March 25, 2008
Co-director Mark Weisbrot spoke at a panel discussion at the George Washington University Elliot School for International Affairs entitled “US Policy Toward Latin America in the Post-Bush Era”. The co-panelists included Greg Craig, a foreign policy advisor to Senator Barack Obama, Nora Lustig, a visiting professor at GWU and President of the Universidad de las Americas and Mark Schneider, the Senior Vice President and Special Advisor on Latin America at the International Crisis Group. All the participants agreed that supply-side counter-narcotics efforts in the Andes have failed. Nora Lustig discussed the possible effects of a US recession on the economies of Latin America, the topic of a recent CEPR report. Mark Weisbrot followed up on Mr. Schneider’s comments about economic inequality by underscoring the electoral consequences of Latin America’s dismal economic performance during the period of Washington-backed reforms. Recent economic policies, pursued independently of IMF advice, have lead to much higher economic growth, particularly in Argentina and Venezuela. The event was attended by an audience of over 100 policy makers, diplomats, academics, and students. A video of Mark’s presentation can be viewed here.
