35 West

Please enjoy this special Building the Future episode with 35 West host and CSIS Americas Deputy Director Margarita R. Seminario. In this episode, we talk with Mia Mitchell (from the U.S. Department of State) and Sonja Kelly (from the Women's World Banking) to understand the barriers we face to enabling inclusive access to finance to women around the world while discussing the various opportunities that the U.S. government has in overcoming such hurdles.

In this "Best of" 35 West episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Logan Coleman, a Program Manager at the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). They discuss the challenges faced by Venezuelan youth and women in the Caribbean, an often-overlooked host destination for migrants. Logan explains the value of using a gender lens to understand the migrant crisis and explains why Venezuelans are vulnerable to trafficking in persons. She and Margarita explore how programming by PADF and other organizations can address these circumstances.

Read PADF's " A Story of Hope" here.

This episode was first released on April 15, 2020. 

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Dr. Jennie K. Lincoln, a Senior Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean at The Carter Center on peace initiatives, to discuss the deterioration of democracy, human rights, and governance in Nicaragua under the Ortega regime. They cover the lack of conditions for elections in November, the challenges faced by voters and candidates, the Ortega regime’s systematic actions against opposition presidential contenders, and need for the international community to act in a determined and coordinated manner.

Since the podcast was recorded on June 7th, two more presidential candidates have been detained and imprisoned and multiple opposition voices brutally silenced.

En este episodio especial en español, Margarita R. Seminario conversa con Juanita Millán Hernández, Capitán de Corbeta de la Reserva Activa de la Armada Colombiana y asesora principal en materia de seguridad del equipo de reserva de expertos en mediación del Departamento de Asuntos Políticos y Consolidación de la Paz de las Naciones Unidas.

Juanita comparte su experiencia como mediadora durante el proceso de paz de Colombia y nos cuenta su experiencia como la única mujer de la delegación de las Fuerzas Militares de Colombia en la mesa de negociación entre el gobierno colombiano y las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. Durante la entrevista, se analiza la importancia de la aplicación de un enfoque de género y como las mujeres efectivamente llegaron a jugar un papel relevante en las negociaciones y en la implementación del proceso de paz. Se referencia en la entrevista una publicación altamente útil: "Una perspectiva de género en la construcción de la paz" que se puede descargar aquí.

Gender Perspective and the Colombian Peace Process: A Conversation with Juanita Millán Hernández

In this special Spanish-language episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Juanita Millán Hernández, a Lieutenant Commander of the Colombian Navy's active reserve and Senior Mediation Advisor for security arrangements on the Standby Team of the United Nations' Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

Juanita shares her experiences as a mediator during the Colombian peace process and as the only woman in the Colombian military's delegation to the negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC. During the interview, they analyze the importance of the incorporation of a gender perspective and discuss how Colombian women came to effectively play a relevant role in peace process negotiations and implementation. The interview references a useful publication: "Una perspectiva de género en la construcción de la paz" can be downloaded in Spanish here.

In this special guest host episode, Dan Runde, Senior Vice President and Director of the CSIS Americas Program, sits down with Ricardo Mussa, CEO of Raízen, a Brazilian integrated energy company focused on bioenergy and renewables. They discuss how Ricardo got his start in the bioenergy business, the steps Raízen is taking to achieve its public commitment to emission reductions, and the status of bioenergy implementation in Brazil as well as its benefits for everyday Brazilians. They also examine the biofuel production process, debunking elements of the "food versus fuel" argument that biofuel production risks interference with food supply security, and analyze the future of U.S.-Brazil cooperation in the biofuels space.

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Jose Miguel Cruz, Director of Research at Florida International University's Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center.  Jose Miguel shares the results of two USAID-funded studies prepared with Democracy International on gang disengagement in Guatemala and Honduras. They examine the conditions that facilitate gang exit and the role non-state actors like the faith-based groups, civil society organizations, and the private sector can play in promoting gang disengagement. Also, they discuss practical policy recommendations for the U.S. and Northern Triangle governments to promote an enabling environment that reduces gang involvement and promotes decent employment for youth to break the cycle of encierro, destierro, y entierro.

"A Study of Gang Disengagement in Honduras" can be found here.

"A Study of Gang Disengagement in Guatemala" can be found here.

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Logan Coleman, a Program Manager at the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). They discuss the challenges faced by Venezuelan youth and women in the Caribbean, an often-overlooked host destination for migrants. Logan explains the value of using a gender lens to understand the migrant crisis and explains why Venezuelans are vulnerable to trafficking in persons. She and Margarita explore how programming by PADF and other organizations can address these circumstances. 

Read PADF's " A Story of Hope" here.

In this special Spanish-language episode, Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Piero Corvetto, the Head of Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE). Piero introduces the vital role of the ONPE in Peruvian elections and explains the measures being undertaken to ensure citizens can vote safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. They discuss the importance of Peru's 2021 elections and the challenges in ensuring that Peruvians living abroad can participate. 

Elecciones 2021: Las elecciones generales de Perú

En este episodio especial en español, Margarita R. Seminario conversa con Piero Corvetto, jefe de la Oficina Nacional de Procesos Electorales (ONPE) de Perú. Piero explica el papel vital que juega la ONPE en el proceso electoral peruano y comparte las medidas adoptadas para asegurar que peruanos puedan votar de forma segura en el contexto de la pandemia de Covid-19. Ellos conversan sobre la importancia de las elecciones de 2021 y los esfuerzos de la ONPE para garantizar que los peruanos en el extranjero también puedan participar.

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Moises Rendon, CSIS Senior Associate and the former director of the Future of Venezuela Initiative. Moises introduces the world of cryptocurrencies and outlines key differences between decentralized and public currencies, such as Bitcoin, and state-sponsored cryptocurrencies, like the Venezuelan Petro. They discuss why cryptocurrencies have become so popular in Venezuela, and how they are transforming the humanitarian sector.

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Gerardo Berthin, Director of the Latin America and Caribbean Programs at Freedom House. Gerardo introduces Freedom House's new tracker, "Election Watch for the Digital Age" and explains the methodology Freedom House uses to determine how digital technologies are disrupting electoral processes around the world. They discuss the specific vulnerabilities that may affect this year's elections in Ecuador, El Salvador, and Peru. 

Freedom House's "Election Watch for the Digital Age" can be found here. 

The Americas Program is also proud to present a new podcast, Mexico Matters. Each week, Mariana Campero, CSIS Senior Associate, will speak with leading voices from both sides of the border to bring you in-depth analysis on the strategic importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship.