo turno. Eles também discutem a parceria dos Estados Unidos com o Brazil, um dos principais aliados americanos no hemisfério, e o futuro da política estrangeira estado-unidense com o Brasil independentemente do próximo presidente.On October 2, Brazilians voted in the first round of the country’s presidential elections. While no candidate secured a majority of the vote that would allow them to claim victory immediately, both incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva emerged as clear frontrunners, receiving approximately 43 and 48 percent of all votes cast respectively.This week, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Thiago de Aragão, a senior associate with CSIS and director of strategy at Arko Advice, a political risk analysis firm based in Brazil. Together, they unpack the election results, why some polls significantly underestimated the margin of support for Bolsonaro and Lula, and what to expect as the election heads towards a run-off. They also discuss the importance of Brazil as a strategic partner of the United States and keystone country in the hemisphere, and weigh in on U.S. foreign policy options for Brazil no matter who emerges as the next president.

On September 4, Chileans took to the polls for a constitutional referendum that saw a highly progressive draft constitution overwhelmingly rejected, with 62 percent voting against, and just 38 percent in favor. The outcome is a setback for the Boric government, which has tied itself to the constitutional reform project, and promises to lengthen an already long-running process.In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Patricio Navia, Professor of Liberal Studies at New York University and Professor of Political Science at Universidad Diego Portales in Chile. Together, they unpack why the referendum resulted in a significant win for the "reject" campaign despite high levels of support for a new constitution in general. They also analyze the implications of the vote for the Chilean government, options for re-drafting a constitution, and what lessons can be learned from the referendum for the region as a whole.

China has significantly expanded its presence throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, elevating worries that the democratic traditions of the Western Hemisphere could be at risk. However, the types of engagement China pursues and the consequences they present are often poorly understood, leading to misunderstandings between Washington and the region.  In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Pepe Zhang, associate director and fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. Together they break down the various economic, political, and institutional ways China has pursued a closer relationship with Latin American and Caribbean countries. They also sketch the contours of a U.S. strategy for addressing China's engagement in the hemisphere, and argue that the United States to put the needs of the region first for such a strategy to be effective.