Latin Pulse: Recent Episodes
Rick Rockwell
This special edition of Latin Pulseincludes an opportunity to hear a Cuban perspective on politics and diplomacy, along with an analysis of what derailed the peace process in Colombia. A Cuban professor discusses the importance of continued exchanges between the United States and Cuba, while analyzing reactions to U.S. programs designed at political change and Cuban succession. The program also discusses the rejection of the peace treaty with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The news segment covers doubts about the sincerity of Venezuela's president during the papal negotiations to end the country's political crisis and avert violence.
The program includes interviews with:
Santiago Perez Benitez of the University of Havana & the Cuban Center for International Political Research (CIPI); and
Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Venezuela
Cuba
diplomacy
education
The Vatican
Nicolas Maduro
Pope Francis
Colombia
United States
embargo
Juan Manuel Santos
U.S. State Department
USAID
economics
corruption
agriculture
Raul Castro
media
Russia
China
Canada
Fidel Castro
economic reform
Miguel Diaz-Canel
plebiscite
Alvaro Uribe
FARC
justice
European Union
human rights
peace accord
This special edition of Latin Pulseincludes a different perspective on the presidential elections in the U.S.: a view from Cuba. A Cuban professor discusses how the elections could have an impact on the warming relations between the two countries. The program also discusses the rise of English as a mandated second language in South America and how that could reflect cultural imperialism. The news segment of the program covers the negotiations between opposition parties in Venezuela and the president to avert further protests and a move by the National Assembly to hold an impeachment trial.
The program includes interviews with:
Santiago Perez Benitez of the University of Havana & the Cuban Center for International Political Research (CIPI); and
DJ Kaiser of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
Venezuela
Cuba
diplomacy
education
Uruguay
The Vatican
Nicolas Maduro
Argentina
Paraguay
Peru
Pope Francis
Nicolas Maduro
National Assembly
United States
embargo
elections
reparations
Guantanamo
immigration
Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
U.S. Congress
computers
Donald Trump
internet
Ted Cruz
Marco Rubio
cultural imperialism
indigenous languages
indigenous issues
Guarani
tourism
business
technology
linguistics
We celebrate the Latin Pulsefive-year anniversary fiesta, with out-takes and excerpts from the past year, a tradition for the program. The audience's favorite themes are on display. Those themes include: the clash between the National Assembly and the president in Venezuela; the shift to the right in Argentina; the impeachment trial and corruption scandals in Brazil; and the Feast of San Lazaro and Santeria. The news segment of the program covers the defense by Brazil's President Michel Temer before the United Nations' General Assembly, justifying the impeachment and removal of Dilma Rousseff, an act that brought Temer to power.
The program includes interviews with:
Eric Hershberg of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS);
David Smilde of Tulane University;
Matthew Taylor of American University;
Chris Sabatini of Columbia University; and
Michael Atwood Mason of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
impeachment
corruption
Santeria
Petrobras
Venezuela
Dilma Rousseff
United Nations
Argentina
Cuba
UN
Michel Temer
Nicolas Maduro
National Assembly
Eduardo Cunha
justice
elections
economics
Afro-Cubans
Odebrecht
welfare programs
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Mauricio Macri
United States
finances
San Lazaro
religion
Africa
On Mexico's independence day Latin Pulsefocuses this week on key themes for the country: the Drug War, national security, immigration, corruption, justice, and of course, politics. The program includes an in-depth interview tracking the effects of the visit of U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump to Mexico. The program also looks at a new violent uptick in the Drug War, with clashes between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Nueva Generacion Jalisco Cartel. The news segment of the program covers new indictments against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the popular former president of Brazil often just called Lula.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
Maureen Myer of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
Mexico
corruption
PRI
Petrobras
PAN
Dilma Rousseff
United States
oil
prisons
immigration
Michel Temer
Petrobras
oil
Drug War
Eduardo Cunha
trade
Donald Trump
Central America
media
human rights
Sinaloa Cartel
Workers Party
Enrique Pena Nieto
Institutional Revolutionary Party
National Action Party
Joaquin El Chapo Guzman
Nueva Generacion Jalisco Cartel
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
violence
elections
Felipe Calderon
extrajudicial killings
disappearances
justice
military
torture
massacres
Ayotzinapa
police
diplomacy
Joe Biden
Barack Obama
drug cartels
Brazil and its various concerns are again on the radar of Latin Pulsethis week. First, looks at what is in store for Brazil politically and economically after the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff by the country's Congress. And how will the Temer administration deal with anti-government protests? Also, the program discusses ways to fight the Zika virus, after the disease started in Brazil but has now spread to Central America and beyond. The news segment of the program covers how funds to fight Zika and support research for Zika vaccines are stalled in the U.S. Congress.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Prof. Matthew Taylor of American University; and
Dr. Reina Turcios-Ruiz of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
impeachment
Zika
Guatemala
Honduras
Dilma Rousseff
United States
corruption
PMDB
coup
Petrobras
oil
Michel Temer
Puerto Rico
U.S. Senate
economics
health issues
Central America
elections
Harry Reid
U.S. Congress
Workers Party
Fernando Collor de Mello
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
CDC
mosquitoes
birth defects
The proposed peace treaty dealing with the FARC in Colombia and the deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua are the twin themes on Latin Pulsethis week. First, the program dissects the proposed peace pact between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC by its Spanish acronym) and the Colombian government. Also, the program explores how President Daniel Ortega has manipulated the electoral system in Nicaragua. The news segment of the program covers the end of Dilma Rousseff's presidency as the Brazilian Senate found her guilty of shifting funds without Congressional approval and with misleading the Brazilian Congress.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
Manuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
impeachment
Colombia
FARC
ELN
Dilma Rousseff
United States
Nicaragua
Sandinistas
FSLN
justice
Venezuela
Michel Temer
peace treaty
civil war
justice
Alvaro Uribe
Daniel Ortega
elections
democracy
UN
ceasefire
Pedro Reyes
Liberal Party
Fidel Castro
crime
Joe Biden
United Nations
business
infrastructure
inequality
transportation
oil
racism
Afro-Cubans
minority issues
Honduras
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or trans-gender) issues at the Summer Olympics in Rio, along with economics and politics provide the varied themes on Latin Pulsethis week. First, the program delves into homophobia in Brazil and how Brazilian crowds have reacted to LGBT athletes. The program also includes an in-depth analysis into the current economic and political issues facing Cuba. The news segment of the program discusses the uptick in Zika cases in Honduras and how newborns are being affected there, while civil society groups call for more access to birth control.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jim Buzinski of Outsports; and
Dan Hellinger of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer.****
***This program includes frank discussion of adult themes related to sexuality and sexual identity.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Olympics
Cuba
economics
Brazil
Zika
birth control
United States
homophobia
volleyball
sports
rugby
Venezuela
health issues
LGBT issues
human rights
soccer
women's sports
gender issues
media
internet
agriculture
tourism
Raul Castro
human rights
Fidel Castro
communism
labor issues
business
infrastructure
inequality
transportation
Puerto Rico
oil
racism
Afro-Cubans
minority issues
Honduras
Fútbol (or soccer) at the Olympics and concerns about the military and police in Honduras provide the varied themes on Latin Pulsethis week. The program provides an in-depth analysis of both the women's and men's fútbol competitions at the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The program also concludes its two-part critique of the Honduran military. The program also discusses the role the military is playing in both the Drug War and in the political sphere in Honduras. The news segment of the program discusses U.S. President Barack Obama's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (the TPP).
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Joshua Nadel of North Carolina Central University; and
Orlando Perez of Millersville University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Olympics
TPP
trade
Brazil
Colombia
Barack Obama
United States
Juan Orlando Hernandez
El Salvador
drug cartels
Soccer War
Venezuela
soccer
women's sports
gender issues
Central America
human rights
U.S. Senate
fútbol
Copa America
military
sports
Honduras
Manuel Zelaya
police
Colombia
Ecuador
Argentina
Drug War
Mexico
Chile
Portugal
Germany
corruption
Sweden
Nigeria
violence
homicide
Guatemala
gangs
coup
Venezuela, Colombia, and their simmering problems provide the central themes on Latin Pulsethis week. The program includes an in-depth analysis reviewing the state of democracy in Venezuela and how that affects the current crisis situation. The program also discusses how minority groups (Afro-Colombians and indigenous tribes) have been marginalized as part of the negotiations to end the country's long-running civil war. The news segment of the program covers the inauguration of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski as both Peru's newest and oldest president, along with noting his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (the TPP).
