Articles in Latin America
Spain, Bolivia, Iraq, and the Fallacy of the Nation-State
This final posting on regionalism in Spain steps back to reexamine the concept of the nation-state. Spain constitutionally defines itself as a nation-state, insisting that all its citizens belong to the Spanish nation. But as we have seen, many are adamant that Spain is a country of multiple nations. Some sub-Spanish nationalists retain the
Argentina’s Regional Disparities and the Rise of Neuquén
Latin American is noted for its economic inequality, the gap between rich and poor generally being considered the largest in the world. Class inequity often has a strong regional component; Brazil and Mexico are well known for their income variation from state to state. Less appreciated is the fact that Argentina is equally skewed
Panama: Economic Growth, Free Trade, and Indigenous Peoples
The map of Central America’s per capita GDP posted last week showed Costa Rica and Panama in the highest category, easily outpacing the other economies of the region. What it concealed is the fact that Panama is the richer of the two countries by this criterion. According to the World Bank, Panama’s per capita
Migration and Diplomatic Tensions In Costa Rica
Nicaragua, the poorest country in continental North America by a good margin, sends immigrants not only northward into Mexico and the United States but also southward into Costa Rica. The economic disparity along Nicaragua’s lightly policed southern border is steep and Costa Rica, unlike Nicaragua, is known for its political stability, effective government, and high
Misconceptions About Mexico’s Birth Rate
In the American immigration debate, the point is often made on talk radio that Mexicans stream into the United States because their birth rate is so high. Mainstream sources sometimes make the same argument. In June, 2010, Britain’s Prince Charles warned about the “cultural pressures that keep the global birth rate high,” arguing that
Struggles over Dams and Waterfalls in Paraguay
The uproar over Kathryn Bigelow’s plans to shoot a film in the Triple Frontier region (discussed yesterday) might seem surprising at first glance. Ciudad del Este and the tri-border zone are already known in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay for smuggling and crime, and are thus unlikely to suffer much domestically from American movie insults
The Triple Frontier, Hezbollah, and Kathryn Bigelow
The “TBA” referred to in the passage above is the Tri-Border Area, also known as the Triple Frontier (La Triple Frontera; Tríplice Fronteira), the zone where Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina meet. Here a single metropolitan area of half a million is formed by three cities
Drug Wars in Paraguay
In early May 2010, Fernando Lugo, president of Paraguay, met with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the Paraguayan border town of Pedro Juan Caballero, population 75,000. Security was heavy, as befitted the location. Pedro Juan Caballero is noted for its cheap electronics and deadly drug smugglers.
Sexual Scandals and Paraguayan Wars
In 2009, Paraguay’s recently elected president Fernando Lugo found himself embroiled in sexual scandal. A former Roman Catholic bishop not released from his chastity vow until 2008, Lugo was accused by three women of fathering their children. In April, lawyers representing Viviana Carrillo announced that they would file a paternity suit; five days later
Problems in Paraguay
On April 24, 2010, Paraguay’s Congress granted its president emergency powers to combat the Paraguayan Peoples Army (EPP; Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo). The decree, which covered five of Paraguay’s departments for one month, allowed arrests without warrants and joint police-army raids. Several commentators on the left denounced the move as an over-reaction to a
Terranova: The Black Petaltail - A Novel
Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development (5th Edition)
Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World (3rd Edition)
