Plaza Central, a podcast from the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, keeps you informed about Latin America’s most pressing political, economic, and social developments through interviews with leading experts and policymakers.

Plaza Central

En este episodio de Plaza Central, Beatriz García Nice platica con el Secretario de Estado para Iberoamérica y el Caribe y el Español en el Mundo del Gobierno de España, el Embajador Juan Fernández Trigo, sobre el posicionamiento de España como un gran aliado en la donación de vacunas a países hispanohablantes, el estado de las relaciones entre España y América Latina, y el llamado “revisionismo histórico” de la conquista española.

Cooperación Hispanohablante

In this special presentation of Plaza Central, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama Erika Mouynes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica Rodolfo Solano, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic Roberto Álvarez, and the Wilson Center's Cynthia Arnson discuss the Alliance for Development in Democracy, an initiative to promote democratic strengthening and economic growth through the tightening of the three countries’ commercial, demographic, and cultural ties.

The Alliance for Development in Democracy

In this episode of Plaza Central, Benjamin Gedan speaks with Ian Chen, an associate professor at the Institute of Political Science at Taiwan’s National Sun Yat-sen University, to discuss the rivalry between China and Taiwan, why Taiwan is so invested in preserving diplomatic ties in Latin America, and how China wields “medical diplomacy” to pressure Taiwan’s allies.

Taiwan’s ‘Medical Diplomacy’ in Latin America

In this episode of Plaza Central, host Benjamin Gedan speaks with Charles Seville, senior director and co-head of Americas Sovereign Ratings at Fitch Ratings, about the economic impacts in Latin America of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

What Does Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Mean for Latin America?

En este episodio de Plaza Central, Beatriz García Nice plática con Clemencia Carabalí, fundadora de la Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca (ASOM), sobre las dificultades que atraviesan las mujeres afrodescendientes en el norte del Cauca, Colombia, a causa de la violencia, el racismo y el deterioro ambiental. También charlan sobre el rol de ASOM en el empoderamiento de las mujeres a nivel económico y político, y el desarrollo sostenible como derecho ciudadano y causal de desarrollo.

Empoderando a las mujeres del norte del Cauca

En este episodio de Plaza Central, Patricia Vásquez, global fellow del Programa Latinoamericano del Wilson Center, explora con Matías Kulfas, ministro de desarrollo productivo de Argentina, las crecientes inversiones en el codiciado sector del litio y el papel de este mineral en la transición global hacia energías limpias.

El ‘Oro Blanco’ de la Argentina

El 24 de junio pasado, la Suprema Corte de Estados Unidos revocó el fallo de Roe vs. Wade de 1973 el cual daba a las mujeres en Estados Unidos el derecho constitucional al aborto. Hasta el momento, 11 estados ya han prohibido el acceso al aborto y se espera que otros 11 lo hagan en las próximas semanas. En este episodio de Plaza Central, Beatriz García Nice plática con Macarena Sáez, directora ejecutiva de la División de Derechos de las Mujeres de Human Rights Watch, sobre el reciente fallo, las implicaciones que éste tiene para los movimientos feministas a lo largo del hemisferio y cómo esto posiciona Estados Unidos como salvaguarda de los derechos fundamentales de los individuos.

El Futuro de la ‘Marea Verde’ en el Hemisferio

On August 7, Gustavo Petro was sworn-in as Colombia’s first-ever leftist president. Petro’s campaign platform promised important changes domestically and in foreign policy that could reshape Colombia’s relationship with the United States. In this episode, host Benjamin Gedan speaks with William Brownfield, a distinguished fellow at the Wilson Center and a former U.S. ambassador to Chile, Venezuela and Colombia, about the implications of Petro’s presidency for U.S.-Colombia ties.

The Future of U.S.-Colombia Relations

In this episode of Plaza Central, guest host Anders Beal is joined by Heraldo Muñoz, former foreign minister of Chile, to discuss the results of Chile’s constitutional plebiscite and what the rejection of the proposed  constitution means for the future of Chilean democracy.

