The “New Normal” in Cuba, U.S. and China Relations
In December 2013, President Obama announced plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, ending over fifty years of official non-recognition. The decision does not lift the decades-long economic embargo, which only
Continue readingSound economics for a stronger defense
In times of intense budgetary pressure, the tagline for the new 114th U.S. Congress should be “do more, with less.” This is definitely a mantra the U.S. military has adopted since the trillion-dollar, decade-long de
Continue readingDropping Oil Prices Reveal Failed Economic Policies in Latin America
As the global price of oil drops, the effects of this phenomenon are unveiling the failure of Latin America’s populist governments to generate sustainable prosperity while depending on oil-for-loans schemes, mainly wi
Continue readingPromoting Prosperity or Populism?
The establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) announced at the recent summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and the Contingent Reserve Agreement (CRA) to assist members facing financ
Continue readingIs Ecuador Waging A Stealth War On America?
Without firing a shot, Ecuador’s populist President Rafael Correa appears to be waging a stealth war on America. In recent weeks the Justice Department revealed Quito’s whopping $6.4 million foreign government lobby
Continue readingThe Hidden Costs of Doing Business in Mexico
China’s low-cost production of manufactured goods led to a sharp drop in global prices mainly benefiting developed countries and its demand for commodities benefited primary producers in the developing world. Some de
Continue readingCuba and the China Model
Since coming to power, Cuba’s President Raúl Castro unleashed a series of important, albeit limited, economic reforms to revitalize the stagnant Cuban economy. Many analysts use the shorthand “Chinese model” to
Continue readingThe Toll of China’s Slowdown Depends on Latin America’s Policy Choices
The earthquake recently shaking the coast of Chile left relatively little physical damage in that nation but as always with cataclysmic episodes the psychological effects last long after the earth ceases to tremble. On
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