By Sophie Ritzenthaler On Thursday, September 12, the United States imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials who are closely aligned with President Nicolas Maduro for obstructing the results of the presidential election. These were judicial and elections officials who have been accused of aiding in certifying Maduro’s controversial win in Venezuela’s presidential election earlier this... Continue Reading →
By Sophie Ritzenthaler Fuel Truck Truckers around Colombia have been protesting higher diesel fuel prices since last Saturday, August 31st, with protests intensifying on Tuesday. These protests come after the government announced a 26 cent increase per gallon. Truckers blocked roads across the country and police reported 120 permanent blockades at one point, forcing people... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | May 1, 2024 President Daniel Noboa & Lavinia Valbonesi In Ecuador, a primarily security-focused referendum was held on April 21st aimed at addressing rising violence fueled by the drug trade amid increasing pressure from the Ecuadorian populace for solutions from the state. The result of the referendum, pushed by President... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | April 22, 2024 Gabriel Boric (President of Chile) In the past week, Gabriel Boric (President of Chile) recalled his ambassador from Venezuela after Tren de Aragua’s sophisticated kidnapping and murder of former Venezuelan Military Officer, and political refugee, Ronald Ojeda in Santiago, Chile. The primary driver for Boric’s decision was... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | April 15, 2024 Jorge Glas Ecuador was thrown into the global spotlight after it decided to conduct a raid on the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas (2013-2017) on April 5th. Mexico has broken off diplomatic ties with Ecuador over the raid. These moves create... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | April 1, 2024 Nicolas Maduro Venezuela's upcoming presidential election, slated for July 28, 2024, will almost certainly be merely symbolic after Maduro-aligned courts barred Maria Corina Machado, the overwhelming winner of the Venezuelan opposition primary in October 2023, from political office for 15 years on corruption charges. This tactic of... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | March 25, 2024 Javier Milei In the past week, Argentine President Javier Milei marked his 100th day in office since being sworn in on December 10th, 2023. He inherited an economy in shambles after years of populist Peronist policies pushed by his predecessors, Alberto Fernandez and Christina Kirchner, that fueled... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | March 14 2024 Prime Minister Alberto Otarola’s Peru’s political turmoil continues into 2024, with Prime Minister Alberto Otarola’s March 5th announcement of his resignation after audio leaked that implicated him in influencing government contracts for a former love interest. Otarola claims that the recordings were from 2021 when he was... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | March 4, 2024 ELN forces training The National Liberation Army of Colombia (Ejército de Liberación Nacional or ELN) is Latin America’s last-and-longest-standing insurgency. It has been engaged in intermittent peace talks with the Colombian government for decades. However, the Gustavo Petro administration has made peace with the group a cornerstone... Continue Reading →
Written by Joseph Cain | February 18, 2024 President Daniel Noboa Ecuador is facing unprecedented times. In early January, President Noboa stated that Ecuador was in an internal armed conflict with 22 armed groups and gangs. The government has designated these 22 groups as terrorist organizations allowing for military operations against them. However, after years... Continue Reading →
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 