Latin America & Caribbean

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.

In a widely circulated paper, Dany Bahar and Ricardo Hausmann claim that sanctions on the Venezuelan economy do not lead to greater migration flows to the United States. This paper shows that their conclusions rest on a serious methodological mistake: testing for a long-run relationship through a misspecified cointegration in first-differences. This mistake invalidates their statistical approach and findings.

It’s been nearly a decade since Haitians last went to the polls to elect a president. Even then, barely one in five participated. In a country with a majority of the population under 25 years of age, this means that, for most Haitians, voting for one’s leaders is a privilege never before experienced.

By rejecting all four ballot measures in a recent referendum, Ecuadorian voters demonstrated an understanding that neither their right-wing president, Daniel Noboa, nor Donald Trump seems to share. Militarizing poor neighborhoods and inviting US troops is no way to resolve a security crisis.

There is concerted effort by the US government to influence the outcome of the election in Honduras. President Trump has piled on with a ringing endorsement of the National Party candidate, and strong denunciations of the other two leading candidates.

Trump extends the Syria sanctions waiver as measures on Russia and Cuba bite. The President also signals openness to talks on Iran sanctions, while escalating threats against Venezuela with new designations.

Your questions about Honduras’s November 30 elections answered. The following Q and A looks at the key issues that have generated discussion and debate ahead of the election and provides background on the electoral process as well as the internal and external actors that are likely to play a role in its conduct and outcome.

Since President Xiomara Castro has been in office, Poverty has come back down to pre-pandemic levels, inequality is continuing its downward trend, unemployment is at a decade-low, both public and private investment has reached new heights, and the country finds itself in a more sustainable economic position with low external debt.

After an unpopular decision to remove diesel subsidies, President Noboa is focused on winning a series of ballot measures in a referendum vote that will be held on November 16.

The Trump administration imposes its first Russia sanctions while snapback measures on Iran begin to bite. For the 33rd time, the UN GA overwhelmingly votes to condemn and call for end of US embargo on Cuba.