News & Commentary
2025 Philadelphia Tango Festival
Wednesday April 30, 2025
The 2025 Philadelphia Tango Festival will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, from Friday, May 23 ...
In Memory of His Holiness Pope Francis
Monday April 21, 2025
The Pan American Association of Philadelphia joins the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness...
Elections for President in Ecuador
Thursday February 13, 2025
Daniel Noboa, the 37 year old current president of Ecuador, failed to get a plurality of the votes i...
Upcoming Events
85th Annual Meeting and William J. Clothier II Award
Wednesday October 29, 2025 - 11:30 am
The Union League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PAThe Pan American Association of Philadelphia is excited to announce that it will hold its 85th Annual Meeting and William J. Clothier II Memorial Award on October 29, 2025 at the Union League of Philadelphia. We are pleased to announce that H. E. Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, will be our Keynote Speaker.
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The Pan American Association
P.O. Box 22655
Philadelphia, PA 19110-2655
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The Pan American Association provides News & Notes for the Philadelphia community and for all those interested in developing a better understanding of the vibrant and deep relationship between the United States and the people of the Americas. For over 80 years the Pan American Association has been the preeminent forum for dialogue in the Delaware Valley on a relationship which is intensifying daily. We hope that News & Updates will serve as a solid bridge of communication among all the countries of the Americas. Never in history has the need for such a dialogue been greater than it is today.
Lima Cuisine Capital
Lima now has the best cuisine in the world, according to new ranking. Of the world’s 50 best restaurants 3 are in Lima, outpacing New York, London, and Mexico City.
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Colombian Colonial Town
Colombia is famous for the charm of its Spanish colonial cities and towns. Salento is a jewel in the coffee growing region.
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Argentina Lithium
Argentina is poised to become a world class producer of lithium. “If all of the projects go ahead, Argentina's annual output of the metal used in electric-vehicle batteries would surge to 165,000 metric tons, or about 45 per cent of global supply, according to government projections. Prices will increase as much as 15 per cent this year.”
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Cocaine Up
Bad news. Cocaine production is up in Colombia and so is consumption in the US. “This surge in consumption can be traced directly to Colombia’s bumper harvest. The country’s illegal coca crop doubled between 2013 and 2015, reaching nearly 400,000 acres. That’s almost twice as much as the combined output of Peru and Bolivia, the world’s second- and third-largest producers.”
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Scrapping NAFTA
The U.S. and Mexican auto sectors have become so intertwined since the inception of the North American Free Trade Agreement that the industry itself is baffled as to how it would wean itself off the brisk cross-border trade in car parts. President Donald Trump has vowed to renegotiate the 23-year-old trade pact, a move he says would shift plants — and jobs — back to the United States, but it’s not clear that even tearing up NAFTA and existing supply chains would do that. The automotive industry is at the heart of U.S.-Mexico trade — and not just in finished vehicles. Steering wheels, dashboards, circuits, and other car parts zigzag across the borders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States many times before ending up in a vehicle in Detroit or Monterrey, Mexico. Disentangling those complex international supply chains could imperil the industry, more than a dozen industry participants and experts told Foreign Policy.
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Press Conference - US-Mexico
Colegas:
Fascinating press conference among US and Mexican officials, dealing with delicate issues about the wall, undocumented immigrants, Central America, responsibilities, and security cooperation. The comments by Mexican officials are quite frank, overshadowing the careful diplomatic talk of Secretaries Tillerson and Kelly.
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Vital Partner
Former American Ambassador to Mexico comments that the United States should treat Mexico as a vital partner, not a punching bag. He reviews the strength and benefits of the deep bilateral ties.
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China in Latin America and US Withdrawal
Will China fill the void as the US sends signals of potential withdrawal from Latin America? This article examines Chinese investments and argues that Latin American countries now have another option: “Unfortunately, unless there is a course correction in U.S. policy, it looks like—for a little while at least—it will be up to Latin American governments themselves to carve out a more constructive relationship with a Chinese government that appears more-than-willing to fill the vacuum potentially left by the United States.”
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US-Mexico
Mexico has indicated it will not accept the Trump administration’s new immigration proposals, saying it will go to the United Nations to defend the rights of immigrants in the US. Luis Videgaray, Mexico’s foreign minister, was responding to Donald Trump’s plans to enforce immigration rules more vigorously against undocumented migrants, which could lead to mass deportations to Mexico, not just of Mexicans but also citizens of other Latin American countries.
