The IMF’s Role in Caribbean Gang Violence

Organized crime has plagued the Caribbean for decades. Christopher “Dudus” Coke of Jamaica’s “Shower Posse” oversaw a sprawling North American narcotics network during the 1990s and 2000s, which funded concerts and vital charities for the poor on the side, and collapsed after a 2010 police shootout that killed over 73 civilians. In Haiti, Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier and his G9 Family and Allies have seized majority-control over the capital city of Port-au-Prince and are now fighting a UN-backed security coalition that includes Jamaican armed forces. These two islands, despite their distinct present circumstances, are linked by a shared history of disastrous Western intervention and subsequent financial devastation.

AmericasBy Josh EmokpaeJuly 21, 2025haiti, jamaica, gangs, gang, crime, economy, capitalism, socialism, cold war, IMF, austerity, PNP, JLP, G9, Dudus

Milei and His Money Mayhem: The Crypto Scandal in Argentina

Argentine President Milei posts to X supporting LIBRA, a new meme coin that had huge amounts of investment following the post and crashed just a few hours later. The implications of such an action might cause impacts as he works to achieve his campaign promises of economic reform for Argentina.

Democracy on Trial: Bolsonaro’s Indictment in a Global Context

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was charged with leading a military insurrection by Brazil’s Supreme Court, adopting recommendations made in a federal police report from November. The plot included declaring a state of siege as well as a plan to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as well as Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes.

Resource Nationalism in the Lithium Triangle: Analyzing the Investment Environment for China’s Projects in the Lithium Industry

In the global transition to clean energy, the Lithium Triangle countries—Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile—have adopted varying degrees of resource nationalism to advance economic development and industrialize their lithium sectors. As Bolivia and Chile move toward greater state control, China faces both opportunities and constraints in its effort to dominate the global lithium supply chain and enhance its geopolitical influence in Latin America.

Miracle on Ice: How the 1980 Olympic U.S.-Soviet Hockey Game Became a Microcosm of the Cold War

Skyrocketing gas prices, the perceived encroaching threat of communism, the Iranian hostage crisis, and the Vietnam War had dealt serious blows to the country’s morale. Then twenty young Americans overcame all odds to beat the Soviets, the best team in the world, before going on to win gold in the Olympics… As Eruzione puts it, ‘For some people, it was a hockey game. But for a lot more people, it was far greater than a hockey game.’

The Paralysis of the Past: An Evaluation of President Arévalo’s Aspirations to Combat Historic Impunity and Indigenous Oppression in Guatemala

For decades, the Guatemalan military has cooperated with foreign and domestic elites to stymie public efforts at combating racial and social inequalities. State repression is so embedded into the Guatemalan political system that corruption has been made contingent for the state to function. Nevertheless, various transitional justice initiatives which emerged at the end of the Civil War, such as the Equipulus I and II agreements and the REHMI and CEH reports, carried positive changes to the modern Guatemalan state. The strategies used in this time can inform the Semilla party in its anti-corruption mission.

How Morena Broke Mexico’s Glass Ceiling

On October 1st, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president. Her Morena party won thumping majorities in both chambers of the legislature as well, laying the groundwork for radical socio-economic change. Mexico’s previous president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), was the architect for this electoral movement. By uplifting the poor through broad state spending, Morena has become the most popular party in Mexico’s modern history. President Sheinbaum’s meteoric rise proves that populist economics can coexist with democratic governance.

AmericasBy Josh EmokpaeMarch 7, 2025Mexico, Morena, Claudia Sheinbaum, democracy, femicide, LGBTQ+

Mexico’s Judicial Overhaul: The Divisive Effects of Systematic Change

The Mexican Senate’s decision to abolish the current judicial system and allow citizens to elect judges has had extremely divisive effects, both domestically and internationally. Advocates for the change argue that it gives Mexicans a greater voice and limits graft and nepotism, while opponents worry the decision will slow the country’s economy and signal the end of judicial independence.

All that Glitters is Not Gold: An Examination of the Resource Curse’s role in the Political Status Quo of Venezuela

Nicolas Maduro securing a third presidential term signals a continuation of the current stagnant status quo. The inability to address inflation as well as mass unemployment and exodus of citizens would lead most other leaders to political ruin, however the revenue from state owned petroleum companies is keeping the regime viable. Venezuela and its people are the victim of the resource curse and its decades-long effects on the nation’s institutional, economic, and political stability.

