After seven years covering Latin America for the Financial Times, and a previous post in the 1990s, Michael Stott is leaving the region as an optimist. His argument: that Latin America's strengths have been systematically underappreciated, and that in an increasingly dangerous and unstable world, what the region has going for it is about to matter more than it has in the past. In this episode, we take stock of the unique moment across the hemisphere: the tightening race between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil's October election, the fragmented right in Colombia and the outlook for their presidential election in May, the uncertain futures of Cuba and Venezuela, and how this White House is likely to continue influencing events in years to come. Our guest is Michael Stott, now the South Asia bureau chief for the Financial Times.  

For 67 years, many people have been waiting for change in Cuba — and for 67 years, the communist regime has endured. It survived the fall of the Soviet Union, the death of Fidel Castro, economic sanctions, and political pressure from 13 different U.S. presidents. But the Trump Administration, fresh off its military operation in Venezuela, is now applying unprecedented economic pressure on the island, effectively cutting off its oil supply, and pushing basic services to the point of collapse. This follows years of a deepening crisis that has driven as much as a fifth of Cuba’s population to leave since 2020. Is this the moment when change might finally come to Cuba? Our guest is Patrick Oppmann, Havana bureau chief for CNN.

When Rodrigo Paz was inaugurated in early November 2025, he vowed to implement “capitalism for all.” He inherited an economy in rough shape after 20 years of rule by the MAS party: Inflation was above 20%, foreign currency reserves were nearly exhausted, and fuel lines stretched for blocks. In many ways, Bolivia was also isolated in its relationships abroad, aligned more with Russia and Venezuela than with its South American neighbors or the United States. Now, almost 100 days into his new government, President Paz has had mixed success in pushing through early changes. So, what's next for Bolivia? And in a country with a long history of instability, what are the odds of Paz maintaining power and successfully getting his agenda passed?

Our guest is Gabriela Keseberg Dávalos, a Bolivian strategic policy adviser. Gabriela has previously served as Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to the Vice-President of the European Parliament for Human Rights and Democracy, and as Director of Global Public Affairs for a network of think tanks.

Latin America has been at the center of the world’s attention in 2026—and not only because of Venezuela. This week, we take a step back to understand the current moment and its implications for the region’s long-term outlook, from the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, to the future of USMCA, and upcoming elections in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. What do recent events mean for Latin America’s political and economic future?

Our guest is Michael Reid, journalist, author and former Latin America editor for The Economist. 

The fate of Venezuela hinges on the country’s once-proud energy sector. Since Maduro’s capture two weeks ago, questions about how the industry could be recovered have become critically important: What’s the real state of the Venezuelan oil industry today? Under what conditions might U.S. companies be able to deliver on the $100 billion in investment that President Trump says is needed? Can the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez deliver those conditions? Today on the podcast, we take a realistic look at what political and economic steps are necessary for the Venezuelan oil industry to begin its long recovery. Our guest is Luis Pacheco, a nonresident fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and former president of the ad hoc PDVSA board.

The capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela was one of the most dramatic developments in U.S.-Latin America relations in more than 30 years. In Venezuela, a country that has suffered for more than a decade from repression, economic depression and an exodus of more than 8 million people, it opened the door for change. Yet, days after the arrest, the Chavista government is still in charge, led by Maduro’s former vice president Delcy Rodríguez. The Chavista regime has been a master at appearing to negotiate while stalling and hoping for their counterparts to lose focus or support. Will President Trump be able to influence Rodríguez, and the remaining Venezuelan power structure, in the manner he claims possible? What leverage does he have in Caracas?  

In this episode, we speak with Andrés Martínez-Fernández, Senior Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security, about what’s next for Venezuela and the impact it will have on other countries in the region, such as Colombia, Mexico, and Cuba.

Despite trade tensions and political uncertainty, 2025 was not a bad year for Latin America's economies, with growth of around 2.4 percent, broadly in line with post-pandemic trends. In this episode we look ahead to 2026 and analyze the outlook for the region, from fiscal pressures and a pivotal election in Brazil to uncertainty around Argentina’s recovery under Javier Milei and the evolving trade relationship between Mexico and the United States. To unpack which countries and sectors look strongest, and where the biggest risks lie, we’re joined by Nur Cristiani, head of LATAM investment strategy at J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank. 

2025 has been an extraordinarily active year for U.S. policy in Latin America. With the release of President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy, which places the Western Hemisphere first and promises to “reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine,” along with a new “Trump Corollary” aimed at countering China’s influence, the trend has become even clearer. We discuss the defining features of this assertive approach and what it means for governments, businesses, and regional stability. Our guest os Ricardo Zúniga, former principal advisor for the Americas to President Barack Obama and now founding partner at Dinámica Americas.

Right-wing candidates are gaining victories across Latin America. Chile will likely turn right in the upcoming second round of elections, Javier Milei made legislative gains in Argentina and in Bolivia recent elections ended 20 years of Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party leadership. With key races ahead in 2026, some analysts say the right could become the region’s dominant political force, echoing the sweeping “pink tide” of the early 2000s, but in the opposite ideological direction. Is this a historic turn, or are voters simply rejecting whoever is in power? In this episode, we debate this question with Oliver Stuenkel, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and ask what it could mean for the years ahead.

Chileans head to the polls this Sunday, November 16. In the last election cycle, Gabriel Boric won following the massive 2019 protests that shook the nation to its core. At the time, it seemed Chile was set for sweeping structural change: the classic poster child for neoliberal economic policy in Latin America appeared ready to build a stronger welfare state and elect leaders from the left. Six years later, some change has occurred, but not nearly as dramatic as many expected. Efforts to rewrite the constitution were aborted twice, and the young leftist president, Gabriel Boric, is leaving office with an approval rating of just 30%. Chileans have turned their attention to other issues, especially crime, which has worsened notably over the past decade. The widespread expectation is that voters will opt for a change in power, and that Chile will join several other Latin American countries swinging to the right.

In this episode, we speak with Patricio Navia, a Chilean political scientist, about what this could mean for Chile’s economy and strategic alliances. Navia is a professor at both New York University and Universidad Diego Portales.