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Dan Hellinger of Webster University; and
Gimena Sanchez of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Peru
TPP
trade
Venezuela
Colombia
Barack Obama
peace talks
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
Afro-Latin American issues
diplomacy
UN
food shortages
food riots
civil war
recall movement
protest movement
corruption
protest movement
military
United States
Nicolas Maduro
unions
Cuba
Henrique Capriles
Hugo Chavez
media
oil
extractive industries
environmental issues
indigenous issues
FARC
Afro-Colombians
Drug War
minority issues
land reform
land mines
paramilitaries
democracy
mining
gold
corruption
atrocities
health issues
massacres
Wayuu
An hour-long special covers various issues regarding human rights and democratization on Latin Pulsethis week. The program includes a wide-ranging discussion of the various crises affecting Venezuela, including the political and economic situations. The analysis also includes discussions on the peace process in Colombia and accusations of human rights abuses by the military in Honduras. The program also includes a review of a book on corruption in Brazil. The news segment of the program covers how El Salvador's Supreme Court struck down the country's amnesty law opening the door to human rights prosecutions linked to the country's civil war.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Dan Hellinger of Webster University;
Orlando Perez of Millersville University;
Gimena Sanchez of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
Alex Cuadros, author of Brazillionaires.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 60 minutes in length and the file size is 83 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
atrocities
massacres
violence
crime
human rights
El Salvador
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Organization of American States
Juan Orlando Hernandez
Juan Manuel Santos
Carlos Andres Perez
military
UN
Berta Caceres
Dilma Rousseff
U.S. Congress
corruption
protest movement
Colombia
Petrobras
Spain
Jesuits
assassinations
economics
OAS
CELAC
media
impeachment
food shortages
food riots
recall movement
political repression
Honduras
media
oil
UNASUR
coup
democracy
authoritarianism
police
homicide
ELN
paramilitaries
FARC
cocaine
infrastructure
torture
Nicolas Maduro
Hugo Chavez
Luis Almagro
United Nations
Manuel Zelaya
Drug War
peace process
United States
Workers Party
Mexico
The Rio Olympics set for this summer in Brazil and their various problems provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes a variety of challenges for these games including security, crime, transportation, infrastructure, and environmental and economic impacts of the games. The program also discusses the various health issues confronting these games including the zika virus and super bacteria that are present in some of the venues for water events in the Olympics. The news segment of the program covers the resignation of Eduardo Cunha, president of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies due to corruption charges.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Andrew Zimbalist of Smith College; and
Alex Cuadros, author of Brazillionaires.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
Olympics
IOC
violence
crime
Eduardo Cunha
Michel Temer
International Olympic Committee
Mexico City Olympics
health
UN
Rio Olympics
Dilma Rousseff
zika virus
corruption
protest movement
sports
Petrobras
poverty
PMDB
pollution
soccer
futbol
environment
sailing
impeachment
Tlatelolco Massacre
World Cup
super bacteria
political repression
economics
tourism
patronage
evangelicals
media
zika
Mexico
Corruption and its corrosive effects on politics in Brazil and international fùtbol/soccer tournaments is the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes the rocky beginnings of the administration of Interim President Michel Temer in Brazil. The program also provides an analysis of the Copa America in its centennial year, which includes a preview of this weekend's finale between Argentina and Chile. The news segment of the program covers the historic agreement between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC) and the Colombian government, agreeing to a ceasefire before a permanent peace treaty.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Alex Cuadros, author of Brazillionaires; and
Joshua Nadel of North Carolina Central University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
Argentina
Colombia
FARC
ceasefire
peace talks
United Nations
Juan Manuel Santos
ELN
UN
Copa America
Dilma Rousseff
United States
corruption
Workers Party
Chile
Petrobras
oil
PMDB
Venezuela
soccer
futbol
FIFA
sports
impeachment
Lionel Messi
economics
media
Univision
Taking stock of the new leaders in Peru and Argentina is the where our weekly political analysis heads this week on Latin Pulse. The program delves into how Pedro Pablo Kuczynski managed to upset Keiko Fujimori in Peru's presidential race and what a Kuczynski administration will likely mean for Peru. The program also reviews the opening months of President Mauricio Macri's term in Argentina and how his policy shifts have changed his country. The news segment of the program covers U.S. President Barack Obama's call for the U.S. Congress to find solutions for the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
Mark Jones of Rice University and the Baker Institute.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Peru
Argentina
elections
agriculture
finance
Keiko Fujimori
human rights
U.S. Supreme Court
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Alberto Fujimori
Mauricio Macri
Nestor Kirchner
labor
Japan
debt crisis
Puerto Rico
Chile
corruption
economics
military
torture
Barack Obama
U.S. Congress
The Amazon
Alejandro Toledo
Shining Path
Drug War
United States
protest movements
soybeans
business
Monsanto
diplomacy
justice
oil
energy
utilities
DEA
transportation
This week, Latin Pulse goes in-depth on politics and the environment. The program gives a preview of the United Nations conference on climate set for next month in Peru. And the program looks ahead to the run-off presidential race in Uruguay set for the end of the month. The analysis of the race in Uruguay also covers the country's controversial marijuana law. The news segment of the program covers the announcement by President Barack Obama that the government will give relief to unauthorized immigrants and likely five million immigrants will be able to put off deportation for a limited time.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Andrew Miller of Amazon Watch; and
Chris Sabatini of Americas Quarterly.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
immigration
U.S. Congress
Uruguay
climate
Peru
United States
China
environment
economics
Oil
United Nations
illegal logging
elections
Tabare Vazquez
marijuana
tobacco laws
Ecuador
Brazil
politics
Petrobras
activism
violence
Venezuela
Mercosur
Colorado
diplomacy
indigenous rights
Ashaninka Tribe
marijuana legalization
Aecio Neves
Dilma Rousseff
Nicolas Maduro
Henrique Capriles
health issues
extractive industries
Jose 'Pepe" Mujica
Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou
Argentina
Human rights violations in Mexico and Guatemala provide the themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program delves into a new report on atrocities in Mexico that have some calling for action by the International Criminal Court. Analysis includes discussion of some of the worst cases of abuses by security forces in Mexico, including the case of missing students in Guerrero. The program also discusses moves toward justice in Guatemala for the indigenous Maya, including analysis of the genocide case against former dictator Efrain Rios Montt. The news segment of the program covers the upset by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski over Keiko Fujimori in the presidential race in Peru.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Eric Witte of the Open Society Justice Initiative; and*
Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Peru
Mexico
elections
Guatemala
violence
Keiko Fujimori
human rights
torture
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
Claudia Paz y Paz
Enrique Pena Nieto
Efrain Rios Montt
Central America
Zetas Cartel
Drug War
military
justice
indigenous issues
United Nations
impunity
corruption
Ayotzinapa
CICIG
UN
genocide
rape
protest movement
gender issues
police
diplomacy
sexual slavery
The controversial presidential election in Peru is the centerpiece of discussion this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes two interviews recorded at the recent Latin American Studies Association (LASA) meetings in New York City with two of the top experts on Peruvian politics. Besides providing details about the two challengers Keiko Fujimori and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, the program also talks about the legacy of corruption left by Fujimori's father, Alberto, who once was Peru's dictator but is now serving time for his various crimes. The program also discusses the recent scandals haunting the Fujimori campaign.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Cynthia McClintock of George Washington University; and
Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Peru
corruption
elections
DEA
TPP
Keiko Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori
tourism
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
Drug Enforcement Administration
human rights
Panama Papers
Drug War
media
democracy
Barack Obama
Ollanta Humala
Hillary Clinton
United States
Vladimiro Montesinos
poverty
economics
Corruption in Argentina and Honduras provides the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes a wide-ranging analysis of corruption in Argentina, along with key tangents on the Argentine economy and challenges for the new president, Mauricio Macri. The program details the indictment against the former president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and why both Fernandez and Macri are mentioned in the Panama Papers. The program also gives a deep analysis of corruption in Honduras and how the opposition in that country is concerned that the country is slipping toward authoritarianism.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Mark Jones of Rice University & the Baker Institute; and
Dana Frank of the University of California, Santa Cruz.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Argentina
corruption
elections
Honduras
economics
Central America
Mauricio Macri
police
military
coup
Panama Papers
Manuel Zelaya
OAS
justice
Guatemala
UN
United Nations
scandal
Organization of American States
Juan Orlando Hernandez
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Otto Perez Molina
human rights
assassinations
Alberto Nisman
Venezuela
Brazil
inflation
Peronists
impunity
MACCIH
CICIG
Berta Caceres
Roberto Micheletti
Drug War
United States
Sergio Massa
Puerto Rico and Mexico provide the central locales for the main themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes a proposal before the U.S. Congress to help Puerto Rico survive its debt crisis. But the proposal includes a fiscal control board that can supersede the powers of Puerto Rico's government, a provision that some find controversial. The program also includes a wide ranging discussion of corruption, politics and diplomacy with Mexico. The news segment of the program covers the outcome of the presidential elections in the Dominican Republic and the re-election of President Danilo Medina.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Brad Setser of the Council on Foreign Relations; and
Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Mexico
corruption
elections
diplomacy
economics
Puerto Rico
debt crisis
finance
oil
China
Dominican Republic
Danilo Medina
OAS
justice
trade
immigration
education
violence
infrastructure
Organization of American States
Alejandro Garcia Padilla
U.S. Congress
United States
Donald Trump
Hillary Clinton
Presidential politics in both Brazil and the Dominican Republic provides the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program recounts the historic movements to suspend President Dilma Rousseff from office this past week along with how Michel Temer has moved initially to fill the role of interim president. This week's analysis includes a look forward at the impeachment process that could permanently remove Rousseff from the presidency. The program also provides a preview of this weekend's presidential vote in the Dominican Republic and gauges the chances for President Danilo Medina to be re-elected.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Matthew Taylor of American University; and*
Christopher Mitchell of New York University.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and*
*Production Assistant: Chorsie Martin.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
impeachment
elections
PT
PMDB
Dilma Rousseff
Michel Temer
corruption
Dominican Republic
Danilo Medina
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
Dominican Liberation Party
Modern Revolutionary Party
Minerva Tavarez Mirabal
Luis Abinader
Eduardo Cunha
Workers Party
protest movement
gender issues
minority issues
economics
reforms
labor
unemployment
education
justice
media
PLD
PRM
free speech
Guillermo Moreno
Another push to recall a president and the power of remittances provide the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes the latest moves with diplomacy and electoral laws to recall President Nicolas Maduro or at least restore some balance to the eroded democratic system in Venezuela. The program reviews the debate between Argentina and Venezuela at the Organization of American States (OAS). The program also includes the second part of our extended look at the links between remittances and globalization. The news segment of the program includes the latest developments regarding the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) & the Woodrow Wilson Center ; and
Manuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Mexico
Venezuela
diplomacy
coup
Argentina
United States
Puerto Rico
OAS
debt crisis
U.S. Congress
Organization of American States
economics
military
Honduras
migration
remittances
globalization
Argentina
Unasur
laborjustice
military
immigration
Nicolas Maduro
recall movement
recall petition
Central America
Luis Almagro
National Assembly
Mauricio Macri
The Vatican
Supreme Court
El Salvador
Cuba
Nicaragua
violence
Guatemala
globalization
Mexico with its problems with human rights, corruption, and migration provides the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes a wide-ranging segment discussing the findings by independent investigators for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the Mexican government actively harassed their workers and thwarted the inquiry into the case of 43 missing university students. The Mexican government disputes that view. The program also discusses how remittances by Mexican migrants are not only more and more economically important, but also have become an issue in the U.S. during the presidential campaign.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations; and*
Manuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and*
*Associate Producer: Jim Singer.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Mexico
violence
kidnapping
justice
corruption
human rights
Drug War
police
extrajudicial killings
Panama Papers
Enrique Pena Nieto
economics
military
torture
oil
reforms
PRI
Guerrero
Pemex
laborremittances
migration
elections
trade
immigration
Donald Trump
United States
United Nations
globalization
Politics in both Brazil and the Dominican Republic provides the discussion points this week on Latin Pulse. Several segments of the program deal with the fallout from the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and what are the next steps for Brazil's Congress as it works to remove her. The program covers the political arguments Rousseff is making to retain her office. The program also sketches the important issues, parties, and candidates involved in the presidential race in the Dominican Republic. The discussion revolves around the possibility that President Danilo Medina may win re-election on the first round of voting in May.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Matthew Taylor of American University; and*