Back to the Drawing Board: Chileans Reject a New Constitution

In this episode of Plaza Central, host Benjamin Gedan speaks with Alejo Czerwonko, chief investment officer for emerging markets in the Americas at UBS, and Gabriela Soní, chief investment officer for Mexico at UBS, about the impacts in Latin America of rapidly rising interest rates in the United States and Europe.

Pretty Peso: Impacts of U.S. and European Monetary Policy in Latin America

In this episode of Plaza Central, host Benjamin Gedan speaks with U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch about the role of the United States in helping Guyana maximize the economic development opportunities from its rapidly expanding energy sector while strengthening its democratic institutions.

Guyana Oil Rush

In this episode of Plaza Central, guest host Patricia I. Vásquez speaks with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Executive Editor Henry Sanderson about his new book “Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green,” the prominent role of China in the lithium value chain, the unique opportunities that the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act offers for the Lithium Triangle to grow its lithium industry, and the optimal position of Argentina and Chile to attract investments to their lithium industries.

South America’s Lithium and the Race to Go Green

In this episode of the Latin American Program’s Plaza Central podcast, Juan Sebastián Chamorro, a Nicaraguan economist and opposition leader imprisoned by Daniel Ortega for 611 days, recounts his time in El Chipote prison, his sudden release and arrival in the United States, and the future of Nicaragua’s opposition movement.

https://www.premiumbeat.com

Seiscientos once días en las sombras

En este episodio de Plaza Central, Beatriz García Nice plática con Estela Ruíz Díaz, analista política y periodista paraguaya de Radio Monumental y el periódico Última Hora, sobre las recientes elecciones presidenciales en Paraguay.

Partido Colorado, el Oficialismo y la Oposición

En esta edición especial del podcast Plaza Central del Programa Latinoamericano del Wilson Center, la corresponsal de CNN en Español, Bertha Michelle Mendoza, conversa con los periodistas centroamericanos Wendy Funes, Juan Lorenzo Holmann y Héctor Silva sobre las amenazas a la libertad de expresión en la región y los crecientes obstáculos para su labor de investigación periodística como parte de uno de los eventos de la iniciativa “Voices”, organizado en colaboración con el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. y la Agencia de EE.UU. para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID).

Voces en Peligro

Latin America Program Director Benjamin Gedan interviews global fellow James Bosworth about his predictions for 2024. They discuss Mexico’s presidential election, Argentina’s economy, and the outlook for Bernardo Arévalo’s first year in office in Guatemala.

Latin America in 2024

En este episodio de Plaza Central, la exministra ecuatoriana Vianna Maino habla sobre los avances y la hoja de ruta pendiente para construir una Ecuador digital inclusivo, los programas implementados hasta ahora, y las políticas tecnológicas que se requieren para cerrar la brecha digital, expandir la conectividad en áreas rurales y convertir el acceso en un derecho.

La ruta hacia la inclusión digital en Ecuador

With corruption fighter Bernardo Arévalo finally in office, Latin America Program Global Fellow Catherine Osborn speaks with Guatemalan human rights lawyer Alfredo Ortega about the challenges the new president is facing as he attempts to implement his ambitious reform agenda.

Guatemala’s ‘Democratic Spring’

El Salvador’s popular and controversial president, Nayib Bukele, has won a second term. Host Benjamin Gedan is joined by Noah Bullock, executive director of the human rights organization Cristosal, to discuss the future of El Salvador, including the crackdown on criminal gangs and its implications for the rule of law.

El Salvador’s ‘Tropical Gulag’

In this year-end episode of Plaza Central, host Benjamin Gedan, director of the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, is joined by analyst James Bosworth to review a consequential year for Latin America that saw a peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala, Brazil’s presidency of the G20, record migration, and the troubling rise of organized crime. Bosworth, a Global Fellow in the Latin America Program, is the author of the Latin America Risk Report.

Tackling global issues through independent research, open dialogue, and actionable ideas.

Plaza Central

The Wilson Center