Region Related Event Feeds

Hemisphere Insider: Volume II, Issue 1 - January 2012

Mgraybeal — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

IN BRIEF: Cuba, Honduras, Southern Cone, Foreign Relations

UPDATES: Chile's Former President Ricardo Lagos Discusses New Book; Upcoming Events; Elections 2012

Hemisphere Insider: Volume I, Issue 8 - December 2011

Mgraybeal — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

IN BRIEF: Peru, Bolivia, El Salvador, Brazil

PROGRAM UPDATES: Ambassadors' Council, U.N LAC Chief Discusses Near Term Outlook

Critical Questions for 2012

ian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

From international security and regional study to global challenges, CSIS experts will address many of the world's most difficult policy concerns and critical questions in 2012. To kick off the new year, we asked 25 of our scholars to identity what worries them most and what are the biggest opportunities in their respective areas of study.

U.S.-Mexico Migration—Prospects for Reform

Mgraybeal — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Recent evidence points to a dramatic shift in migration patterns involving Mexico, traditionally the United States’ biggest migrant contributor. According to a recent Pew Hispanic Center report, 35 percent of the 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants in the United States have been U.S.

Colombia: Post-Conflict Politics

Mgraybeal — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

UP CLOSE: Colombia's Post-Conflict Politics, Economic Reform in Cuba

IN BRIEF: Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Oil, and Inauguration Updates

Structure and Dynamics of the U.S. Federal Services Industrial Base, 2000-2010

gsanders — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. government has a permanent and, until recently, growing reliance on contracts with the private sector for a wide range of services. For the past six years, the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group (DIIG) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has tracked the trends driving the services industry.

Mexico's Retrogression: Implications of a Bankruptcy Reorganization Gone Wrong

Mgraybeal — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

An earlier essay (“Corporate Workouts in Mexico: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”) told of how Mexico had made considerable progress in the past decade-and-a-half in matters pertaining to corporate law, the strengthening of property rights, and the ease of doing business. It highlighted in particular the benefits of a new law governing the Mexican insolvency regime—the Ley de Concursos Mercantiles (LCM, best translated as the “Business Reorganization Act” of 2000, as amended in 2007).

It pointed out that the Mexican insolvency regime was being put to the test by the creditor-unfriendly precedent that Vitro S.A.B. was trying to set. Vitro, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of glass products, is one of several major Mexican corporations that found themselves at the losing end of various currency derivative contracts in late 2008, when in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers debacle, the Mexican peso unexpectedly took a big hit while the U.S. dollar rallied.

Nonproliferation, Congress, and Nuclear Trade: Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

jwoo — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Fukushima nuclear accident earlier this year undoubtedly has dampened the appetite of a few countries for nuclear power, but there are still many more that still seek to build nuclear power plants. Competition for this new business, given the relatively moribund growth of the last few decades, is fierce.

Hemisphere Focus: Belize Is Emblematic of Counterdrug Dilemma in Central America

Mgraybeal — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Poor Belize. It reportedly has no air surveillance radar, only one working light airplane in its air wing, 19 patrol boats, and a handful of 4 x 4 vehicles to transport its 2,000-member defense and police forces over an area the size of Vermont.

Managing Brazil's Boom

Mgraybeal — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

UP CLOSE: Brazil's Global Reach, Argentina's Election

PROGRAM HIGLIGHTS: Central American Security Integration: The Greater Regional Response

IN BRIEF: Mexico, Haiti, Peru, and Trade Updates

DIIG Current Issues No. 26: Framing Defense Cuts

rlivergood — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Since the crisis over America’s debt rating and the formation of the super committee, there has been a surge in debate about how to reduce defense spending. Despite talk of “all options being on the table,” the lack of both breadth and depth in active proposals is remarkable. Efficiency initiatives and across-the-board cuts have been advanced as solutions.

Elevating India's Higher Education

NLombardo — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

India is today one of the world's largest and most dynamic emerging economies. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently stated that India can sustain 8-9% growth over the next 30 years. With only half its 1.2 billion population under the age of 25, this economic growth should be sustainable. However, without more quality institutions of higher education and greater investmen

Indo-U.S. Space Cooperation: Aiming Higher

NLombardo — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Indo-U.S. space cooperation may not yet be in orbit, but it certainly is in the boost phase. At the end of their Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement, issued on July 19 in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton included a status report on the recently concluded meeting in Bangalore of the U.S.-India Space Working Group.