Jeb Sprague of the University of California Santa Barbara.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Brittney Madison.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
elections
impeachment
justice
corruption
Dilma Rousseff
Workers Party
PT
protest movement
Eduardo Cunha
Marina Silva
Workers Party
economics
Afro-Latin American topics
minority issues
Luiz Inancio Lula da Silva
Fernando Collor de Mello
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
welfare programs
Brazilian Democratic Movement
PMDB
Petrobras
oil
PRD
PLD
globalization
Haiti
laborremittances
racism
mining
USAID
Michel Temer
Dominican Republic
Danilo Medina
Luis Abinadar
undocumented migrants
gender issues
LGBT issues
Consequences regarding abuses of power provide the central discussion this week on Latin Pulse. The program delves into the politics of impeachment in Brazil as President Dilma Rousseff tangles with members of Congress. Congress says Rousseff misled them about the country's finances. But many of those looking to prosecute Rousseff are themselves tangled in various corruption scandals. The program's analysis gives the necessary context before a Congressional impeachment vote this coming weekend. The program also looks at the reaction in Latin America to the Panama Papers scandal. The discussion revolves around the Panamanian view of the corruption scandal.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Alex Cuadros, the author of Brazillionaires*; and
Luis Botello of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Brittney Madison.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Brazil
Panama
impeachment
Argentina
corruption
Dilma Rousseff
Panama Papers
media
protest movement
Eduardo Cunha
Paulo Maluf
Workers Party
Michel Temer
Luiz Inancio Lula da Silva
Juan Carlos Varela
conspiracy theories
Brazilian Democratic Movement
Globo
Petrobras
oil
justice
economics
PMDB
financing
journalistsdemocracy
violence
Mexico
Ecuador
Mossack Fonseca
Central America
Venezuela
military
poverty
A controversial presidential race in Peru and seeking justice in El Salvador provide the themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes how protest marches and concerns raised by the Organization of American States (OAS) may impact the voting in Peru after several candidates were removed from the ballot. The program also traces moves toward justice in the massacre of Jesuit priests and religious workers in El Salvador; a case that began in 1989. The news segment of the program outlines the report known as the Panama Papers and how those revelations may affect politicians in Argentina and Mexico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Cynthia McClintock of George Washington University; and*
Geoff Thale of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Brittney Madison.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
elections
Panama
Peru
Mexico
corruption
United States
Panama Papers
Argentina
Mauricio Macri
protest movement
Keiko Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori
human rights
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
George H. W. Bush
Enrique Pena Nieto
Juan Carlos Varela
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
Inocente Orlando Montano
Luis Almagro
El Salvador
Central America
civil war
Julio Guzman
Cesar Acuna
Ronald Reagan
OAS
Jesuits
massacre
religion
justice
coup
dictatorship
democracy
Spain
military
Guatemala
military
amnesty
Politics in Brazil and diplomacy with Argentina provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program examines the meltdown of the administration of President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil as she copes with a major corruption scandal and the threat of impeachment due to charges she abused her powers. The program unravels what is behind the charges of abuse of power against not just Rousseff, but also former President Lula and other top politicians. The program also provides an analysis of President Obama's trip to Argentina and why it was met with mixed results by Argentines.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Matthew Taylor of American University; and*
Chris Sabatini of Columbia University and Latin America Goes Global.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Cuba
diplomacy
Brazil
corruption
United States
Barack Obama
Dilma Rousseff
Eduardo Cunha
human rights
protest movement
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
George H. W. Bush
George W. Bush
Carlos Menem
financial crisis
Dirty War
Henry Kissinger
Jimmy Carter
Lula
impeachment
Petrobras
justice
elections
economics
Argentina
oil
construction
Odebrecht
Mauricio Macri
unemployment
coup
military
intelligence
President Barack Obama and his historic trip to Cuba provide the central themes on Latin Pulsethis week. The program includes news about various details of Obama's trip to Cuba and Argentina, and in-depth analysis of the political, human rights, and business changes resonating through both countries after the trip. Although only minor initiatives were signed during the state visit, Obama's trip provides a symbolic touchstone for moving forward on improving the human rights climate in Cuba, discussing what to do with the U.S. economic embargo and resolving the issue of Guantanamo.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Bill LeoGrande of American University; and*
Chris Gutierrez of KC SmartPort.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
Cuba
diplomacy
business
trade
United States
Barack Obama
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
human rights
Cold War
Major League Baseball
embargo
Guantanamo
baseball
agriculture
sports
economics
transportation
infrastructure
police
media
internet
terrorism
dissidents
tourism
Brazil
Debating conditions in Venezuela provides a special topic this week on Latin Pulse, as the program provides an extended time for a diplomatic representative of the Bolivarian government to respond to questions. Beyond an official representative of the Venezuelan government a left-wing critic of the government also discusses his view that Venezuela is slipping into autocracy. The news segment of the program covers the call this week for further investigations into illegal domestic spying in Colombia and the sentencing of former government officials to long prison sentences for ordering such illegal activities.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jesus Rodriguez-Espinoza, Consul General for the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela; and
James Bloodworth, editor of Left Foot Forward.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 60 minutes in length and the file size is 83 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
politics
Venezuela
autocracy
justice
authoritarianism
Cuba
spying
media
economics
politics
military
United States
Barack Obama
energy
housing
domestic espionage
riots
Alvaro Uribe
human rights
Nicolas Maduro
economic sanctions
coup
oil
democracy
dictatorship
inflation
national security
Summit of the Americas
George W. Bush
Antonio Ledezma
Drug Enforcement Administration
political repression
Hugo Chavez
protest movement
electrical grid
hydro-electric dams
alternative media
cocaine smuggling
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
Drug War
Leopoldo Lopez
secret police
infrastructure
imperialism
DEA
Spain
France
torture
CELAC
ALBA
colonialism
environmentalism
Bolivia
Diosdado Cabello
SEBIN
Politics and diplomacy provide the main themes for Latin Pulse this week. The program marks the anniversary of the diplomatic opening between Cuba and the United States with an interview recorded in Havana. The program deals with the prospects for the end of the embargo. The program also follows the complicated corruption scandal in Brazil that has now intersected with the political movement to impeach and unseat President Dilma Rousseff. The scandal has now evolved into a political crisis as all branches of the Brazilian government are involved in which politicians should be prosecuted and removed from office.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Bob Holden, former Governor of Missouri and now with Webster University;* and
Matt Taylor of American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Cuba
diplomacy
business
trade
embargo
Dilma Rousseff
Raul Castro
Barack Obama
tourism
impeachment
economics
corruption
poverty
Petrobras
justice
PT
agriculture
China
Communism
oil
PMBD
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
United States
Eduardo Cunha
Workers Party
War and peace in Colombia and Mexico provide the themes on Latin Pulse. The program updates the status of the long-running peace talks in the 51-year-old civil war in Colombia. This discussion includes fears that different rebel groups will supplant the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC). The program also analyzes the problems of human rights and corruption in Mexico as that country tries to prosecute its part in the Drug War. The news segment of the program covers the feud between Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, over Trump's immigration proposals.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and*
Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
politics
elections
Colombia
Mexico
immigration
United States
Barack Obama
civil war
Drug War
Donald Trump
Vicente Fox
Juan Manuel Santos
Enrique Pena Nieto
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman
FARC
peace negotiations
Alvaro Uribe
organized crime
drug cartels
illegal mining
Felipe Calderon
ELN
justice
Cuba
violence
economics
militias
infrastructure
police
insurgents
rebels
cocaine
PAN
homicides
oil
Cuba
diplomacy
finance
crime
Argentina
Latin American cinema provides the key discussion points this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes an in-depth discussion with the director of Embrace of the Serpent, the first Colombian film nominated for an Academy Award. The program also includes a survey of some of the most interesting newer film releases from Brazil, including Casa Grande, The Second Mother, and Neighboring Sounds. The news segment of the program covers the latest move by U.S. President Barack Obama to close the detention facilities at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo and how the U.S. Congress has thwarted those efforts.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Ciro Guerra, director of Embrace of the Serpent*; and
Kathy Corley of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
films
Colombia
Brazil
Guantanamo
United States
Barack Obama
Pope Francis
U.S. Congress
minority issues
indigenous issues
Afro-Brazilian issues
Casa Grande
Neighboring Sounds
The Amazon
Latin American films
Latin American cinema
Embrace of the Serpent
The Second Mother
spirituality
indigenous religion
Academy Awards
racial issueseducation
income inequitybusiness
media
violence
security
povertyculture
Politics in Venezuela and Bolivia provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes the political fights between Venezuela's new National Assembly and President Nicolas Maduro, often with the Venezuelan Supreme Court reinforcing the president's positions. The program also provides a preview of the important referendum in Bolivia that could extend the term of President Evo Morales. The news segment of the program covers Pope Francis and his recent trip to Mexico, including his scolding of Mexican bishops due to corruption, his condemnation of Donald Trump, and his reaction to the Zika virus.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and
Rob Albro also of (CLALS).*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Venezuela
politics
Mexico
Bolivia
referendum
United States
Nicolas Maduro
Pope Francis
economics
immigration
Donald Trump
Evo Morales
Drug War
electoral fraud
Henry Ramos
Accion Democratica
Primero Justicia
corruption
Venezuelan Supreme Court
elections
immigration
oil
violence
justice
media
Henrique Capriles
Hugo Chavez
PSUV
recession
economic crisisinflation
energy
homicide
guns
police
MAS
autocracy
Ecuador
hydroelectric damsindigenous issuesenvironmental issuesRafael Correa
Pope Francis and his trip to Mexico provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program discusses the pope's fourth trip to Latin America, which will primarily focus on key stops throughout Mexico. The program reflects on the pope's efforts to put the global refugee crisis and the need to ease migration restrictions in front of policymakers in the hemisphere. The news segment of the program covers testimony from the Centers for Disease Control in the United States officially linking the zika virus outbreak to microcephaly, a condition that causes brain damage in infants.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU); and
Maureen Meyer of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Mexico
zika
Cuba
United States
health issues
Pope Francis
religion
immigration
El Salvador
Central America
drug cartels
indigenous issues
Sinaloa Cartel
U.S. Congress
Drug War
corruption
global refugee crisis
Virgin of Guadalupe
Pope Benedict XVI
Knights Templar Cartel
Enrique Pena Nieto
Catholicism
migrants
scandal
violence
Honduras
poverty
Catholic Church
Costa Rica
Panama
Nicaragua
human rights
Peru and its presidential politics provide the primary themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program discusses the upcoming election in Peru that currently has a crowded field of 19 candidates, including two former presidents. The program discusses in depth the chances of front-runner Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of Alberto Fujimori, another former Peruvian president now in prison. The news segment of the program covers the national address by President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil to make her country aware of the nation's new program to eradicate mosquitoes carrying the zika virus.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
*Moises Arce of the* University of Missouri.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Peru
zika
elections
United States
health issues
Barack Obama
diplomacy
immigration
Dilma Rousseff
Keiko Fujimori
Fuerza Popular
Alberto Fujimori
Alan Garcia
Ullanta Humala
Alejandro Toledo
human rights
environmental issues
extractive industries
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Cesar Acuna
Julio Guzman
corruption
the Shining Path
Asian-Latin American issues
economics
insurgents
Japanese-Peruvian
Chinese-Peruvian
populism
mining
TPP
business
trade
media
neo-liberalism
Drug War
coca production
Drug Enforcement Administration
DEA
Cuba, diplomacy and the Cuban refugee crisis in Central America provide the primary themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program discusses the diplomatic, business, and tourist openings that continue to improve between Cuba and the United States, including a discussion of new reforms announced this week regarding travel and economic concerns. The program also shares the view from Central America about the problem of Cuban refugees there. The news segment of the program covers the alarm this week from health officials about the outbreak of the zika virus in the Western Hemisphere and especially how Brazil is responding.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Eric Hershberg, the director of* American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and
*Carlos Sandoval Garcia of the Universidad de Costa Rica*.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Mexico
zika
Cuba
diplomacy
immigration
United States
health issues
Margaret Chan
business
World Health Organization
El Salvador
Costa Rica
Central America
Barack Obama
WHO
economics
refugees
embargo
tourism
Raul Castro
currency
justice
Guantanamo
Venezuela
Guatemala
Nicaragua
Panama
Ecuador
Latin Pulse registers its 200th episode this week, so the program looks back at the audience's favorite programs since the program became an online radio project. Themes included in the program include migration, the Drug War, the civil war in Colombia, indigenous issues, and the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in Brazil. The program also includes a discussion of religion, including Santeria and about the folk saint Santa Muerte. The news segment of the program analyzes the surprise diplomatic move this week by President Mauricio Macri in Argentina to reach out to the United Kingdom.
