Migration management has surged to the top of the policy agenda in the region due to unprecedented numbers of Latin Americans on the move in recent years. With the new administration in the United States—the Western Hemisphere’s leading destination for migrants—cracking down on immigration, how have other host countries in the Americas been coping with hundreds of thousands of new arrivals from places like Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Ecuador?

AS/COA Online speaks with Diego Chaves-González, senior manager of the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative at the Migration Policy Institute, and Professor João Jarochinski Silva of the Federal University of Roraima to get the rundown of Latin America’s efforts to receive the region’s migrants. We zoom in on a special program in Brazil, Operation Welcome, as an example, however imperfect, of how to regularize and integrate people who have left their home countries.

You can read more about how migration policy has been changing in the region on our website. We’ve been tracking the Trump’s administration actions on Latin America at as-coa.org/trump

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The music in this podcast is by Yamandu Costa, performing for Americas Society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI2oMLOkUbI Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org 

Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society
Becoming a member gives you access to music performances, art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more. https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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Ecuador, once among the safest countries in Latin America, now faces an insecurity crisis with the incursion of international criminal groups. President Daniel Noboa, now facing a reelection fight, is attempting to convince voters his hardline mano dura approach is one of the reasons to stay the course. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a security expert at Brookings Institution, explains what caused a perfect storm of insecurity in the country, what Noboa’s approach has been so far, and why the success of Nayib Bukele of El Salvador may be tough to replicate in Ecuador. 

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get more insights on what’s driving voters in Latin America in this year's 2025 Election Guide: www.as-coa.org/2025elections

The music in this episode is Jasper String Quartet performing Vivian Fung’s “Insects and Machines” for Americas Society.

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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President Donald Trump broke tradition at his second inauguration, inviting world leaders, including from Latin America, to attend. But his day-one executive orders initiated a bumpy ride for the region in 2025. What can Latin American countries expect of "America First?" On this episode, three AS/COA experts—Carin Zissis, Brian Winter, and Juan Cruz Díaz—discussed Trump's initial moves on the border and migration, possible Mexico tariffs, the Panama Canal, and his Latin American allies. Listen to the editor-in-chiefs of AS/COA Online and Americas Quarterly, as well as the managing director of Cefeidas Group, on how Trump's second presidency will shape U.S. relations with Latin America.

Learn more:

• Trump and Latin America: Inauguration Day and Executive Orders 
  https://www.as-coa.org/articles/trump-and-latin-america-inauguration-day-and-executive-orders
• Read the new Americas Quarterly issue: https://americasquarterly.org/article/new-aq-the-risk-from-the-north/
• Latin America Is About to Become a Priority for U.S. Foreign Policy, by Brian Winter
  https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latin-america-about-become-priority-us-foreign-policy

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.    

The music in this podcast is "Old Wooden Chair" performed by Nation Beat for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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For many Latin America enthusiasts, music serves as a gateway for understanding the cultural contours of the region. Sebastián Zubieta, Music Director at Americas Society, understands this profoundly. In conversation with Luisa Leme, Zubieta outlines his approach to striking an emotional chord with audiences while showcasing a mix of music and musicians that define and defy the musical traditions of the Hemisphere.

Plus, ahead of the 60th anniversary of Americas Society in 2025, Zubieta provides a sneak peek of what’s to come with Music of the Americas in 2025. And the AS/COA Online staff gives a Latin America in Focus holiday list of recommendations.

Music of the Americas performances mentioned during the interview:

• Claude Vivier, “Kopernikus” (performed by Meridionalis) https://youtu.be/CHIP9GjfSMc?si=MNP2sLd8iisI-R8Q
• Coro Acardenchado https://www.as-coa.org/events/celebrate-mexico-now-coro-acardenchado
• Egberto Gismonti https://youtu.be/_BdWAEoPbac?si=M-v_fRGQG6cxX4ep
• Hermero Pascoal https://youtu.be/WtWUjgPtEns?si=MgDTtXJb0twsB9RX
• Izaline Calister
• Las Añez https://youtu.be/38R89JXIkrk?si=8kqprWUPbSwZ5vlt
• Monica Salmaso https://youtu.be/Z2uI8cMHosc?si=-Ef88vVkPDQw0eUj
• Pauchi Sasaki https://youtu.be/2O78v8Dnkz4?si=OVVhsXTbvHskFDmW
• Bobby Sanabria and the Multiverse Band https://youtu.be/YecX8vtBTRk?si=TT57DpyVgpqEGGKW

AS/COA Online Holiday list:

• I’m Still Here, by Walter Salles (feature film) https://tiff.net/events/im-still-here
• You Dreamed of Empires, by Álvaro Enrigue (novel) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722363/you-dreamed-of-empires-by-alvaro-enrigue-translated-by-natasha-wimmer/
• LatinoLand, A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority, by Marie Arana (non-fiction) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/LatinoLand/Marie-Arana/9781982184896
• Las Amazonas de Yaxunah, by Alfonso Algara (documentary) https://nylatinofilmfestival.com/2024/movies/las-amazonas-de-yaxunah/
• The Great Divide, by Cristina Henriquez (novel) https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-divide-cristina-henriquez?variant=41079220469794

Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society. 
Becoming a member gives you exclusive access to music performances, art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.  https://www.as-coa.org/memberships/engage-americas-society 

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The music featured in this podcast is “Me gusta soñar”, by the C4 Trio. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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It’s been a stuffed season of summits. October and November saw BRICS in Russia, APEC in Peru, and the G20 in Brazil. But with Trump’s reelection, leaders are adjusting their strategies and outlooks for the future of global forums. What does this mean for Latin America?

