Since the U.S. first enacted sanctions against Cuba in 1962, the island nation has been dependent on allies for support—from the U.S.S.R. to modern-day Venezuela. This outside aid has reduced the ability to press for meaningful reforms through sanctions on the Castro regime. Despite the recent emergence of a legal real estate market in Cuba, it is clear that the country is far from prepared to lift the heavy-handed policies that repress the Cuban people. Problems on the island still persist. In addition to the unjust imprisonment of Alan Gross, …
With his win in the November 6 election, Daniel Ortega secured his third presidential term in Nicaragua. While few would deny the leader’s popularity, thanks in large part to aid from Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, the legitimacy of his position has been called into question because of the circumstances surrounding his win—and because the Nicaraguan constitution allows presidents to serve only two terms in office. Out of concern for the validity of the recent election, members on both sides of the aisle in the U.S. Congress have called for further examination …
When the U.N. General Assembly voted on resolution A/RES/66/12 in late November, it passed easily with 106 votes. What was unusual about the otherwise routine vote was that several notable countries voted against it. The resolution, which was introduced by Saudi Arabia and co-sponsored by more than 50 nations including the U.S., was intended to condemn terrorism, specifically criticizing Iran’s alleged involvement in the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. The text “encouraged Member States to take additional steps to prevent, on their territories, the planning, financing, …
When the infamous Alfonso Cano, leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was killed recently during an assault by government forces, the longstanding guerilla group faced a pivotal moment: It could have fractured under the lack of leadership, or it could have continued with its violent mission. It chose the latter. Despite Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’s words of warning, “I want to tell the FARC, this is the time for them to demobilize, this is the time for them to lay down their arms.… The alternative, as …
On October 7, 2012, the Venezuelan people will have the opportunity to elect a new president. In the months leading up to the election, Venezuelans are sure to hear plenty of campaign rhetoric from the unabashed President Hugo Chavez, but the question is: How much will they hear from the opposition? Globovision, a television channel that is reportedly “the only channel in Venezuela that takes a staunchly anti-government stance,” has been fined more than $2 million by the country’s National Telecommunications Commission, Conatel, for allegedly “violating broadcast regulations” when it …
It came as no surprise when Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner swept the election on Sunday, earning herself a second term. After all, polls had projected her win for weeks beforehand, predicting that she would take anywhere from 52 percent to 57 percent of the votes. In the end, exit polls report that she emerged victorious with 53 percent of the votes. However, her popularity has not translated so well everywhere. Relations between the U.S. and Argentina have long been tense. Most recently, the two governments butted heads when …
Making him the latest in a long list of Venezuelan politicians denied the ability to challenge Hugo Chavez, Leopoldo López, the former mayor of Chacao, had his presidential hopes dashed this week when the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled that he cannot hold a public office until after 2014 due to pending corruption charges against him that López argues were fabricated in order to impede his campaign. The court maintains that López is not being denied his rights “because it is only an administrative ineligibility and not a political one.” Chief …
It started almost five years ago with free trade agreements (FTAs) reached between the Bush Administration and the governments of Peru, Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. Unfortunately, the then-Democrat controlled House allowed only the FTA with Peru to be approved. The other three were abandoned. Now, with the approval by Congress of the three remaining FTAs, some compelling benefits will fall on the U.S.: Colombia has improved. Much of the delay on approving an FTA with Colombia was a result of the country’s negative record on human rights. But the …