The program includes interviews with:
*Maureen Meyer of the Washington Office on Latin America* (WOLA);
Gimena Sanchez of WOLA;
Eve Bratman of American University;
Michael Atwood Mason, Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage; and
Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Mexico
Argentina
Cuba
diplomacy
immigration
United States
Drug War
Falkland Islands
violence
U.S. Border Patrol
Afro-Latin American issues
Belo Monte Dam
Los Malvinas
United Kingdom
David Cameron
Mauricio Macri
drug cartels
indigenous issues
military
Colombia
FARC
religion
cocaine
aerial fumigation
The Amazon
media
media
Santeria
Santa Muerte
health issues
indigenous religion
narco-religion
Looking ahead at what appear to be the key issues for 2016 in Latin America is the mission for Latin Pulse this week. The program includes an in-depth and extended discussion with a director of one of the top research centers reviewing Latin American affairs and includes in-depth discussion of Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and United States policy towards the region. The news segment of the program discusses the move this week to extradite Mexican cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States after he was recaptured in Mexico.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
*Eric Hershberg, the director of* American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Mexico
Venezuela
Cuba
corruption
economics
United States
Drug War
Barack Obama
China
oil
commodities
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman
poverty
Nicolas Maduro
Diosdado Cabello
human rights
Central America
infrastructure
Argentina
Ecuador
Chile
Guatemala
justice
Dilma Rousseff
Mauricio Macri
Bolivia
Uruguay
recall referendum
diplomacy
immigration
Caribbean region
Joe Biden
Trans-Pacific Partnership
NAFTA
trade
Latin American films provide the central focus for Latin Pulse this week. The program completes its two-part conversation on the film Olvidados, which recounts Operation Condor and its human rights abuses from a Bolivian perspective. The program also reviews the top Brazilian film of the past year, The Second Mother. The news segment of the program delves into the controversy between the new National Assembly in Venezuela and that country's Supreme Court over accusations of electoral fraud and the power politics behind the swearing in of three new members of the National Assembly.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Carla Ortiz, the producer of Olvidados*; and
Kathy Corley of Webster University.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
Bolivia
Venezuela
elections
films
culture
United States
racial issues
Afro-Brazilian issues
security
terrorism
military
School of the Americas
Latin American films
The Second Mother
City of God
torture
Nicolas Maduro
Diosdado Cabello
human rights
Henry Ramos
gender issues
Bolivian cuisine
Olvidados
internetbusinessOperation Condor
Religion and politics, the so-called taboo subjects provide the central themes for Latin Pulse this week. The program provides a preview of Cuba's favorite religious celebration, the feast day of San Lazaro. The program explores the mix of faiths that honor that day on Dec. 17, including the practitioners of Santeria and those with Christian beliefs. The program also goes in-depth on reaction to the surprising landslide win of opposition groups in Venezuela in that country's Congressional elections. The program includes excerpts from an international press conference that analyzes the political scene in Venezuela.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Michael Atwood Mason, the Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; and
David Smilde**† of Tulane University and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**Michael Atwood Mason is also the author, editor, and curator of a cultural blog called Baba Who? Babalu!*****
**†David Smilde is also the curator, editor and author of the WOLA blog, Venezuela Politics & Human Rights.****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
Cuba
Venezuela
religion
Santeria
Catholicism
Afro-Cuban issues
minority issues
Nicolas Maduro
democracy
Nigeria
economics
inflation
poverty
health
capitalism
socialism
agriculture
Babalu-Aye
diplomacy
Chavismo
military
Feast of San Lazaro
Vladimir Padrino Lopez
United States
Leopoldo Lopez
John Kerry
Latin Pulse returns from holiday hiatus this week, with a program about culture and politics. The program previews the film Olvidados, about Operation Condor, that will soon make its cable debut on HBO Latino. The film tells the story of Operation Condor from a Bolivian perspective. And the program catches up with the results of the Argentine presidential elections and analyzes how a shift to a conservative government means historic changes for that country. The news segment of the program looks at the move this week to begin official impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Carla Ortiz, the producer of Olvidados*; and
Chris Sabatini of Columbia University & Latin America Goes Global.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
torture
CIA
culture
films
Argentina
Operation Condor
human rights
intelligence services
Dilma Rousseff
Brazil
Augusto Pinochet
impeachment
economics
Bolivia
authoritarianism
Chile
capitalism
Communism
violence
indigenous issues
education
Mauricio Macri
Nestor Kirchner
Daniel Scioli
Republican Proposal
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
International Monetary Fund
United States
justice
Peronists
IMF
Reflections on a special trip to Cuba provide the main themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program includes interviews with a U.S. delegation on a cultural and educational exchange in Cuba, including the delegation's leader, the former governor of Missouri. The program also includes viewpoints on the U.S. embargo of Cuba and the possibility of business development on the island. The discussion ranges through politics, economics and shared interests between the U.S. and Cuba. The news segment of the program discusses the capture of Syrians using illegal passports in Honduras to possibly enter the U.S. illegally.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Bob Holden, former governor of Missouri and now with Webster University*; and
Chris Gutierrez, SmartPort of Kansas City.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
immigration
terrorism
Mexico
Honduras
Syria
U.S. Congress
Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
United States
refugees
Panama Canal
Puerto Rico
economics
Cuba
tourism
internet
Nicaragua
Brazil
business
trade
transportation
embargo
Spain
agriculture
manufacturing
infrastructure
Russia
commodities
Femicide and violence against women in Latin America provide the themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program focuses on murders aimed at women in Central America and Mexico, the region with the worst global statistics as assembled by the United Nations. The program also discusses linkages between such violence and unauthorized immigration. The program discusses the causes behind femicide and includes analysis about the need to improve the justice in the region. The news segment of the program covers the constitutional changes in Bolivia to allow President Evo Morales to run for re-election in four years if he wishes.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
*Karen Musalo of the University of California*.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
Bolivia
violence
Mexico
Guatemala
femicide
Evo Morales
Central America
El Salvador
United States
homicide
United Nations
civil war
human rights
economics
Honduras
machismo
genocide
Nicaragua
rape
torture
impunity
street gangs
organized crime
domestic violence
police
justice
crime
immigration
asylum
Trade, finance and economics provide the main themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program gives an in-depth analysis of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and what obstacles it faces in the U.S. Congress and the U.S. political system. The program also reviews the current status of the debt crisis in Puerto Rico and dissects how the island territory piled up billions in debt. The news segment of the program covers the results of presidential elections in Latin America, with a focus on why the presidential race in Argentina is headed to a second round of voting.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Chris Sabatini of Columbia University & Latin America Goes Global; and
Mauro Guillen of the Lauder Institute of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
trade
Argentina
finance
Guatemala
China
debt crisis
Daniel Scioli
Puerto Rico
United States
TPP
Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders
Alejandro Garcia Padilla
economics
default
Mexico
Peru
Chile
Canada
NAFTA
labor
U.S. Senate
Trans-Pacific Partnership
environmental issues
Central America
Dominican Republic
U.S. Congress
agriculture
unions
Colombia
Vietnam
Australia
commodities
Honduras
textiles
Brazil
Mercosur
business
Presidential politics and elections in Latin America provide the main themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program goes in-depth on this weekend's presidential elections in Guatemala and Argentina. In Guatemala, comedian Jimmy Morales is the front-runner by a wide margin but some are asking if he is a true break with Guatemala's military past. And in Argentina, Daniel Scioli leads the pack as the handpicked successor of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, but can he make his own way? The news segment of the program covers the latest developments with the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*Eric Olson of the Wilson Center; and
Peter Hakim of the Inter-American Dialogue.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
corruption
Argentina
Venezuela
Guatemala
China
Jimmy Morales
Daniel Scioli
Puerto Rico
debt crisis
China
Nicolas Maduro
Sandra Torres
Manuel Baldizon
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Front for Victory Alliance
Otto Perez Molina
Alejandro Garcia Padilla
National Convergence Front
economics
default
crime
military
CICIG
Peronists
justice
oil
U.S. Senate
United Nations
human rights
campaign finance
Mauricio Macri
Sergio Massa
inflation
Nestor Kirchner
protest movement
Politics and the competencies of governments in Venezuela and Brazil are the central themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program includes an in-depth discussion about the state of democracy in Venezuela and how it has deteriorated due to crackdowns on opposition leaders. The program also includes a discussion of the political repercussions of the Petrobras corruption scandal in Brazil and further calls for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. The news segment of the program covers the murder of an activist for transgender rights in Argentina.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
*David Smilde of Tulane University; and
Carlos Pereira of the Getulio Vargas Foundation.*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
corruption
Argentina
Venezuela
democracy
elections
LGBT issues
Dilma Rousseff
human rights
Leopoldo Lopez
violence
Nicolas Maduro
gender issues
election fraud
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
economics
energy
crime
impeachment
Petrobras
oil
justice
media
Hugo Chavez
Ernesto Samper
Henrique Cardoso
UNASUR
OAS
social welfare
This week, Latin Pulse dives into the Drug War. The program explores two of the most important fronts in that war: Mexico and Venezuela. The segment of the program on Mexico gives an overview of the condition of various cartels and why the strategy to focus on drug kingpins has mostly failed. The segment on Venezuela focuses on the ties between Venezuela's military and the drug trade. The news segment of the program gives the latest information about the controversy surrounding 43 missing university students in Mexico and whether they were massacred by police and drug cartels colluding together.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jo Tuckman of The Guardian;
Jeremy McDermott of InSight Crime.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
Venezuela
violence
Enrique Pena Nieto
disapperances
crime
police
military
DEA
cocaine
Central America
Felipe Calderon
Aruba
justice
impunity
Brazil
cartels
Panama
corruption
PRI
Drug War
drugs
gangs
Ayotzinapa
politics
Beltran Leyva Cartel
organized crime
Sinaloa Cartel
protest movement
Tijuana Cartel
civil society
violence
homicide
media
Colombia
Honduras
Ecuador
France
FARC
justice
Cuba
imperialism
drug cartels
Gulf Cartel
Knights Templar
Jalisco Cartel
Dominican Republic
Air France
United States
Javier 'El Chapo' Guzman
U.S. State Department
Los Zetas Cartel
Hugo Armando Carvajal
War and peace are the central themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program includes an in-depth discussion about breakthroughs in the peace process that could end 51 years of civil war in Colombia. The program also discusses tensions in the border regions between Venezuela and Colombia, and on Venezuela's border with Guyana and what those tensions mean in the current political climate. The news segment of the program covers new calls for impeachment to remove President Dilma Rousseff from office in Brazil.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
David Smilde of Tulane University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Assistant Producer: Brooklynn Engel.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
politics
corruption
Colombia
Venezuela
Guyana
business
United Nations
Dilma Rousseff
civil war
Drug War
FARC
Nicolas Maduro
Rodrigo Londono
human rights
Juan Manuel Santos
economics
energy
diplomacy
impeachment
Petrobras
oil
justice
economics
peace talks
El Salvador
Central America
military
media
insurgents
paramilitaries
Guatemala
ELN
violence
crime
deportations
UNASUR
David Granger
border dispute
Ban Ki-Moon
Brazil and its struggles with corruption and development provides the central focus on Latin Pulse this week. The program discusses in detail the various corruption scandals that have created political gridlock in Brazil. The program also has the latest on the development of the controversial Bello Monte dam and how that project is the source of environmental and cultural damage in the Amazon region. The news segment of the program covers the speech by U.S. President Barack Obama at the United Nations calling for the U.S. Congress to strike down the economic embargo against the country.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Matt Taylor of American University; and
Eve Bratman of American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Brazil
development
politics
corruption
culture
Cuba
business
United Nations
Barack Obama
Raul Castro
environment
indigenous issues
hydro-electric dams
U.S. Congress
Dilma Rousseff
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Fernando Collor de Mello
Bello Monte Dam
embargo
energy
diplomacy
impeachment
Petrobras
oil
justice
economics
protest movement
Itaipu Dam
human rights
Workers Party
Culture and politics provide the themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program looks backward at the end of the popular Univision program Sabado Gigante and how it survived despite criticisms of its content. The program provided a cultural link on Saturday evenings to many audiences throughout Latin America. Latin Pulse also reviews the upcoming presidential elections in Argentina and how the final stage of the presidency of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner casts a shadow on the process. The news segment of the program reviews the trip to Cuba by Pope Francis and its implications for politics and diplomacy.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Constanza Mujica of Universidad Catolica; and
Amy Williams of Latin America Goes Global.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
media
television
politics
Chile
culture
Cuba
Argentina
United States
Pope Francis
Sabado Gigante
elections
Mario Kruetzberger
Augusto Pinochet
Daniel Scioli
Mauricio Macri
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
United for a New Alternative Alliance
Alliance for Change
embargo
Colombia
diplomacy
Univision
immigration
internet
sexism
racism
Sergio Massa
Peronists
inflation
Venezuela
economics
social welfare
financial crisis
vulture funds
China
Russia
banking
corruption
Dilma Rousseff
Brazil
It's the fourth anniversary of Latin Pulse, and the program celebrates in its own way: a medley of out-takes and pithy comments from the most popular programs of the past year. The topics on the program range from a review of the crisis of unaccompanied minors on the U.S.-Mexico border to covering various fronts in the Drug War. The program also includes segments on the economic impact of China on Latin America. The news segment of the program covers the aftereffects of the earthquake in Chile that saw a million people evacuate their homes.
The program includes interview segments with:
Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center;
Jo Tuckman of The Guardian;
Jeremy McDermott of InSight Crime;
Mark Jones of Rice University;
Kevin Gallagher of Boston University; and
Ignacio Siles of the Universidad de Costa Rica.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Guatemala
corruption
politics
Chile
disaster
Cuba
Mexico
Michelle Bachelet
Central America
United States
Brazil
Drug War
El Salvador
U.S. Congress
Zetas Cartel
Guerreros Unidos Gang
Knights Templar Cartel
immigration
violence
Beltran-Leyva Cartel
Gulf Cartel
diplomacy
poverty
Tijuana Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
gangs
cartels
police
Honduras
justice
crime
Venezuela
military
Felipe Calderon
Hugo Chavez
Nicolas Maduro
Costa Rica
media
China
Argentina
Cuba
Paraguay
Uruguay
mining
elections
agriculture
environment
Peru
Ecuador
Brazil
Colombia
newspapers
internet
advertising
trade
Barack Obama
The Amazon
La Nacion
economics
Religion in Latin America provides the theme this week on Latin Pulse, as Cuba prepares for an official visit from Pope Francis.The program analyzes the importance of the pope's upcoming trip to Cuba and reflects on how the Cuba trip will provide a preface for the pope's visit to the United States. The program also reviews a new book that deals with how religion is fighting violence throughout Latin America, especially Central America. The news segment of the program reviews the results in the first round of the Guatemalan presidential voting and the upset of comedian Jimmy Morales.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University; and
Alex Wilde ofAmerican University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Guatemala
corruption
politics
elections
Catholicism
Cuba
Mexico
Pope Francis
Central America
United States
Brazil
Jimmy Morales
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
Junipero Serra
Otto Perez Molina
Afro-Latin American issues
colonialism
Bolivia
liberation theology
LGBT issues
same-sex marriage
indigenous issues
diplomacy
violence
colonialism
Bolivia
Honduras
poverty
democracy
prisons
evangelicals
immigration
human rights
El Salvador
Oscar Romero
street gangs
religion
capitalism
The seismic political shift in Guatemala provides the focus this week on Latin Pulse. The program covers both the resignation of President Otto Perez Molina due to a corruption scandal and the presidential elections that will have the country voting on new leaders this weekend. The program analyzes the impact of the United Nations' International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG, by its Spanish acronym) in uncovering corruption and supporting the justice system. The program also provides a preview of the elections and how the issue of corruption has become the centerpiece of that process too.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Adriana Beltran of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA);
and
Julie Lopez of Plaza Publica.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Guatemala
corruption
politics
elections
justice
scandal
CICIG
Roxanna Baldetti
Central America
protest movement
democracy
United Nations
Alejandro Maldonado
Manuel Baldizon
Edgar Barquin
Otto Perez Molina
National Convergence Front
rule of law
International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala
LIDER Party
Jimmy Morales
Sandra Torres
UNE Party
oligarchy
violence
media
impunity
Violence, crime and national security provide the themes this week on Latin Pulse. First, the program reviews security in Mexico, and discusses the rise of various cartels, especially the Sinaloa Cartel. Another in-depth part of the program deals with the crisis in El Salvador due to the involvement of street gangs in a transportation strike. Both segments discuss how the central governments in these countries do not have the power to stop the criminal groups. The news segment of the program covers the border crisis between Venezuela and Colombia due to unauthorized immigration, violence and the influence of criminal groups.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jo Tuckman of The Guardian;
and
Hector Silva of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Technical Director: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Guatemala
Mexico
Colombia
diplomacy
Venezuela
military
immigration
El Salvador
Central America
protest movement
immigration
human rights
Jalisco Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
organized crime
Enrique Pena Nieto
Salvador Sanchez Ceren
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman
drug cartels
extrajudicial killings
death squads
United States
Barrio 18
justice
politics
democracy
media
MS-13
poverty
economics
impunity
violence
corruption
police
Pursuit of justice in major human rights cases in Central America provide the central focus this week on Latin Pulse. First, the program considers the potential extradition of Inocente Montano, a former high-ranking military official in El Salvador who a Spanish court is attempting to try for his part in ordering the massacre of Jesuit priests and religious workers. The second case concerns former dictator Efrain Rios Montt accused of genocide in the killing of Mayan villagers in Guatemala. The news segment of the program covers the controversies swirling around the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Havana.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Hector Silva of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and
Kelsey Alford Jones of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Announcer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Guatemala
Cuba
dissidents
diplomacy
Jesuits
military
Spain
civil war
indigenous issues
El Salvador
amnesty
human rights
Central America
Inocente Montano
Catholic Church
Efrain Rios Montt
U.S. State Department
John Kerry
Ronald Reagan
Cold War
health issues
justice
impunity
genocide
corruption
oligarchy
Colombia and its civil war provide some of the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program discusses land reform, rural development, and indigenous issues and how they are related to the civil war. The program also reflects on the Colombian emigrant experience and the various social and cultural forms that this community works to keep alive. The program discusses Colombian music, dance, and customs. The news segment of the program covers the debt default of Puerto Rico and its economic crisis.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jack Laun of the Colombia Support Network; and
Maria Amparo Holmes, author of Conexiones/Connections.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Colombia
development
agriculture
mining
culture
music
police
civil war
indigenous issues
Puerto Rico
music
debt crisis
dance
immigrtion
FARC
transportation
insurgents
Barack Obama
U.S. Congress
land reform
rebels
poverty
trade
military
agribusiness
infrastructure
environmental issues
Brazil
Peru
tourism
oil
Canada
business
Juan Manuel Santos
Afro-Latin American Issues
poverty
tourism
roses
internal refugees
cuisine
Japan
infrastructure
siestas
Looking back at the violent history of repression in the Dominican Republic is the central theme this week on Latin Pulse, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of U.S. efforts to bolster a military dictatorship. The program discusses the U.S. invasion and occupation in some depth and discusses how this event continues to resonate with Dominicans to this day. The program also explores the political and economic fallout from that invasion. The news segment of the program covers the violent transportation strike in El Salvador and how street gangs have amplified the tense conditions.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Tim Shenk of the Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR); and
Lauren Derby of UCLA.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
military
Cuba
invasion
Haiti
police
United States
Juan Bosch
Dominican Republic
corruption
El Salvador
coup
gangs
economics
transportation
violence
Joaquin Balaguer
Rafael Trujillo
human rights
rebellion
poverty
trade
immigration
PLD
Communism
labor strife
PRD
land reform
labor
Puerto Rico
tourism
CAFTA
agriculture
media
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Barrio 18 Gang
Afro-Latin American Issues
Fidel Castro
Issues in the Caribbean provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program provides a deep analysis of the issues confronting the new relationship between Cuba and the United States. Major parts of the discussion reveal how these relations are linked to domestic presidential politics in the United States. The second segment in the program discusses the racial tensions fueling immigration policy in the Dominican Republic, regarding threats to deport Haitian immigrants. The news segment of the program covers the details of the historic ceremonies to officially open the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Bill LeoGrande of American University; andTim Shenk of the Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
military
Cuba
diplomacy
Haiti
immigration
United States
John Kerry
Dominican Republic
corruption
U.S. Congress
racism
media
economics
Canada
agriculture
Jeb Bush
Marco Rubio
USAID
propaganda
Ted Cruz
Pope Francis
internet
Barack Obama
labor
Raul Castro
justice
business
Rand Paul
Catholic Church
human rights
minority issues
Afro-Latin American issues