The Gentrification of Mexico City: Economic Growth at the Expense of Local Displacement and Erasure of Culture

Mexico City is changing quickly as a result of international migration, implementation of new industries, and foreign investment. These developments modernize and boost the economy, but they also cause gentrification, displacing the local communities, and causing cultural homogenization, which raises concerns about social inequality and the maintenance of local traditions.

Haiti Holds its Breath Amidst Tenuous Transition

Facing its latest row of intense challenges, Haiti now seeks a desperately needed cessation of the ongoing conflict between the government and criminal organizations. The current crisis now comes to a head with the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, as gangs tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince.

AmericasBy Will FullerMay 11, 2024Haiti, earthquake, organized crime, vigilantism

Silenced Stories: Censorship in the Americas

News is ultimately a form of storytelling, a way of informing the public of the events occuring in the world around them. Censoring the press is therefore a way of framing the way people see the world into a picture defined by what is not censored. However, press extends beyond the typical newspaper; even a novel may also be considered a form of press, reflecting societal issues of a certain period, or working to challenge authority. To censor this type of artistic press is to censor imagination, which results in the same effect––a suppression of public opinion. In the Americas, there has been an influx in the censorship of the press, which has taken one of two forms: censorship of the formal newspaper press and book censorship. This article thus examines censorship in the case studies of Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States.

What Canada’s Recent Nunavut Land Transfer Could Mean for Indigenous Rights and the Environment

The Canadian government recently signed an agreement to transfer full control over the northernmost territory of Nunavut to the territory’s Inuit-dominated residents. This is a huge milestone in the movement for indigenous rights, and autonomy for the region will also bring more sustainable resource assessment and the protection of biodiversity. It could also be a stepping stone for increased indigenous autonomy and biodiversity across the Americas.

The Institutionalization of Gang Violence in Trinidad & Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago there has been a record of gang-related violence that has made life unsafe for citizens of the island nation. Moreover, the gangs themselves are deeply institutionalized into Trinidadian society, even serving functions of government, thus making them exceptionally difficult to remove.

Essequibo: A Generational Crisis

While Venezuela and Guyana have been locked into a cycle of recurring dispute over the vital region of Essequibo, the most recent escalation of the contention over it has raised alarms internationally. While the conflict itself is nothing new, increasingly aggressive maneuvers by the regime of Nicolás Maduro have particularly worried indigenous communities.

AmericasBy Will FullerMarch 27, 2024Venezuela, Guyana, Essequibo, annexation, river, oil reserves

Examining Period Poverty: A Hidden Global Public Health Crisis in Latin America

Although menstruation is a natural process, it is shrouded in misconception in various parts of the world. This stigma causes period poverty, characterized by the lack of access to menstrual products as well as limitations in regards to academic, professional, and overall life pursuits. This article seeks to shine a light on this hidden public health crisis, focusing on Latin America and in particular on a group of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil.

Costa Rica: An Unexpected Leader in Sustainability

As global temperatures increase every year, many institutions, from national governments to private enterprises, are making plans for decreasing carbon emissions. Costa Rica has taken carbon neutrality to the next level by seeking to completely transform not justits energy system but its entire economy.

AmericasBy Juliana ZraickFebruary 14, 2024environment, sustainability, global warming, carbon emissions, Costa Rica

Daniel Ortega’s Crusade against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua

A war is being waged against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has imprisoned and exiled approximately 15 percent of the total Nicaraguan clergy. Among these are figures such as Bishop Rolando José Álvarez, who was recently released from detainment on January 14, 2024. Ortega claims that the Catholic Church is part of a conspiracy backed by the U.S. to overthrow his regime. Such allegations have been derived from protests against Ortega’s government in 2018, along with having historical roots in the Nicaraguan Civil War.

Tío Bernie and the New Coup

In Guatemala, the January 2024 inauguration of new president Bernardo Arévalo was tense due to the months-long efforts to prevent it from ever happening. Led not by the military, but by the bureaucracy, the coup d’etat that Guatemala avoided highlights how the nature of undemocratic practices is gradually morphing in Latin America.

AmericasBy Will FullerFebruary 13, 2024Guatemala, Corruption, revolution, socialism, coup

The Vote on Decriminalizing Abortion in Brazil

Brazil’s Supreme Court has recently opened up a vote to decriminalize abortion, and a multitude of factors may influence the outcome.

AmericasBy Megha PolavarapuNovember 27, 2023abortion, human rights, court, law, health, healthcare, religion, socioeconomic, legalization, amendment