For centuries, Latin America and the Caribbean have been the site of geopolitical power plays. The Covid-19 pandemic has made the region once again the stage for competition over the world’s leadership position – this time between China and the United States. This past year has opened up a new
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Central America/Climate Change/Corruption/Democracy/Environment/Freedom of Speech/Human Rights/Realities of Human Security/South America/UPF
‘The future we want’ – The Escazú Agreement and environmental democracy in Latin America
More than eight years after the Rio Conference on Sustainable Development, the first legally binding agreement emerging from it will enter into force in April: the Escazú Agreement. It is praised as a unique treaty breathing new life into the fight for environmental democracy and justice in Latin America and
Is there a new Pink Tide on Latin America’s horizon?
In the early 2000s, a wave of left-wing politics swept through Latin America, the so-called Pink Tide. In the mid-2010s, it was countered by a conservative, right-wing political wave. However, in the last few years, we have witnessed reactions to the conservative movement, as left-leaning political leaders in the region
Pulling up the roots: the struggle for land in Paraguay
Paraguay, located in the heart of South America, is one of the most economically unequal countries in the world, according to the World Bank. While the country is very reliant on agriculture, a lot of its inequality can be traced to the question of land distribution, which has become a
From The Ashes Of Tragedy: Opportunity For Institutional Change In Mexico
In the wake of the oil explosion tragedy in Hidalgo, Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces the first major crisis that may outline the course of his administration’s plans to tackle fuel theft and corruption in both the state-owned oil company Pemex and the federal government itself. On January
Mexico’s South Wall
A couple of months ago, thousands of immigrants from Central America crossed the border between Guatemala and Mexico in their journey to reach the United States of America. The arrival of more than 4,000 people to the bridge between the two countries, their encounter with armed Mexican forces, and the
A Young Rebel Of Ortega’s Dictatorship: “We Feel The Repression To Our Bones”
Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, once stood at the frontline of his country’s leftist revolution, fighting for the emancipation from forty two years of dictatorship. Almost forty years later, as Ortega is serving his third consecutive term, large-scale protests against his presidency have resulted in hundreds of deaths and the
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Carribean/Central America/Democracy/Freedom of Speech/Health/Human Rights/South America/Women
Argentina’s “Green Wave”: A Women’s Rights Struggle In Latin America
On June 13, 2018 the lower house of the Argentinian Congress voted in favor of a bill to decriminalize abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy. Less than two months later, the upper house voted against the bill so abortion in Argentina remains penalized except in the case of
The Notorious E.C.G. – Kingpin Robin Hood Or Menace To Society?
This is a tale of rags to riches. This is the tale of a man who received no formal education past third grade. The story of a man who grew up on the streets of Mexico. The son of a poor farmer, who worked hard to create a multimillion-dollar empire.
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Carribean/Central America/Conflict/Culture/Economy And Trade/Freedom of Speech/Health/Heroes and Villains/Human Rights/International Relations/North America
How Fidel Castro Inspired The Left In Latin America
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz passed away in November 2016 and his death sparked varied reactions across the globe. Hated and admired by so many, Castro is a legend not only in Cuba, but throughout all of Latin America and the world. He was also an inspiration to well-known Latin American