War and politics provide the themes on Latin Pulse, this week, as the program tunes in to events in Guatemala and Colombia. The first segment of the program discusses the complex political matrix in Guatemala as the country heads toward presidential elections and what effects the anti-corruption protests in the country might have on that process. The second part of the program examines how U.S. policies have affected the conduct of the civil war in Colombia. The news segment of the program gives details of the prison escape by Joaquin "El Chapo Shorty" Guzman, the head of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Julie Lopez of Plaza Publica; andWinifred Tate of Colby College.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
military
Guatemala
Colombia
Mexico
prisons
civil war
Drug War
drug cartels
corruption
Sinaloa Cartel
environmentalism
media
plagiarism
immigration
FARC
LIDER Party
Manuel Baldizon
paramilitaries
insurgents
protest movement
Prensa Libre
economics
Roberto Gonzalez
coca
CREO Party
cocaine
Monsanto
violence
glyshophate
herbicides
diplomacy
Sandra Torres
UNE Party
peace talks
Plan Colombia
aerial spraying
health issues
human rights
United States
Otto Perez Molina
Juan Manuel Santos
World Health Organization
Joaquin 'El Chapo Shorty' Guzman
Pope Francis and his trip to the Andes region of Latin America provides the central theme on Latin Pulse. The program includes a deep theological discussion of how Pope Francis is redirecting the philosophy of the Church to take the concerns of poverty more seriously. The program also discusses the Church's views on LGBT rights, indigenous issues, and euthanasia. The program also reviews the political issues in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay that intersect with the pope's trip. The news segment of the program covers the criticisms of ecological policies in Ecuador leveled by the pope during his trip.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Rev. Joe Eldridge of American University; andAlex Wilde of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Announcer: Guillermo Rodriguez.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
religion
politics
Catholicism
Paraguay
Argentina
Bolivia
Ecuador
indigenous issues
Pope Francis
Rafael Correa
oil
Evo Morales
environmentalism
poverty
Colombia
euthanasia
evangelicals
indigenous issues
LGBT issues
colonialism
corruption
Rafael Correa
Evo Morales
economics
Catholic Church
Vatican
The Amazon
internet
media
Pope Francis and his upcoming trip to the Andes provide the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes analysis from Rome and how the issues of marriage equality and LGBT acceptance by the Catholic Church may arise during the pope's trip. The program also includes discussion of the pope's role in bringing Cuba and the United States together diplomatically during the past year. The program includes analysis of the pope's shift to favor liberation theology. The news segment of the program covers the plans between Cuba and the United States to resume normal diplomatic relations.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Joshua McElwee of the National Catholic Reporter; andAndrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
religion
politics
Catholicism
Paraguay
Argentina
Bolivia
Ecuador
Barack Obama
Pope Francis
Dilma Rousseff
Brazil
United States
liberation theology
the Phillipines
LGBT issues
Cuba
diplomacy
poverty
environmentalism
Mexico
politics
Canada
marriage equality
same-sex marriage
climate change
Catholic Church
Vatican
evangelicals
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
Drug War
Central America
El Salvador
Oscar Romero
Enrique Pena Nietoabortion
media
Looking ahead to next week and the important meetings between Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff and U.S. President Barack Obama, Latin Pulse gives an analytical preview of what to expect. The program includes viewpoints from both Brazil and the United States, taking into account the domestic problems Rousseff faces, including the worst economic climate in a generation as Brazil slips into recession, and the worst presidential popularity ratings in Brazil's democratic history. The news segment of the program covers the success of special trade authority in the U.S. Congress this week and what that means for Mexico, Peru and Chile.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Matias Spektor of the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil; andVictoria Langland of the University of Michigan.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
trade
politics
finance
economics
Argentina
Chile
TPP
Barack Obama
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Dilma Rousseff
Brazil
United States
U.S. Congress
Snowden affair
Xi Jinping
investment
diplomacy
espionage
spying
China
infrastructure
agriculture
human rights
Joe Biden
climate change
gender issues
military
history
environment
Venezuela
Cuba
transportation
Petrobras
oil
elections
Violence and salvation are the themes this week on Latin Pulse. The alarming rise in homicide rates in El Salvador catches our attention and the program discusses the causes and how the government is reacting to the rise in gang-related violence. The reaction seems to be extrajudicial killings and the return of death squads. The program also includes an analysis about the shift of religious beliefs in Latin America, including the rise of evangelicals and religious pluralism. The news segment of the program covers the latest votes related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and special trade authority for President Barack Obama.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Hector Silva of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University; andAndrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
trade
politics
religion
homicide
violence
Puerto Rico
gangs
Mexico
United States
El Salvador
Barrio 18
Peru
Chile
MS-13
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Catholicism
Canada
TPP
Barack Obama
John Boehner
U.S. Congress
death squads
extrajudicial killings
police
military
ARENA
Mauricio Funes
poverty
education
John Kerry
Salvador Sanchez Ceren
FMLN
business
Juan Orlando Hernandez
Afro-Latin American issues
Guatemala
Honduras
Brazil
impunity
coup
evangelicals
agnostics
Uruguay
Cuba
atheists
Santeria
Candomble
Umbanda
Nicaragua
Paraguay
justice
media
crime
United Nations
Santa Muerte
folk saints
Central America
Trade and financial concerns provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse as the program focuses on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the debt crisis in Puerto Rico. With the U.S. Congress split over the TPP, the program debriefs an economic expert on how the proposed trade pact will have an impact on jobs in Latin America, the U.S. and Asia too. The program also unravels the key issues related to the debt problems of Puerto Rico. The news segment of the program covers the ongoing debate between Argentina and the U.K. over disputed islands in the South Atlantic.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Rob Scott of the Economic Policy Institute; andMauro Guillen of the Lauder Institute of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
trade
politics
finance
economics
Argentina
Puerto Rico
Chile
Mexico
United States
United Kingdom
Falkland Islands
Peru
labor
NAFTA
globalization
education
TPP
Barack Obama
Trans-Pacific Partnership
debt crisis
Las Malvinas
David Cameron
Hector Timmerman
healthcare
pharmaceuticals
Canada
copyright law
welfare
taxes
U.S. Congress
Alejandro Garcia Padilla
Violence provides the central theme this week on Latin Pulse as the program looks at troubles in Colombia and El Salvador. In Colombia, as the country's civil war turns the corner on 51 years of pain, the peace process seems stalled as violence escalates in the war. In El Salvador, violence levels are higher than they have been in more than 20 years. The news segment of the program covers how women demonstrated across South America this week to call attention to the high levels of violence aimed at them and the need for laws to combat the problem.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Winifred Tate of Colby College; andHector Silva of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Colombia
politics
violence
media
Argentina
gender issues
Chile
Uruguay
El Salvador
civil war
peace talks
gangs
justice
police
crime
military
FARC
ELN
refugees
agribusiness
agriculture
oil
extractive industries
Juan Manuel Santos
Salvador Sanchez Ceren
land reform
mining
insurgents
paramilitaries
MS-13
Barrio 18
Central America
social media
extrajudicial killings
economics
impunity
Cuba
prisons
homocides
Originating in Puerto Rico again this week, Latin Pulse looks at issues of identity, the media and politics on both the island and in Mexico. The program discusses how U.S. and Latino media often homogenize programming and forget the Puerto Rican experience. The program also reveals how in Mexico, issues of equity and media corruption distort the political debate. How do the political left and right find space for debate in a system dominated by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (the PRI). The news segment of the program covers set backs in the peace process for the Colombian civil war.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Federico Subervi of Kent State University; and
Manuel Alejandro Guerrero of the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
politics
PRI
media
culture
Puerto Rico
education
Colombia
United States
protest movement
drug cartels
democracy
justice
corruption
crime
television
FARC
sports
baseball
PAN
PRD
gambling
civil war
Enrique Pena Nieto
peace talks
prejudice
Televisa
Univision
Telemundo
free speech
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
MORENA
Originating in Puerto Rico this week, Latin Pulse takes a look at the status of the island and whether there is movement forward on a change to statehood or independence. The program also covers the issues of identity, culture and economics facing the island commonwealth. The program also delves into the special relationship the U.S. has developed with Mexico and how trade pacts and economic reforms have brought the countries closer. The news segment of the program deals with the latest charges and counter-charges related to allegations that powerful leaders in Venezuela are connected to the drug trade.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Maria Acosta Cruz of Clark University; and
Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
trade
politics
PRI
Venezuela
media
emigration
immigration
economics
music
culture
terrorism
Drug War
Puerto Rico
education
Colombia
United States
protest movement
drug cartels
United States
Diosdado Cabello
Enrique Pena Nieto
Nicolas Maduro
debt crisis
colonialism
NAFTA
Calle 13
democracy
justice
Canada
oil
energy
disappearances
corruption
impunity
violence
police
diplomacy
crime
human rights
gun smuggling
What happens when you mix drug cartels with religion? This week, Latin Pulse explores the rise of narco-religion in Mexico. The discussion includes a heady mix of discussion regarding the veneration of Catholic saints by violent criminals but also the rise of the devotion of folk saints such as Santa Muerte. The program also discusses curanderos and the use of witchcraft by the cartels. The news segment of the program covers the outbreak of violence in student protests in Chile; the protestors are calling for more equity in higher education in the country.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University; and
Tim Knab of the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
religion
Chile
students
education
Michoacan
media
internet
YouTube
violence
blasphemy
curanderos
Drug War
Catholic Church
Argentina
Colombia
folk saints
protest movement
drug cartels
Jesus Malverde
Sinaloa Cartel
St. Jude Thaddeus
Knights Templar Cartel
Servando "La Tuta" Gomez Martinez
La Virgen de Guadalupe
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman
San La Muerte
Los Zetas Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
Arellano-Felix Cartel
narco-religion
Sinaloa
Santa Muerte
Paraguay
death cults
Beltran-Leyva Cartel
folk religion
Pope Francis
indigenous religion
This week, Latin Pulse concludes its spring series of programs looking at the roiling political waters in Venezuela. Experts on the program look at the use of conspiracy theories and how they are used to make propaganda gains and control the political discourse. The program also discusses the breakdown of democratic institutions in the country and the credibility of elections. The news segment of the program covers accusations by the head of the Venezuelan National Assembly that he expects the political opposition to use fraud to make political gains in elections for the assembly later this year.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Hugo Perez Hernaiz* of the Universidad Central de Venezuela; and
Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**Hugo Perez Hernaiz is also the author of the Venezuela Conspiracy Theories Monitor* blog.****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
politics
Venezuela
autocracy
justice
elections
PSUV
socialists
media
conspiracy
propaganda
military