We’ve convened a G3 of speakers from the region’s three G20 members. On this episode of Latin America in Focus, Francisco Resnicoff of Argentina, Cecilia Tornaghi of Brazil, and Brenda Estefan of Mexico speak about how each administration is approaching its international relations, what Trump’s return means for summitry, and what they foresee for the future of U.S.-China competition in the region.

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.    

The music in this podcast is "Espinha de bacalhau" performed by the trio Solar for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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Latin America is known worldwide for its entrepreneurship. With unicorns, new ecosystems, and investments back to pre-pandemic levels, what's the region's secret sauce? Three of the Latin America's most successful business visionaries—Francisco Alvarez-Demalde of Riverwood Capital, Sebastian Mejia of Rappi, and Mariano Gomide de Faria of VTEX—sat down with long-time Americas investor Susan Segal of AS/COA for a conversation about how the region has an edge on creating the companies of tomorrow. In this conversation recorded at the 2024 COA Symposium in Miami this October, they discuss what it takes to build billion-dollar companies, Latin America's promising technology prospects, and the future of the region’s entrepreneurial businesses.

Learn more about the 2024 COA Symposium in Miami and the BRAVO Business Awards.

Subscribe to the BRAVO Leadership Forums podcasts for conversations with business leaders shaping the region: www.as-coa.org/BRAVO

The music in this podcast is performed by “Ya,” by Eric Kurimski Quartet, for Americas Society. 
Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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Local concerns like sanitation, funding for schools, or road repairs were low on the agenda during Brazil’s October 6 municipal elections. Campaigns for mayorships and town-council seats were flashpoints for national fissures of identity politics that are reshaping the traditional left-right spectrum. Thomas Traumann, a journalist and political consultant, discussed the implications of this polarization rippling through politics in the country. He spoke with Luisa Leme on which political blocks made clear progress this year, next steps for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and what these races for Brazilian cities tell us about the 2026 presidential election.

Traumann is co-author of Biografia do Abismo (“Biography of the Abyss”), on polarization in Brazil, and O Pior Emprego do Mundo (“The Worst Job in the World”), about Brazilian finance ministers. 

Check out Traumann’s past participation in the podcast and the 2022 episodes on Brazil’s presidential elections:

How VP Choices Are Shaping Presidential Races in Colombia and Brazil
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-how-vp-choices-are-shaping-presidential-races-colombia-and-brazil

Kingmakers and Key Issues in Brazil's Lula-Bolsonaro Showdown
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-kingmakers-and-key-issues-brazils-lula-bolsonaro-showdown

The Battle for Brazil's Divided Electorate
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-battle-brazils-divided-electorate
 

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

The music in this podcast is is performed by Tiganá Santana for Americas Society.  
Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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Uruguayans head to the polls on October 27 for what is looking to be a close contest between the incumbent conservative coalition and the leftist Broad Front. But there’s another key player in the race: a constitutional referendum that could reshape the country’s pension system. Nicolás Saldías, a senior analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Economist Intelligence Unit, profiles the major presidential candidates and details what’s on the line economically and politically if the pension reform is approved.

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The music in this podcast is “Three Points of View" performed by Gustavo Casenave for Americas Society. 

Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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On August 31, users of Twitter/X woke up to a platform devoid of Brazilians. After a protracted fight with CEO Elon Musk, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered a shutdown of the social media site in his country. Marie Santini, founder of Net Lab, details the timeline that led to the shutdown and how it fits in the Brazil’s larger efforts around Internet regulation. Then, University of Palermo’s Agustina Del Campo gives a regional panorama and explains what’s changing with the approach of countries—and companies—to Internet moderation.

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at [email protected]. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.     

The music in this podcast is "Caiboaté" performed by Alejandro Brittes and Baroque Ensemble for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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Our latest edition of Latin America in Focus marks a major milestone: episode 200. Over the past eight years, we’ve covered a range of topics—and asked a lot of questions, including in our episode titles. For this episode, we decided to revisit three of those questions to see how we would answer them now. Half the world is going to the polls in 2024, so we focus on elections.

Americas Quarterly Editor-in-Chief and AS/COA Vice President of Policy Brian Winter tells us why Latin America’s anti-incumbency trend may be coming to a close. Pew Research Center’s Director of Race and Ethnicity Research Mark Hugo Lopez covers how Latino voters view the high-stakes U.S. presidential competition between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. And, AS/COA Online Editor-in-Chief Carin Zissis shares what to watch for in Mexico, where Claudia Sheinbaum is preparing to take the presidential reins in Mexico.

Speaking of elections, check out AS/COA’s 2024 guide for more about this year’s votes. www.as-coa.org/2024

Find out more about what the Latino vote means for the U.S. elections in our poll tracker: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/poll-tracker-latino-vote-2024-us-presidential-election

Listen to the original episodes that sparked these three segments:

• “Will the Anti-incumbency Wave Reach Argentina and Guatemala?” https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-will-anti-incumbency-wave-reach-argentina-and-guatemala
• “What Do We Really Know about the Latino Vote?” https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-what-do-we-really-know-about-latino-vote Mark Hugo Lopez also appeared in an episode titled, “The Myth of the Monolithic Latino Vote” https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-myth-monolithic-latino-vote 
• “In Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Won Big: Now What?” https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-mexico-claudia-sheinbaum-won-big-now-what

The music in this podcast is “Galopada” by Itiberê Zwarg, performed for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.
 

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