Latin America in Focus

After his phone was hacked with Pegasus spyware four times, El Faro journalist Roman Gressier and 17* colleagues at the Salvadoran outlet decided to sue a software manufacturer in a U.S. court. His lawsuit is part of a growing effort to regulate the exploding market for digital surveillance worldwide. But can anything stop governments from using these tools? Gressier tells AS/COA Online’s Chase Harrison about the case, the role of Pegasus in Central America, and why he is pessimistic about the future of spyware.Check out other episodes at: www.as-coa.org/podcastThe music in this podcast is: “Epílogo para Jazmín” by Monique Fernandez. https://youtu.be/KwI1mtzOOwALearn more at: musicoftheamericas.org*Editor's note: The original version of this podcast stated that there are 22 plaintiffs in the case. The correct figure at the time of publishing was 18. 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

What’s the mood on the ground in Guatemala and Argentina, both of which hold presidential elections this year? Given voter dissatisfaction, will they follow the regional trend of backing the other side and bucking the status quo? Universidad del Valle de Guatemala’s Marielos Chang tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why voters in the Central American country are frustrated by corruption and a dizzying array of political parties. Meanwhile, Cefeidas Group’s Juan Cruz Díaz talks with AS/COA’s Luisa Leme about what to watch in the race for the Casa Rosada and why runaway inflation will play a role in the outcome.For more on this year's Latin American elections, visit our guide: www.as-coa.org/2023The music in this podcast is:“Descarga Gandinga, Mondongo y Sandunga” performed by Uzzo Ismael “Admonición” performed by Fátima Abramo and Asunción Cantero Learn more at: musicoftheamericas.org 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

Hear some of the uncovered stories of the year. Sofía Ramirez Aguilar of México ¿Cómo Vamos? details why Mexicans, who long had one of the lowest vacation rates in the world, got some good news in time for the holiday season. Claudio Ruiz of Derechos Digitales explains Chile’s moves to be a digital rights pioneer. And journalist Simeon Tegel talks about the controversial Mayor-elect of Lima Rafael López Aliaga, who has his eyes on the presidency. The music in this podcast is Eric Kurimski Quartet performing “Ya.” Watch the video: https://youtu.be/PbrXlWnGtFo Learn more about Latin America in Focus at: www.as-coa.org/podcast 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

It could cost up to $6 trillion a year to finance the transition away from a carbon-intensive economy. That’s triple the current yearly global commitment. What would it take to rapidly expand the amount of financing available for decarbonization, sustainable infrastructure, and compensation for the effects of climate change? The UN’s Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez and Marsh McLennan’s Amy Barnes explains how the public and private sector are funding decarbonization and the transition to a green economy. Listen to the music included in this episode performed by Alejandro Escuer: http://y2u.be/ARW3j2Vyslw. 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

The U.S. dollar is stronger than it’s been in decades against currencies around the world. But that’s not true across Latin America where, in some cases, smart policies by governments and central banks have helped keep domestic currencies steady. XP Investment’s Alberto Bernal tells AS/COA Vice President Randy Melzi which countries have been successful and which are at risk. This episode features a quiz! Get the answers to the lightening round of currency trivia at: www.as-coa.org/podcast The music featured in this episode is "Adiós Fulana" (A.M. Peñaloza) performed by La Manga for Americas Society. Watch the video:  https://youtu.be/bP7pC7Fd_XU Learn more at:  https://musicoftheamericas.org 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

In January, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will start a third term as Brazil’s president two decades after he began his first—and in a remarkably changed world. In this episode, former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon tells Executive Producer Luisa Leme what Lula’s comeback means for Latin America, U.S. relations, China, and the world. To learn more about this year’s Latin American elections, visit: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this episode is "Tarde de Chuva" by Paulo Moura, performed by Cliff Korman Ensemble for Americas Society. Learn more at: www.musicoftheamericas.org 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

In September, a group of hacktivists known as Guacamaya sparked reverberations across much of Latin America when it released millions of documents and emails from the military and police forces of Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru. In this episode, UC San Diego’s Cecilia Farfán Mendez explains the impact of the leaks in Mexico, which accounts for six of the 10 terabytes of data released. And Cybersecurity expert Juan Pablo Castro explains why Latin America’s militaries were so susceptible to attacks and whether the identity of Guacamaya matters at all. Learn more about Mexicans’ views of their military: t.ly/9SG1 Hear a recent Latin America in Focus episode about how cyber attacks in Costa Rica expose a regional threat. https://bit.ly/3zoFZuq Listen to the music included in this episode performed by Julio Cobelli https://youtu.be/ER52AFZct5E and Trio Miramar https://youtu.be/8lWSqRZjkmo 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

On October 2nd, Brazilians split the ballots—and the country—between former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Quaest pollster Felipe Nunes talks about whether the polls got the first round wrong, how Lula and Bolsonaro are now dueling for the battleground state of Minas Gerais, and why Lula needs to fight against voter abstention to secure a win in the October 30 runoff. Listen to our previous episode with Felipe Nunes on Brazil's first-round vote. https://bit.ly/3yHpJoh For a Brazil runoff poll tracker and more on this year’s Latin American elections, visit: www.as-coa.org/2022 The music in this episode is “Galopada” by Itiberê Zwarg, recorded for Americas Society. Learn more at www.musicoftheamericas.org. 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

Every election cycle, both Democrats and Republicans are reminded of the power of the Latino voter—who are now the second largest demographic group in the electorate. However, is either party’s approach to this group effective? And are Latinos really a cogent voting bloc? Two experts, Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro of UnidosUS and Sabrina Rodríguez of The Washington Post, discuss Latinos’ top issues, how to perform effective outreach to this group, and how the landscape of Latino politics changes between South Florida and Texas. UnidosUS national poll of Latino voters: t.ly/Jv7W AS/COA Online Latino vote tracker: t.ly/8IxE Access reporting by Sabrina Rodríguez via The Washington Post: t.ly/SxFn Music by Quinteto Latino for Americas Society: https://youtu.be/jBQn-DwzMPs 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/ 

From the presidential state of the union to Independence Day, September in Mexico is a politically momentous time. This year, it saw President Andrés Manuel López Obrador usher through a deepening military control over public security just in time for independence celebrations. In this episode, political analyst Carlos Bravo Regidor talks with AS/COA Online’s Carin Zissis about AMLO’s military moves, the building of his legacy, and how it all relates to a 2024 presidential race that’s already well underway. Listen to a prior episode with Bravo Regidor about AMLO’s first 100 days in office: t.ly/BFOZ Hear other episodes and subscribe to Latin America in Focus at: www.as-coa.org/podcast The music in this episode is Cantos de México by Carlos Chávez performed by Orquesta Pasatono for Americas Society. 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:X: @ASCOAInstagram: @ascoaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/