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Spanish Makes People Happy
Research indicates that Spanish is the happiest:
“Paris may be considered the romance capital of the world, but it turns out that Spain is the most amorous nation. And this may be linked to the fact the language was recently found to be the happiest and most positive by mathematicians.”
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Mexican Relationship
Former Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, reviews the state of relations between the United States and Mexico. Argues that the relationship is dangerously close to the edge. “Dangerously and sadly — particularly for someone such as myself who has spent a lifetime seeking to deepen and widen U.S.-Mexico ties — the relationship is today on a knife’s edge. Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, “alternative facts” regarding trade with Mexico or the dynamics along our common border along with a toxic anti-Mexican narrative — potentially changing the accepted rules of engagement in U.S. political discourse and public policy toward its southern partner — have seriously damaged perceptions on both sides of the Rio Grande, inflaming passions and propelling jingoism and unhelpful rhetoric.”
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Latin American Policy
At the change of administrations the community of scholars, businessmen, and foreign policy experts ask the question: What will be the impact of the new administration on Latin American policy? Attached are 3 articles that shed some light. It may be too early to tell, but there are already some fissures developing in our relationship with the countries, mostly because of potential protectionism and the approach towards Mexico. A number of Latin American countries have come out in support of Mexico in the scrap with Washington.
Latin America has always been a reservoir of good feelings and support for the United States internationally. Even Mexico, which for many years feared a close relationship with the United States, has been a good partner since the 1980s. American isolationism and protectionism will encourage Latin American countries to diversify their relations. You can hear the tinkling of champagne glasses in Beijing as the US pulled out of the Pacific Trade pact. China will now be the center of gravity for Pacific free trade. It will write the rules and reap the benefits rather than us. We would then contribute to the rise of Chinese power in the Pacific. Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Chile will be benificiaries of foreign investment because they have extensive trade agreements around the globe, which is attractive to foreign manufacturers who can thereby export to more countries. Below are 3 articles which provide insights:
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Latin American Reaction
Latin American countries are reacting to Trump initiatives by supporting Mexico. This is to be expected. It is evidence that the historical and cultural ties among the countries are still strong and matter in international relations.
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US-Mexican Relations
Michael Shifter, President of the Inter-American Dialogue, analyzes the crisis in US-Mexican relations. The stakes are very high for both countries, the potential for both countries losing is high. Sample from article:
“And, ironically, undocumented immigration would spike. Mexicans workers would feel forced to flee the consequences of NAFTA's collapse and the Mexican government could loosen its controls on immigration from Central America. (At present, seven in 10 Central American migrants headed for the U.S. are apprehended at Mexico's southern border with Guatemala.) Trump is the only one who can end this standoff. Only he can prevent lost jobs, new security vulnerabilities and a wave of illegal immigration — all of which are exactly what he aimed to prevent in the first place.”
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Interview with President Santos
One of the few encouraging political developments of 2016 was the Colombian government’s peace agreement with the country’s FARC guerrillas, ending a half-century of violent insurgency. How was the deal with the FARC achieved, and what lessons does Colombia’s peace process hold for political leaders elsewhere? President Juan Manuel Santos comments.
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How Mexico Can Stand Up to Trump
Jorge Castañeda, former Foreign Minister of Mexico and distinguished scholar, comments on Trump’s plans to build the wall, deport undocumented immigrants, and “rip up” the North American Free Trade Agreement. Recommends a tough response by Mexico to every one of these.
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Latin American Lessons
Trump’s election calls attention to Latin America’s extensive experience with populism. Article argues: “For Latin American scholars the trends are particularly worrisome. We have seen this movie before, and it rarely ends well. In that regard, Latin America is a powerful and often sad demonstration of the anti-institutional pitfalls of populism.” Author points out the different institutional checks to populism in the US and those in Latin American countries.
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China in Latin America
Geopolitics waits for no man, not even the United States’ president-elect. Little more than a week after Donald Trump’s victory, Xi Jinping, president of the world’s second largest economy, set off for Latin America—his third trip there since 2013—clutching a sheaf of trade deals. They were proposed long before the change of government in Washington. But at a time when the image of the big, bad yanqui seems to be making a comeback, Mr Xi may find himself with an opportunity to boost Chinese influence in the American backyard.
