Friday Reading List - 21 February 2025
A list of news articles trendier than a president with a meme coin.
Good morning.
This week’s articles and newsletters
WPR - The Race to Succeed Almagro Could Further Polarize the OAS
Monday - Weekly US Policy in LatAm update - 17 February 2025
Tuesday - Argentina’s peso is a meme coin pretending to be a real currency
Wednesday - Chile - Polling Notes - February 2025
Thursday - Six Stories - On Petro’s Ukraine comments, some Ecuador election news, and more
Every Monday, I write about US policy in Latin America. This week’s newsletter included comments about naming Mexico’s cartels as terrorist organizations, including thoughts on why the Juarez Cartel didn’t make the list. I also wrote about how private sector companies may view the FCPA enforcement changes announced by Trump.
Thursdays are more focused on Latin American politics separate from US policy.
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Reading List
NYT - An Opening for China, Made in America
Americas Quarterly - What Trump’s FCPA Pause Means for Latin America - This was published after my Monday newsletter. Matteson Ellis is the expert on this topic and obviously does an excellent job outlining what the changes in anti-corruption policy may or may not mean.
Americas Quarterly - Latin American Organized Crime's Real Target: Local Government
Foreign Affairs - The New War on Drugs
Crashout Media - Exclusive: Cartels React To Terrorist Designation
Lawfare Media - What Would Bombing Mexico Accomplish?
NYT - C.I.A. Expands Secret Drone Flights Over Mexico
BBC - Security chief of El Chapo's son arrested
WSJ - How Dirty Money From Fentanyl Sales Is Flowing Through China
Globo - Relatório do Ministério da Justiça revela aliança inédita entre PCC e CV
Bloomberg - Brazil President Lula’s Aides Warn Spending Big Will Cost 2026 Election
AP - Brazil’s former President Bolsonaro charged over alleged coup that included a plan to poison Lula
El Pais - Catatumbo, Chocó o Putumayo: los 12 focos de la guerra que amenazan a las comunidades en Colombia
El Tiempo - Las reacciones sobre el nombramiento del general Pedro Sánchez como nuevo ministro de Defensa
Bloomberg - Leftist’s Flop in Colombia Sparks Wild Election-Bet Stock Rally
CFR - Ecuador’s Next President Will Face Debt, Drought, and Gangs
Economist - Argentina’s Javier Milei is betting big on an oil gusher
AP - Argentine judge accepts charges alleging ex-president committed violence against former first lady
Reuters - Brazil Inc places cautious bet on Argentina turnaround under Milei
Bloomberg - A Libertarian Island Dream in Honduras Is Now an $11 Billion Nightmare - Deep and well reported long read.
NYT - Under Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan, Some Migrants Are Being Sent to Panama - Really important article about what is happening to migrants that the US sends to Panama and Costa Rica.
BBC - Mapping China’s influence around the Panama Canal
Crisis Group - Locked in Transition: Politics and Violence in Haiti
Reuters - Caribbean leader tells EU chief: Apologise and pay reparations for slavery
WSJ - The Hottest Job in a World at War: Gun-for-Hire - Major Colombia angle to this article
Foreign Policy - A Golden Age of Crime: How AI and Other Technologies Turbocharge Mafia Networks and Cartels
FT - Alternative data: Superforecasters continue to beat the market - 🎉
NYT - This Is How Trump Will Smash the Machine of U.S. Economic Power
Thanks for reading
Have a great weekend!