United States
coup plots
democracy
violence
domestic espionage
Nicolas Maduro
Diosdado Cabello
Leopoldo Lopez
Antonio Ledezma
Drug Enforcement Administration
political repression
Hugo Chavez
coup
DEA
Drug War
imperialism
Maria Corina Machado
Operation Jericho plot
conspiracy theories
human rights
Henrique Capriles
Julio Borges
military tribunal
Copei
secret police
free expression
Carlos Andres Perez
Justice, human rights and immigration policy regarding Central America provide the triple themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program focuses on the extradition case of Inocente Montano, a former colonel and leader for the Salvadoran military during El Salvador's civil war. Spanish authorities want Montano sent to Spain to face human rights charges connected to the massacre of Jesuit priests at a university in San Salvador. The program also looks at Congressional concerns over U.S. immigration policy in Central America. The news segment of the program reviews the controversial trade mission to Cuba of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Geoff Thale of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
politics
Guatemala
Honduras
justice
immigration
Cuba
Catholics
Jesuits
Mexico
military
United States
Barack Obama
impunity
crime
El Salvador
police
Central America
human rights
Inocente Montano
civil war
economics
violence
homocide
gangs
corruption
trade
U.S. Congress
Inter-American Development Bank
death squads
United Nations
Joe Biden
migrant children
economic development
undocumented immigration
Memories and reviews of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his work take center stage this week on Latin Pulse as this week marks a year since the death of this winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. The program traces Garcia Marquez from his beginnings as a journalist through his fame as an author setting an example for writers worldwide. The program also discusses the writer's ties to Cuba. The news segment of the program reviews the outcome of the Summit of the Americas and Panama and how the United States and Cuba continue working toward normalized diplomatic relations.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Gustavo Arango of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oneonta; and
Nuria Vilanova of American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer;
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock; and*
*Announcer: Guillermo Rodriguez.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
politics
Argentina
writers
literature
Uruguay
Colombia
culture
Mexico
Cuba
Panama
United States
Barack Obama
colonialism
imperialism
free speech
Russia
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
Eduardo Galeano
magical realism
media
Juan Rulfo
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Mario Vargas Llosa
Miguel de Cervantes
Cuban revolution
Augusto Pinochet
Jorge Videla
Cuban cinema
James Joyce
Virginia Woolf
William Faulkner
The United States and its participation in the Summit of the Americas this weekend provides the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. Although the summit has a specific agenda to deal with economic inequality in Latin America, experts expect that diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba, and U.S. relations with Venezuela will dominate what happens at this meeting. The news segment of the program covers deportations and extraditions concerning former members of the Salvadoran military who sought asylum from prosecution on human rights charges stemming from their actions in the Salvadoran Civil War.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center; and
Peter Hakim of the Inter-American Dialogue.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
politics
Argentina
military
immigration
Uruguay
Brazil
justice
Mexico
Cuba
Panama
United States
Barack Obama
poverty
economics
human rights
Colombia
El Salvador
Central America
economic sanctions
UNASUR
Luis Almagro
Raul Castro
Venezuela
Honduras
Summit of the Americas
prisoners of war
Drug War
Chile
Guatemala
crime
violence
OAS
Guantanamo
Peru
Judaism, anti-semitism, and Argentina provide the main themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program revisits the mysterious case of the death of Alberto Nisman, a special prosecutor looking at terrorism cases that may have links to Iran. The program discusses how the Nisman case continues to provide a crisis atmosphere in Argentina. Also, the program reflects on the history of Judaism in Latin America and the various waves of prejudice that the Jewish population of the region has weathered. The news segment of the program covers the latest round of diplomacy between Cuba and the United States regarding human rights.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations; and
Marjorie Agosin of Wellesley College.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
elections
politics
Argentina
military
espionage
Cuba
Alberto Nisman
United States
culture
economics
anti-semitism
human rights
Juan Peron
Hector Timmerman
debt crisis
religion
Maximo Kirchner
Daniel Scioli
Sergio Massa
Judaism
diplomacy
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Salvador Allende
Augusto Pinochet
Chile
Peronism
default
debt
finances
terrorism
Iran
Brazil
justice
Mexico
colonialism
Spain
Nazis
immigration
Uruguay
coup
Israel
Hezbollah
Palestinians
Peru
Carlos Menem
corruption
The arts and the internet in Cuba provide the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes an in-depth discussion with two of Cuba's leaders in the arts, discussing artistic freedom and freedom of expression, along with the cultural themes of their work in the theater. The program also discusses the development of the internet and dissident media in Cuba. The news segment of the program covers the rise in tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, and the U.K.'s plans to modernize its defenses on the islands.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Flora Lauten & Raquel Carrio of Cuba's Teatro Buendia; and
Ted Henken of Baruch College of the City University of New York (CUNY).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
dissidents
Cuba
Yoani Sanchez
Raul Castro
Fidel Castro
United States
Afro-Cuban issues
elections
politics
Argentina
military
arts
Falkland Islands
culture
economics
military
human rights
Antonio Rodiles
free speech
culture
theater
Afro-Latin American culture
United Kingdom
Las Malvinas
internet
Santeria
dance
socialism
censorship
dissidents
travel
media
writers
The martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador provides the theme this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes discussions of the philosophical debate embodied in the stalled progress of Romero's status as an official Catholic martyr. The program also includes a discussion of Vatican politics that stretches over the past 30 years. The program also includes reflections on U.S. policy and how it sparked a climate of violence in Central America. The news segment of the program covers the controversial economic sanctions from the United States aimed at Venezuela and how that move was condemned by UNASUR.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Jeanette Rodriguez of Seattle University; and
Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
dissidents
Venezuela
Nicolas Maduro
El Salvador
Oscar Romero
liberation theology
Catholicism
politics
religion
UNASUR
poverty
Drug War
inequality
United States
economics
military
social justice
Central America
paramilitaries
insurgents
capitalism
Russia
gangs
history
pentecostalism
Jesuits
economic sanctions
human rights
U.S. State Department
Pope John Paul II
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Francis
civil war
Ronald Reagan
Cold War
evangelical Christianity
Catholic Church
the Vatican
Two years after the death of Hugo Chavez, this week Latin Pulse reviews the legacy of this polarizing political figure and what policies from the Chavez era still affect the current state of affairs in Venezuela. The program includes analysis on the handling of politics and economics by the government of President Nicolas Maduro and whether that government is now slipping into authoritarianism as it jails members of opposition groups. The news segment of the program tracks the successful arrests this past week in Mexico and Bolivia of both drug cartel leaders and those in government working with illegal organizations.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Hugo Perez Hernaiz of the Universidad Central de Venezuela & the Venezuelan Politics & Human Rights* blog; and
Dan Hellinger of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
Hugo Perez Hernaiz is also the author of the Venezuela Conspiracy Theories Monitor blog.*****
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
Venezuela
Nicolas Maduro
Antonio Ledezma
Leopoldo Lopez
Hugo Chavez
repression
Mexico
politics
Bolivia
Argentina
Drug War
protest
United States
corruption
Zetas cartel
Central America
cocaine
imperialism
justice
Chavismo
coup
economics
COPEI
democracy
poverty
economic crisis
conspiracy theories
elections
Honduras
violence
media
oil
OPEC
military
authoritarianism
dissent
Knights Templar cartel
Barack Obama
economic sanctions
economic equality
El Salvador
Bolivarian Revolution
drug cartels
Turmoil in Venezuela and the progress in the peace talks for the civil war in Colombia are the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The first half of the program analyzes the politics surrounding the arrest of Mayor Antonio Ledezma of Caracas and how that arrest has drawn international reaction. The second half of the program tracks the ongoing talks attempting to end the 51-year-old war in Colombia. The news segment of the program covers the latest in the case of Alberto Nisman in Argentina and how a judge has set aside an indictment against the country's president.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and
Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
Colombia
Venezuela
Ecuador
politics
repression
Argentina
Alberto Nisman
protest
United States
Brazil
protest movement
civil war
FARC
Cuba
justice
Peru
terrorism
economics
espionage
UNASUR
OAS
Julio Borges
Salvador Allende
inflation
Spain
Chile
media
coup
ceasefire
military
weapons
imperialism
Juan Manuel Santos
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Nicolas Maduro
Antonio Ledezma
Leopoldo Lopez
Joe Biden
peace talks
Ernesto Samper
United Nations
Hugo Chavez
China and its economic and geopolitical strategy and cultural influence provide the central themes for this week's edition of Latin Pulse. The first half of the program examines the trade and economic issues connected to China's strategies in Latin America. And the program debates the response of the U.S. to this economic expansion. The second half of the program examines the history and cultural influence of Chinese emigration to Peru. The news segment of the program covers the protests this week against the handling of the investigation into the death of special prosecutor Alberto Nisman in Argentina.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Mark Jones of Rice University;
Kevin Gallagher of Boston University;
Larry Clayton of the University of Alabama; and
*Adam McKeown, author of Chinese Migrant Networks and Cultural Change*.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 60 minutes in length and the file size is 83 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
trade
Argentina
Alberto Nisman
Iran
United States
Brazil
Barack Obama
Chinese diaspora
China
Mexico
Peru
terrorism
economics
culture
justice
immigration
Xi Jinping
Nicaraguan canal
CELAC
oil
OAS
Nicaragua
environmentalism
Venezuela
Ecuador
banking
Cuba
Panama
politics
IMF
Paraguay
International Monetary Fund
Argentine debt crisis
Afro-Latin American issues
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Uruguay
Colombia
manufacturing
transportation
agriculture
commodities
coal
mining
soybeans
deforestation
opium
labor
food
cuisine
Japanese
prejudice
corruption
history
chifa
hydro-electric plants
Nicolas Maduro
Diosdado Cabello
high-speed rail
extractive industries
The Amazon
Alberto Fujimori
LGBT issues
indentured servitude
Panama Canal
Asian-Latin American issues
Japanese-Latin Americans
Mario Vargas Llosa
The Shining Path
Mystery and celebration are the twin themes of Latin Pulse this week. The mystery is provided through an analysis of the complex case regarding the death of Alberto Nisman, a special prosecutor in Argentina. The program sorts through the case linked to the bombing of a Jewish community center in the 1990s. The celebration theme comes in the form of Carnival in Brazil. The news segment of the program discusses how the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team has cast doubt on the explanation of the Mexican government regarding 43 missing students, a case that has galvanized a protest movement in Mexico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Fulton Armstrong, of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and**
Rachel Glickhouse, author of the Rio Gringa blog.***
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
*More from Fulton Armstrong on the Nisman case can be found here.
