Brazil: Lula II — Firebrand or Pragmatist?

2 November 2022 Indeed, Brazil's election result was historic. Not only was former President Lula da Silva returned to power (by an unexpectedly narrow margin), but Jair Bolsonaro's defeat was the first by an incumbent since the country returned to democracy. Despite earlier threats to challenge the election outcome, President Bolsonaro and his supporters appear [...]

Latin America: Building on Climate Advantages

14 May 2021 Latin America accounts annually for only 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions. And, Mexico and Brazil alone are responsible for over 50% of the region's pollution. Moreover, while Latam's GHGs have risen 25% since 2005, emissions in many key countries have been declining since 2014. Likewise, CO2 per capita levels are comparatively [...]

Mexico & Brazil: Populism’s First 100 Days

5 April 2019 In elections last year, voters in both Brazil and Mexico opted overwhelmingly for populist candidates. To be sure, Latin American populism takes many shapes. In Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's version  (AMLO) promised significantly higher spending on social programs and infrastructure. Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro has pledged assertive efforts to clamp [...]