Venezuela’s House of Cards

ian — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez’s mysterious four-week disappearance and treatment for cancer in Cuba may or may not result in a momentous political event. Nonetheless, it underlines the faulty logic of surrendering too much control to one man.

Central America’s Costly Drug Dilemma

ian — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In this issue:

Up Close: Central America’s Costly Drug Dilemma
Program Highlights: El Salvador, the OAS, and Citizen Security and Colombia 2020
In Brief: Cuba, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Energy Updates

Mexico State Gubernatorial Election

ian — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The July 3 vote for governor of Mexico State is a trial run for the nation’s mid-2012 presidential showdown in the jurisdiction with the most registered voters—10.5 million.

Issues in International Political Economy - Corporate Workouts in Mexico - April 2011 - Special Issue 1

Mgraybeal — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

It is now more than ten years that the law governing the Mexican insolvency regime— the Ley de Concursos Mercantiles (LCM, best translated as the "Business Reorganization Act" of 2000)—was enacted and has been successfully applied in hundreds of cases of corporate debt workouts.

Global Aging and the Future of Emerging Markets

tpeter — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The rich world may be leading the way into humanity’s graying future, but much of the developing world is not far behind. The CSIS Global Aging Initiative’s latest report, Global Aging and the Future of Emerging Markets, looks at the potential impact of shifting demographics on economic growth and social and political stability in emerging markets.

PacNet #11 - Answering the Questions About Smart Power

bMizuno — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The US State Department has put forth a strategic vision embodied in its first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). Modeled after the Defense Department’s own four-year planning effort, the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), the QDDR describes the priorities of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Structure and Dynamics of the U.S. Federal Professional Services Industrial Base, 1995-2009

gsanders — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. government has a permanent and growing reliance on contracts with the private sector for a wide range of professional and support services. For the past five years, the CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group has tracked the trends driving the professional services industry since 1995.

Hemisphere Highlights Volume IX Issue 8 - November 2010

cwatson — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Lawmakers in Panama repeal a controversial law affecting labor codes and environmental considerations. Mexican president Felipe Calderón submits to Congress a proposal to overhaul and unify the Mexico’s disparate police forces.

DIIG Current Issues No. 22: Rare Earth Elements

gsanders — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

On 23rd September 2010, exports of rare earth elements (REEs) from China to Japan apparently stopped due to a dispute over maritime boundaries. This use of economic leverage to influence policy raised concerns about the impact of China’s strategic hold on these precious metals.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume IX Issue 6 - June 2010

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A new bill could change enrollment requirements for Englishlanguage public schools in the Canadian province of Quebec, further recognizing French as the primary language of the region. Mexican electrical workers continue to protest the liquidation of state-owned power company Luz y Fuerza del Centro.

A 12-Step Recovery Plan for the U.S.-Japan Alliance

mentman — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S.-Japan alliance has seen periods of strategic drift and even crisis before. Usually, the security relationship emerges stronger as each side adjusts to new political realities at home and shared strategic challenges abroad. Will the alliance come out of the current crisis of confidence resulting from the impasse over Marine Corps Air Station Futenma? Probably.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume IX Issue 4 - April 2010

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Energy ministers from across the Americas met with other groups to launch the Energy and Climate Partnerships of the Americas. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates met with officials from Peru, Colombia, and Barbados to strengthen military and security partnerships.

Unequal Partners

ian — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sidney Weintraub examines the current relationship of Mexico and the United States as one of sustained dependence and dominance. The chapters examine the consequences of this imbalance in six major policy areas: trade; investment and finance; narcotics; energy; migration; and the border.

Issues in International Political Economy - Mexico-U.S. Non-Discussion of Migration - March 2010 - Number 123

adyne — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

In a world of sovereign states, nations are free to determine which foreigners, and how many, they will allow to enter their country and how long they will be permitted to stay. Recommendations that these decisions should be negotiated between sending and receiving countries are therefore unlikely to be accepted by receiving countries unless they want more foreign workers.

El trafico ilicito en el corredor mesoamericano

jdunton — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Spanish translation of Trafficking in the Mesoamerican Corridor (CSIS, November 2009).

How the US Must Expand and Redefine International Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism

amausner — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As Americans we naturally focus on the most direct threats to the United States, and what all too many in the West have seen as a clash between civilizations. It is important, however, to keep what is happening in perspective.

DIIG Current Issues No. 20: Integrating COTS: Lessons from Recent Ground Vehicle Acquisitions

gsanders — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Defense systems are rarely acquired rapidly.