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Trump and Latin America
What does Trump augur for Latin America? While the Trump team has said very little about Latin America, Trump’s comments on Mexico have had serious reverberations for that country’s economy, such as lowering the value of the peso. Other than possibly Cuba, the rest of the Americas will be unaffected. Missing from the article is the impact on the US economy of protectionism. For example, if the Mexican peso is cheaper, US exports to Mexico will be more expensive. This will reduce jobs in the US.
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Colombia Peace
The Colombian conflict, the longest war in the Americas, may be finally over. Article discusses the elements of the peace agreement and cautions about future prospects. This is a remarkable achievement by the Colombian people. Let’s applaud them, and let’s also recognize how essential US advice and support has been in strengthening the capacity of the government of Colombia. There is much work ahead, the task of rebuilding and achieving a permanent peace remains.
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Brazil's Aspirations
Two scholars review Brazil’s Olympics, the nation’s internal difficulties, and its long term engagement in the world. They state: “Even in this difficult time, Brazil needs to engage with, rather than retreat from, the world in order to succeed.”
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Medellín
Colombia’s second largest city has undergone a renaissance of remarkable proportions. It’s the result of investment in security, infrastructure, and services. The city is a model of success.
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Venezuela's Destruction
Ricardo Hausmann, a distinguished Venezuelan scholar at Harvard, discusses why people and countries, such as Venezuela, adopt self-destructive policies.
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Republican Platform on Latin America
The Republican platform on Latin America can be read here. While party platforms seldom have decisive effect on foreign policy, this one suggests returning US-Latin American relations to a Cold War framework. The document also has an educational value, which is perhaps more important.
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Brazil's Problems
This article does not make for easy reading. Anyone who has landed at this Rio de Janeiro airport has the same visual reaction: how awesome the environmental problem is. In view of the upcoming Olympics it is an especially dangerous situation.
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Latin America & US
Article examines the progress that Latin America has made in reducing poverty and creating more optimism and hope about improvements in the future. Author compares and contrasts the situation in the United States, and recommends taking lessons from Lain America to restore the American dream. Counter-conventional thinking.
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Venezuela's Tragedy
Two prominent Venezuelan writers portray the disaster that makes Venezuela the sick man of Latin America. Moisés Naím and Francisco Toro: “Riots and looting have become commonplace, as hungry people vent their despair while the revolutionary elite lives in luxury, pausing now and then to order recruits to fire more tear gas into crowds desperate for food.”
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OAS and Venezuela
The response of the OAS to the crisis in Venezuela is an important test of the effectiveness of that organization. Secretary General Luis Almagro
has invoked the Democratic Charter to promote respect for democracy in that country.
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Brazil's Crime of the Century and US Investors
“Brazil’s oil company Petrobras will finally get its day in a U.S. court on Sept. 19 in a trial that pits 18 former executives and 13 investment banks, including J.P. Morgan Securities, against U.S. and U.K. investors. Claimants are seeking “tens of billions of dollars” in losses. The company is the centerpiece in what has become Brazil’s crime of the century. The scandal involving contract rigging, bribery and money laundering recently brought down a sitting president and promises to devour a chunk of Brazil’s career politicians in criminal probe.”
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Impeachment of Dilma
Brazil’s lower house has voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff for corruption. Some Brazilians see this as the only way to promote change in the nations’ politics.
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Hiding Money
Offshore banking has been a way to hide money. Attached is a report that looks at how international politicians and criminals hide money in places such as Panama, British Virgin islands, and other locations. An excerpt:
“The documents make it clear that major banks are big drivers behind the creation of hard-to-trace companies in the British Virgin Islands, Panama and other offshore havens. The files list nearly 15,600 paper companies that banks set up for clients who want keep their finances under wraps, including thousands created by international giants UBS and HSBC. The records reveal a pattern of covert maneuvers by banks, companies and people tied to Russian leader Putin. The records show offshore companies linked to this network moving money in transactions as large as $200 million at a time. Putin associates disguised payments, backdated documents and gained hidden influence within the country’s media and automotive industries, the leaked files show.”
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Colombia's Success Story
Article examines Colombia’s remarkable emergence from the drugs, violence, and criminality of the 1990s into a more secure and economically dynamic country. There is also prospect of ending 50 years of guerrilla war.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2016/0320/Colombia-s-big-comeback
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Nicaraguan Canal Problems
The Chinese have a deal to dig the Nicaraguan Canal. But after much fanfare there is no visible progress, and little is anticipated in view of the costs and environmental concerns.
