Pedro’s research at CEPR centers on the Latin American region (with a particular focus on Ecuador), foreign policy, and the impact of economic sanctions.
Pedro holds a Master’s in International Governance and Diplomacy, with a concentration in human rights, from the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po, and a BA in International and Global Studies from the University of Central Florida.
Prior to working at CEPR, Pedro was an intern at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Washington, DC, where he provided protection assistance to refugees and asylum seekers across the United States. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
All from Pedro Labayen Herrera
Sanctions Watch (May 2026)
Sanctions and frozen funds hang in the balance as US-Iran peace talks continue, while Cuba runs out of fuel amid tightening sanctions and growing threats of military action.
Gridlock, US Interference, Technical Failures and an Incomplete Recount: An Assessment of Honduras’s 2025 Elections
This report on Honduras’s 2025 general elections, based on the observations of CEPR’s electoral mission to Tegucigalpa, finds no evidence in the available data to support claims of fraud. However, the elections were marked by a broader crisis of confidence, driven by partisan institutional gridlock, US interference, logistical issues, technical deficiencies, disputes over the results, and an incomplete recount process.
CEPR Sanctions Watch April 2026
The US unleashes “Operation Economic Fury” and blockade against Iran as sanctions on Venezuela are eased and Democrats push back on Trump threats of military action against Cuba.
CEPR Sanctions Watch March 2026
Trump administration allows limited Iranian and Russian oil sales, and eases certain Venezuela sanctions. Meanwhile, the US blockade on Cuba chokes the island’s economy and population, a policy that recent polling indicates many US Americans oppose.
As Iran War Rages, Washington Opens a New Front in Ecuador
The Trump administration has joined the Ecuadoran government’s military campaign against so-called “narco-terrorists.
CEPR Sanctions Watch February 2026
Trump’s oil blockade fuels a crisis in Cuba as the US and Israel strike Iran. Trump eases sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sectors, while Canada relaxes sanctions on Syria. The EU fails to adopt its 20th package of Russia sanctions.
Ecuador News Round-Up No. 25: Ecuador’s Security and Human Rights Crisis Deepens as the Government Renews Attacks on the Opposition
Ecuador closed 2025 with a record homicide rate and mounting human rights concerns, while President Noboa appears to emulate Donald Trump’s foreign policy and his allies target the opposition. We also analyze Noboa’s referendum defeat.
CEPR Sanctions Watch January 2026
Trump eases some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector while maintaining the naval blockade and threatening tariffs on countries shipping oil to Cuba. Treasury Secretary Bessent says protests in Iran were sparked by sanctions-fueled economic crisis.
Sovereignty on Trial: Ecuador, the UAE, and the Curse of Corporate Courts
An investment treaty between Ecuador and the UAE containing ISDS provisions poses risks to Ecuador’s sovereignty and may open the door to similarly harmful deals.
CEPR Sanctions Watch December 2025
Trump enacts a “blockade” on sanctioned Venezuelan oil, likely impacting Cuba’s economy too; Congress repeals a landmark Syria sanctions bill as sanctions weigh on Iran and Russia.
