35 West
The CSIS Americas Program podcast looks at the politics and policies of the 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere. It especially focuses on U.S. engagement with the region, whether on trade, diplomacy, or security issues like drugs and terrorism. Guests include top policymakers from the U.S. and other countries.
101
Colombia's New Phase
Former U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker discusses many of the challenges that Colombia is facing today.
20 min
102
Family Time
For one week last June, dozens of reporters in the USA Today network coordinated stories on migrants attempting to cross the U.S. southern border in the article "One deadly week reveals where the immigration crisis begins - and where it ends." Daniel Gon
33 min
103
Kirchner 3.0
Argentines go to the polls on October 27th, and the results may spell the end of Mauricio Macri’s presidency. What went wrong? Michael Matera, Argentine expert and Director of the Americas Program at CSIS, explains how inflation never went away and growt
20 min
104
A Little Like a Refugee
The Trump Administration has dramatically reduced the annual number of refugees that the U.S. will accept. Erol Yayboke of CSIS’s Project for Prosperity and Development tells us what being a “refugee” means in international law, and details the ebb and f
29 min
105
Which Way is True North?
National elections take place in Canada on October 2, and Justin Trudeau could be out of a job. Will the election turn on foreign policy? Canada expert Christopher Sands of Johns Hopkins University is back to explain why this might be the case, how Canad
30 min
106
Peaceful Prisons
Brazil is a world leader in crime, particularly violent crime. Part of the dynamic is the prison system, which serves as an incubator for even more violence. David Van Patten, Chief Operating Officer of Prison Fellowship International, explains the PFI m
26 min
107
Back to the Future of Work
The “future of work” looks quite different for developing countries. Robotics and artificial intelligence mean less to countries that still don’t have decent Internet access. Senior Fellow Romina Bandura, co-author of a CSIS study on the subject, explain
25 min
108
The Oil from Ipanema
Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Returning guest Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are t
21 min
109
Not So Easy Money
Latin America has had a love-hate relationship with foreign investment. China is the latest suitor to test the region’s readiness to join the global economy. Stephen Kaplan, professor of international affairs and political science at George Washington Un
25 min
110
Rooting Out Reasons to Migrate
The number of Central Americans fleeing their countries for the U.S. has skyrocketed in the last few months. On the latest episode of 35 West, Rick Jones of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has some answers. With close to 30 years of experience in the regi
28 min
111
Cloudy Days for Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau is in trouble for meddling in a criminal investigation and dumping his attorney general. Mr. Canada, a.k.a. Chris Sands of Johns Hopkins University, is back to explain the details and how they could affect Canadian politics sooner rather t
23 min
112
Mexico’s Melting Pot
As global forced migration increases rapidly, Mexico has transitioned from just an exporter of people north to a transit and a recipient country all in one. While significant challenges remain, Mexico has an opportunity for regional leadership on migrati
29 min
113
All in the Family
Ambassador Jay Anania, born two blocks from the State Department, was drawn to the U.S. Foreign Service partly by the examples of his NSA dad and CIA mom. His 30-year career started in Tijuana and ended in Paramaribo, with stops along the way in Amman, H
29 min
114
Who’s on First, What Comes Next?
Juan Guaidó, the 35-year old legitimate head of the Venezuelan National Assembly, is facing off against Nicolas Maduro, who clings to his illegitimate power. Venezuela experts Moises Rendon of CSIS and Eric Farnsworth of the Council of the Americas are b
23 min
115
Coming Home
Images of migrants charging the U.S. border obscure a larger trend. Many Mexican and Central American migrants are returning home, whether they want to or not. Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, returns to talk about who is coming
27 min
116
North of the Border
Texas is greatly affected by tariffs, trade, and travel across the U.S. southern border. Matthew Rooney, director of the Economic Growth Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, gives us the view from the Lone Star State. He also explains bo
28 min
117
Party Like It's 2018
Democrats now run the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Does it matter for Latin America? According to former Bush official José Cardenas, apart from Trump’s Wall there is remarkable bipartisan consensus on what needs to be done in hotspots like Venezu
30 min
118
Who’s Hispanic Here?
Arguably no state is more politically important than Florida, which has become an electoral microcosm for the whole country. But Hispanic voting patterns in the Sunshine State - and the definition of Hispanic - is very different. Ana Quintana, an expert
27 min
119
Who Moved My Monopoly?
Mexico’s government has surrendered its monopoly on the use of force, while large Mexican companies exert one in the marketplace. So argues Francisco González of SAIS in this week’s episode of 35 West. Along the way, Francisco covers 50 years of Mexican
46 min
120
Maduro’s Deadline: January 10th
January 10, the date a new presidential period begins, represents an unprecedented opportunity for the international community to help halt Venezuela’s collapse. Despite the refusal of nearly 50 countries to recognize the May 2018 Venezuelan presidential
31 min
121
What Will AMLO and Bolsonaro Do To Energy Markets?
New leaders in Mexico and Brazil may mean big changes to their respective energy sectors. Energy expert Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says a Mexican delay on offshore bidding could have a major impact, but that Brazil is likely to maintain
25 min
122
Cryptocurrency v. Authoritarianism in Venezuela
Cryptocurrency use is increasing amongst everyday Venezuelans. The Maduro regime has been tightening controls on the economy and continues to reject humanitarian aid. However, independent cryptocurrencies (as opposed to regime-controlled petro) are enabl
34 min
123
What’s Left in Venezuela’s Policy Toolkit?
Current international pressure on the Venezuelan regime has not been enough to help restore the country’s democracy – at least, not yet. Venezuela is enduring the worst humanitarian crisis in the region, which is having an overwhelming impact on neighbor
23 min
124
Will We See More Caravans?
Caravans from Central America. They were big news for a while, now not so much. But they are sure to return to the front pages. Manuel Orozco, Director of Migration at the Inter-American Dialogue, joins Richard for a discussion on what is causing Hondura
31 min
125
Welcome to My House
Gone are hopes for a swift congressional ratification of USMCA with the House returning to the Democrats in January. Is Canada worried, and if so, why? Christopher Sands of Johns Hopkins University is back to help us empathize with our northern neighbors
30 min