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Hiding Money
Offshore banking has been a way to hide money. Attached is a report that looks at how international politicians and criminals hide money in places such as Panama, British Virgin islands, and other locations. An excerpt:
“The documents make it clear that major banks are big drivers behind the creation of hard-to-trace companies in the British Virgin Islands, Panama and other offshore havens. The files list nearly 15,600 paper companies that banks set up for clients who want keep their finances under wraps, including thousands created by international giants UBS and HSBC. The records reveal a pattern of covert maneuvers by banks, companies and people tied to Russian leader Putin. The records show offshore companies linked to this network moving money in transactions as large as $200 million at a time. Putin associates disguised payments, backdated documents and gained hidden influence within the country’s media and automotive industries, the leaked files show.”
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Death of Latin American Left
The pink tide of leftist governments is receding. An example is President Obama’s visit to Argentina, where he will build bridges of cooperation with the new centrist government of Mauricio Macri. The pattern is visible elsewhere in Latin America.
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2016 Hispanic Vote
Article analyzes the prospects for the 2016 election and how the Hispanic vote will go. According to the analysis the Republicans will lose the Hispanic vote by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.
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Obama in Argentina
President Obama will visit Argentina after he travels to Cuba. The visit will help reestablish cooperative relations with one of the most important countries in Latin America. President Mauricio Macri wants a better relationship with Washington as well as relaunching Argentina on the global stage.
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Obama's Trip to Argentina
President Obama will shortly travel to Cuba and Argentina. Article reviews the state of US-Argentine relations and the prospects for improved relations, given the new direction in foreign policy by the Macri government. Bottom line: “The United States, for its part, should seize this opportunity to work closely with Macri in the handling of hemispheric issues. U.S. policymakers would also do well to keep in mind that the time is now, and that the window of opportunity for making the most out of its relationship with Argentina is not likely to be open forever.”
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Washington Diplomacy
The delay in Senate approval of the Ambassador nominee for Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, is a case study in how Washington power politics works. A senator from each party, Democrat and Republican, has put a hold on Jacobson being considered for approval by the Senate. Jacobson is the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
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Trump, a Latin American Caudillo?
While nationalist-populist politicians thrive in the U.S. and Europe, they are losing support in Latin America. Like Latin America’s populist leaders, Donald Trump blames foreigners and free trade for his country’s problems. Trump’s campaign sounds very much like that of Latin American demagogues: it’s all about him, and staying at center stage.
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Morales, No!
Evo Morales lost the national referendum to allow him to serve a fourth presidential term. This is important for Bolivia as well as the rest of Latin America, which has been riding a wave of leftist populism. It follows the defeat of Cristina Kirchner in Argentina and the loss of the parliament setback by the chavista government in Venezuela. It also shows the resilience of democracy, even in a country that is multiethnic.
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Argentina Seeks Pragmatic Relationship with US
Argentina's President, Mauricio Macri, said on Friday he had told U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that his recently installed government was ready to build a "pragmatic, intelligent" relationship with Washington.
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Argentina Seeks Pragmatic Relationship with US
Argentina's President, Mauricio Macri, said on Friday he had told U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that his recently installed government was ready to build a "pragmatic, intelligent" relationship with Washington.
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Bolivia: future of climate change?
Bolivian lake disappears. Various causes contributed, including climate change, according to experts.
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OAS Leader: New Voice
Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro of Uruguay, is making the organization relevant again by denouncing violations of human rights and democratic practice.
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Brazil's Economic Downturn
Not long ago Brazil was hailed as an economic powerhouse, surpassing the United Kingdom in ranking of gross national product. For a variety of reasons the economy has contracted. The Economist magazine analyzes the reasons and speculates about the future.
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What Venezuelans Should Do
The prestigious International Crisis Group analyzes options for Venezuelans in the aftermath of electoral victory by the opposition. Much depends on the opposition staying together and the Maduro government accepting the new reality.
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US Trade with Latin America
The report surveys patterns in US trade with Latin America. The charts and the narrative point to important aspects of trade and investment. For example, Canada and Mexico comprise the largest merchandise trade partners in the Americas. The rest of Latin America accounts for a small 9.2% of US global trade.
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