If the College of Cardinals knew that Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s election as pope would cause an uproar, why did it elect him?
Did the College of Cardinals Foresee the Dirty War Controversy?
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Argentina
The Falklands Referendum: A Hemispheric Balancing Act
In March 2013, Falkland Islanders will vote on a territorial referendum concerning their relationship with London. While the likely reactions of Buenos Aires and London are predictable, it will be interesting to see how Latin American states, which generally support Argentina’s claim in the name of regional unity, and Washington, which has struggled to remain neutral, will respond.
The Failure of the Summit of the Americas VI
Dilma Rousseff interrupted the speech of Barack Obama. The President of the United States was speaking about the advances of various countries in Latin America, commenting that now there exists “a prosperous middle class” that represents a business opportunity for companies from his country. “Suddenly, they are interested in buying iPads, interested in buying planes from Boeing.” “Or Embraer,” interjected Dilma, yielding applause.
Waiting for Copernicus
It’s happening in Buenos Aires. It’s happening in Paris and in Athens. It’s even happening at the World Bank headquarters.The global economy is finally shifting away from the model that prevailed for the last three decades. Europeans are rejecting austerity. Latin Americans are nationalizing enterprises. The next head of the World Bank has actually done effective development work.
Maybe that long-heralded “end of the Washington consensus” is finally upon us.
Annotate This: EU Response to Argentina’s Nationalization
Despite being immensely popular among the people of Argentina, the Argentinean government’s decision to nationalize the YPF oil company has continued to come under attack by those who obstinately promote extractive capitalism. The measure would nationalize YPF and restore 51 percent of the company’s ownership to Argentina. It would thus end sister company Repsol’s 57.4 percent majority stake in the company.
Argentina’s President Takes It on the Chin for Placing Her People’s Needs Over the Markets
The Financial Times’s characterization of Argentina’s president as shrill and shabby is a case of a kettle trying to find a pot to call black.
China and the End of the Monroe Doctrine
The British firm Rockhopper Exploration was the first company to obtain oil off the coast of the Falkland Islands in 2010. Since then, these oil deposits have raised the stakes of the historical territorial dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina over these islands located in the South Atlantic Ocean. A recent report by the pro-military think tank, the United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA), attempts to prove, albeit unconvincingly, that China could conceivably play a leading role in the future of this dispute.
U.S. Renews Anachronistic Campaign to Stamp Out Coca Leaf Chewing
Apparently Washington fears that even a modest change to a 1961 convention could call into the question its drug control regime.
60 Second Expert: What Nestor Kirchner Accomplished
The unexpected death of Nestor Kirchner provides us with a moment to look back on the trials and successes of one of Argentina’s most remarkable and controversial leaders. Kirchner was one of the few global south leaders to successfully challenge international financial institutions, and get away with it.
Defy the Creditors and Get Away with It
The unexpected death a few days ago of Nestor Kirchner deprived not only Argentina of a remarkable, albeit controversial leader. It also took away an exemplary figure in the Global South when it came to dealing with international financial institutions.
Kirchner defied the creditors. More importantly, he got away with it.