RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, September 29, 2009, The Brookings Institution
On Sunday, the de facto president of Honduras, Roberto Micheletti, declared a state of siege in the country for 45 days. Kevin Casas-Zamora believes this move diminishes the hope that elections in November will be viewed as legitimate and says Micheletti should lift the siege and show restraint if he wants the crisis to end. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, September 23, 2009, ForeignPolicy.com
When the deposed president of Honduras, Manual Zelaya, returned to Tequcigalpa this week, he dramatically altered the ongoing political crisis in the country, writes Kevin Casas-Zamora. Casas-Zamora believes this new development makes reaching a political settlement more difficult, and says negotiated solutions should be expanded so that the November elections can be carried out as scheduled. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
September 23, 2009, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
Central America is a region constantly exposed to risks from natural disasters. It is important for governments to develop a human rights based approach to disaster response in order to decrease the likelihood of human rights violations of the victims of natural disasters. In order to promote the development of such strategies as well as strengthen the cooperation of humanitarian and human rights agencies in the field, CONRED, CEPREDENAC, and the Brookings-Bern Project, with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland, convened a workshop on disaster response and protection in situations of natural disaster in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris and Diane Paul, September 22, 2009, Protecting People in Conflict and Crisis: Responding to the Challenges of a Changing World
People affected by natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes, and other calamities often face urgent protection needs that may not be immediately visible to humanitarian actors caught up in trying to provide water, food, shelter, medical care and other lifesaving assistance. In this paper, Elizabeth Ferris and Diane Paul provide an overview of protection challenges confronting those affected by natural disasters. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, July 09, 2009, Council on Foreign Relations
Kevin Casas-Zamora joined CFR.org's Bernard Gwertzman to discuss Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's ousting as well as how the United States has and should continue to respond. Casas-Zamora said that by putting diplomatic weight behind regional leaders, the Obama administration has demonstrated sensitivity to Latin American sensibilities. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, June 29, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The June 28 military ousting of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya capped weeks of tension brought about by his attempt to amend the constitution to enable reelection. Kevin Casas-Zamora says this coup is a step backward for democracy in Latin America and he urges the United States to both pay close attention to the situation and to show friends and foes in the hemisphere that Washington sides with democracy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Diana Villiers Negroponte, May 31, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The rising level of violence in Central America, as well as Mexico, has created sensational headlines and Hollywood style footage on the nightly news. Diana Negroponte examines the reasons for the growth in public insecurity and crime within El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to determine an appropriate response. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
On May 26, the Latin America Initiative at Brookings and the Washington Office for Latin America hosted a discussion on the Central American component of the Merida Initiative, a 3-year program that provides funding for a wide-range of drug interdiction, prevention and intervention activities throughout Mexico, Central America and select Caribbean countries. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, May 22, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Kevin Casas-Zamora argues that the weakness of Guatemala as a state, the pervasive violence, the widespread corruption and the country’s strategic location for drug trafficking are creating a very dangerous cocktail. He believes reform is necessary but also notes it will be quite difficult. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Abraham F. Lowenthal, May 04, 2009, The Miami Herald
Abe Lowenthal writes that among the important accomplishments by President Obama in his first 100 days has been a major step forward in U.S. relations with our neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lowenthal outlines policies the United States should pursue in the Americas and reminds the administration to keep it simple in the region. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kevin Casas-Zamora, April 28, 2009, The Brookings Institution
On May 3, Panama will elect a new president. Kevin Casas-Zamora explores the campaigns of the incumbent and challenger and examines why Panama can be viewed as one of the better functioning and most stable polities in Latin America. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Abraham F. Lowenthal, April 16, 2009, The Huffington Post
Key differences persist among the many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the leadup to the fifth Summit of the Americas, Abraham Lowenthal says Obama would do well to remember Ronald Reagan's comment on returning from his first trip to South America as president: "These Latin American countries are all very different from each other." Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC
The Obama administration faces a number of challenges in Latin America. The fifth Summit of the Americas offers leaders of the Western Hemisphere an opportunity to partner on a new and robust agenda that spans global economic, social, energy and climate change issues. On April 14, Brookings experts discussed the critical issues facing the leaders attending the summit and proposed recommendations for action. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ted Piccone, April 14, 2009, The Huffington Post
As the Summit of the Americas draws near, Ted Piccone analyzes Obama's debut before the hemisphere’s main gathering of democratically elected leaders and discusses what should come from the meeting. Piccone believes Obama should lead by example by implementing human rights reforms at home and by reminding colleagues they share a responsibility to follow universal democratic standards. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
April 13, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Leaders of the Western Hemisphere gathered in Trinidad and Tobago on April 17-19, 2009 for the fifth Summit of the Americas. In a series of commentary articles focused on the summit's agenda and key challenges, Brookings experts discuss critical economic, social, energy and climate change issues facing the leaders attending the summit and propose recommendations for policy action. Read More