Wall Street and the Pentagon: Analyzing Defense Finance

gsanders — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

After a decade of robust growth in defense spending that saw record high defense budgets during the past five years, the defense industry faces a new reality. While the absence of the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) in the National Defense Budget Estimates for FY2010 makes prediction difficult, likely changes in spending priorities have the potential to change the industry significantly.

Homebound Security

jdunton — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The establishment of security and the rule of law are indispensable for effective post-conflict reconstruction. A safe and secure environment provides the space for societies to begin the difficult task of rebuilding their economies and governing institutions.

Trafficking in the Mesoamerican Corridor

jdunton — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

To facilitate discussion among the diverse law enforcement, advocacy and research sectors that play roles in surveillance, prevention, and control of trafficking involving Mexico, Central America, and the United States, the CSIS Americas Program convened a one-day meeting on September 24, 2009, at CSIS in Washington, D.C.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume IX, Issue 9 - November 2009

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

A backlog of immigrants seeking refugee status in Canada forced the Canadian government to announce new immigration reform. President Calderón dissolved the state-run electric company Luz y Fuerza, sparking political controversy in Mexico.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume VIII, Issue 8 - October 2009

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A water shortage in the capital of Mexico has prompted the government to take new measures to
prevent agricultural and health crises. Also in Mexico, federal agents targeted state and muncipal
police forces in Hidalgo on charges of colluding with drug traffickers. The Clinton Global Initiative has

Issues in International Political Economy - September 2009 - Number 117

adyne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Felipe Calderón just delivered his third annual Informe and it calls for a thoroughgoing change in policy direction. President Barack Obama, for this part, is trying to rescue as much of his health-care proposal as he can from a confrontational Congress.

The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review

amausner — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In 2010, the Obama administration will release its first Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). A strategic framework for the Department of Defense as it confronts current and future challenges, the QDR is intended to serve as a means to develop new policies, capabilities and initiatives. However, these intentions have so far been unrealized.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume VIII, Issue 7 - July 2009

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

An overwhelming volume of refugee claims leads Canada to impose visa restrictions on Mexican citizens seeking to enter the country.

Hemisphere Focus - Vol. 17, Issue 3: Party Politics in Mexico’s Midterm Elections

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Issues in International Political Economy - The Essentials of U.S. Policy towards Latin America - June 2009 - Number 114

adyne — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Barack Obama has not yet defined the essentials of U.S. policy toward Latin America despite the painful economic situation in the region brought on by the U.S. financial collapse.The best posture for the U.S. government in dealing with Latin America is to demonstrate by its actions that the United States is sincere in wanting to help countries of the region.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume VIII, Issue 5 - May 2009

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative comes into effect for travelers entering the United States from Canada. Police raids in Mexico successfully arrest 30 suspected members of the La Familia drug cartel. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is appointed as a special envoy to Haiti by the United Nations.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Powerful Bank Lobbies

adyne — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There are several realities that have to be addressed as the United States reconfigures its banking structure. The more we learn about the events that led to the disastrous economic collapse that continues to beset most of the world, the more incomprehensible the actions of the banks and mortgage companies look.

Hemisphere Highlights, Volume VIII, Issue 4 - April 2009

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Fifth Summit of the Americas conference takes place in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Canada announces it will create a Canadian International Center for the Arctic Region in Norway to strengthen its voice on Arctic issues in Europe.

Influenza Outbreak in Mexico

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: Why are public health officials concerned about the current influenza outbreak in Mexico?

Prospects for the Summit of the Americas

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Barack Obama will take part in the Summit of the Americas meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on April 17–19.

Q1: What is the Summit of the Americas? Is it important? Why?

U.S.-Japan-Australia Strategic Dialogue

ehirano — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

To examine the leadership roles the United States, Japan and Australia can assume in defining the future contours of an open, inclusive and peaceful Asia-Pacific region, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), with the support of the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), organized a trilateral strategic dialogue in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Origins and Evolution of North American Integration

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

This is Dr.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Leader of the Free World

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The United States often describes itself as the “leader of the free world.” We certainly are right now—leading the world economy down.

Issues in International Political Economy: Learning about Ourselves from Financial Crisis

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Capitalism will endure as long as the winners from this economic system compensate the losers.

Issues in International Political Economy: U.S.-Mexico Relations

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Some 5,300 people were killed in Mexico in 2008 stemming from the drug trade. The violence that accompanies the shipment and sales of narcotics from and through Mexico to the United States stems primarily from U.S. antinarcotics policies. It would be useful if President Obama states early in his administration that U.S. anti-narcotics activities are not working as intended.