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
diplomacy
trade
Argentina
Alberto Nisman
Iran
Hector Timmerman
Brazil
Intelligence Secretariat
Drug War
espionage
Mexico
violence
terrorism
scandal
culture
music
Afro-Brazilians
AMIA bombing
Carlos Menem
Hezbollah
oil
justice
conspiracy
Israel
impunity
media
China
Catholicism
Carnival
samba
parades
celebration
Jewish community center
Antonio Jaime Stiusso
Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
The debate over immigration in the U.S. took center stage in Washington, DC, and with the U.S. Congress this week, and that provides one of the main themes for this edition of Latin Pulse this week. The program looks at the historical context of the immigration debate and analyzes the potential for progress on immigration reform. The program also provides an update on the Zapatistas in Chiapas and discusses the problems that they face with violence and repression. The news segment of the program looks the series of hearings this week regarding diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Susan Martin, director of Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM); and
*Giles Clarke of Getty Images Reportage.**
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
Clarke's photo essay on the Zapatistas for Business Insider* can be found here.
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
diplomacy
trade
United States
tourism
Raul Castro
travel
Barack Obama
U.S. Congress
espionage
Brazil
Colombia
immigration
economics
politics
Argentina
terrorism
Intelligence Secretariat
Alberto Nisman
violence
free speech
internet
Guantanamo
baseball
cigars
remittances
embargo
shipping
democracy
censorship
music
Panama
USAID
economic sanctions
Panama Canal
Cuban rappers
rap music
hip hop
Los Aldeanos
Robert Menendez
Marco Rubio
U.S. State Department
Colombian Civil War
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
The tensions within U.S. policy toward Cuba provide the main focus on Latin Pulse this week. The program analyzes how domestic politics in the United States continue to have an effect on the diplomatic changes in Cuba. The program also focuses on the continuation of controversial democracy building programs from USAID, aimed at Cuba. The news segment of the program looks at the complex case in Argentina linking the country's spy agency and the murder of a special prosecutor. The program covers the surprise reaction of the country's president this week.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Eric Hershberg, director of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and
*Sujatha Fernandes of the City University of New York (CUNY).*
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
diplomacy
trade
United States
tourism
Raul Castro
travel
Barack Obama
U.S. Congress
espionage
Brazil
Colombia
immigration
economics
politics
Argentina
terrorism
Intelligence Secretariat
Alberto Nisman
violence
free speech
internet
Guantanamo
baseball
cigars
remittances
embargo
shipping
democracy
censorship
music
Panama
USAID
economic sanctions
Panama Canal
Cuban rappers
rap music
hip hop
Los Aldeanos
Robert Menendez
Marco Rubio
U.S. State Department
Colombian Civil War
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
The historic changes between Cuba and the United States are rolling out but the Obama administration is also making aggressive diplomatic moves throughout Latin America. That strategic shift provides the centerpiece for discussion on Latin Pulse this week. The program takes a wide-ranging view of the geopolitical situation in Latin America and provides a preview of the summit next week of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). The news segment of the program focuses on the negotiations between the U.S. and Cuba and President Barack Obama's policy pronouncements on Cuba.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and
Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS).
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer;*
*Engineering Support: Zach Kromer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
Mexico
Guatemala
diplomacy
trade
United States
tourism
Raul Castro
travel
Central America
Barack Obama
U.S. Congress
espionage
Alan Gross
NSA
Pope Francis
Iran
China
Canada
CELAC
Brazil
Bolivia
Colombia
Honduras
Nicaragua
immigration
Venezuela
economics
politics
coups
OAS
Panama
John Kerry
Joe Biden
Dilma Rousseff
Evo Morales
El Salvador
Costa Rica
Nicolas Maduro
Patrick Leahy
Jeff Flake
Robert Menendez
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz
Edward Snowden
Laura Chinchilla
Daniel Ortega
Monroe Doctrine
Summit of the Americas
U.S. State Department
Chris Van Hollen
Luis Guillermo Solis
During the first month of the new year, Latin Pulse focuses on the spiritual aspects of indigenous communities as a way of providing reflection on this time of change. The program features the stories and analysis of experts on archaeology and anthropology to provide context on these deep topics. The program looks at spiritual practice and history in Mexico and Guatemala. The news segment of the program discusses the latest change in travel and trade regulations between the U.S. and Cuba, allowing travelers from the United States to travel to Cuba unfettered for the first time in many decades.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
David Freidel of Washington University; and
Tim Knab of the Universidad de las Americas - Puebla.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
Mexico
Guatemala
indigenous religion
diplomacy
trade
United States
tourism
Raul Castro
travel
political prisoners
archaeology
ancestor worship
Day of the Dead
anthropology
Central America
dream analysis
Maya
Aztecs
Nahuatl
agriculture
shamans
curanderos
Tikal
Teotihuacan
colonialism
Catholicism
culture
health
Venezuela, its economy, and its structure as a petro-state are the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. As Venezuela slips into recession and shortages of consumer goods become more acute, criticism of the government of President Nicolas Maduro is increasing. The program looks at the patterns of how oil prices have often dictated the popularity of presidents and the shape of politics in Venezuela. The news segment of the program covers the meeting this week between U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto and how protests broke out in the United States due to the visit.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Dan Hellinger of Webster University; and
Alejandro Velasco* of New York University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**Velasco is also the author of the forthcoming book: Barrio Rising*.
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Venezuela
Cuba
oil
Nicolas Maduro
diplomacy
Mexico
United States
politics
drug cartels
violence
Barack Obama
economics
Hugo Chavez
Enrique Pena Nieto
protests
social programs
currency exchange
Jorge Castaneda
corruption
petro-state
gasoline
inflation
recession
China
socialism
Russia
OPEC
riots
military
coups
PSUV
history
Bolivia
Ecuador
Brazil
Chile
trade
media
Carlos Andres Perez
Alvaro Garcia Linera
This week, Latin Pulse looks at the historic decision of the United States and Cuba to normalize diplomatic relations. After more than a half-century of tensions and embargoes, the next steps for Cuba are the central focus of this program. The program also includes analysis of the human rights situation in the country and debates the effectiveness of democracy-building programs initiated by the United States. The news segment of the program looks at the onset of recession in Venezuela and the reaction of the government to the economic problems.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
Eric Hershberg of American University's Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS); and
Phil Peters of the Cuba Resource Center.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here click here.)****
(To see a set list of songs used in the production of this program, please go here.)
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
embargo
Cuba
business
Raul Castro
diplomacy
democracy
United States
politics
political prisoners
espionage
Barack Obama
economics
Angel Carromero
Ladies in White
Dissidents
Alan Gross
Cuban Five
Oswaldo Payá
Aron Modig
Republican Party
Sanctions
Venezuela
human rights
recession
oil
trade
conservatives
USAID
Spain
repression
poverty
human rights
intelligence services
Marco Rubio
Jeff Flake
Rand Paul
U.S. Senate
U.S. Congress
Harold Cepero
free speech
U.S. State Department
Rolando Sarraff Trujillo
In this special edition of Latin Pulse, we dip into the holiday spirit, literally, by exploring the spirit of tequila. The program includes an in-depth discussion of the business and economics surrounding the trade of tequila and how the taste for tequila has changed, propelled by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The program also includes a tasting and discussion of top shelf tequilas. The news segment of the program looks at the historic proposal this week worked out between the Cuban and U.S. governments regarding discussions of normalizing diplomatic relations after more than 53 years of conflict.
The program includes an in-depth interview with:
Ramses Armendariz of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
(To see a set list of songs used in the production of this program, please go here.)
**(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)****podcast
news
Latin America
tequila
Cuba
Business
NAFTA
micro-distillers
Mexico
United States
Cuervo
Don Julio
Bacardi
Barack Obama
diplomacy
alcohol
Agave
Jalisco
Alan Gross
Cuban Five
Cuervo Reserva de la Familia
trade
alcoholic beverages
whiskey
bourbon
Canada
mezcal
Diageo
economics
beer
This week, Latin Pulse rejoins its analysis of Venezuela with a focus on the political and economic debate there. With the U.S. levying economic sanctions on the country due to human rights violations, the opposition and protests movements again take center stage in the debate. The program also looks at the issues of justice regarding accusations leveled at opposition politicians and the jailing of Leopoldo Lopez. The program includes a wide-ranging discussion of the development of the current form of Venezuelan government and how the death of President Hugo Chavez continues to be felt in amidst the current crisis.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Alejandro Velasco* of New York University; and
Dan Hellinger of Webster University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)****
**Velasco is also the author of the forthcoming book: Barrio Rising*.
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Venezuela
Nicolas Maduro
Hugo Chavez
Leopoldo Lopez
democracy
Colombia
United States
oil
Chavismo
protests
justice
economics
Maria Corina Machado
sanctions
violence
elections
Barack Obama
human rights
politics
political opposition
economic sanctions
U.S. Senate
U.S. Congress
Amnesty International
conspiracy
United Nations
protest movement
Henrique Capriles
Alvaro Uribe
Diosdado Cabello
Human Rights Watch
imperialism
violence
diplomacy
PSUV
socialism
internet
This week, Latin Pulse puts its focus back on Cuba as Alan Gross, an imprisoned U.S. citizen passed the five year mark of his incarceration on the island. The program includes an in-depth interview analyzing the Gross case and what it means for U.S.-Cuba relations. The program also looks at the modern history of secret negotiations between the U.S. and Cuba and how those negotiations have subtly changed policy. The news segment of the program looks at the resumption of peace talks in Colombia after the release of a general held captive by rebels.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Phil Peters of the Cuba Research Center; and
Bill LeoGrande of American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Cuba
immigration
Alan Gross
diplomacy
espionage
Colombia
United States
internet
negotiations
USAID
democracy
civil war
peace negotiations
Russia
United States
immigration
Barack Obama
Africa
politics
media
health issues
embargo
Cuban Five
Fidel Castro
Richard Nixon
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton
Carlos Salinas
Jimmy Carter
Radio Marti
John Kennedy
Lyndon Johnson
Juan Manuel Santos
George W. Bush
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
George H. W. Bush
This week, Latin Pulse takes a deeper look at the disappearance of students from Ayotzinapa and Cuban migration to the United States. Global activists are protesting due to the disappearance of the 43 university students in Mexico. The situation is emblematic of decades of corruption and collusion in the Mexican government. This time, however, it appears the Mexican government will be held to account. Later in the program, Cuban immigrants are coming to the U.S. in higher numbers now than any time in the past 20 years. The program looks at the reason behind this increased immigrant flow.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Maureen Meyer of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA);
William LeoGrande of American University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
Iguala
Cuba
violence
Enrique Pena Nieto
disapperances
crime
police
military
migration
immigration
Jose Luis Abarca
Felipe Calderon
education
justice
impunity
refugees
economics
cartels
Agriculture
corruption
PRI
tourism
remittances
inequality
oil
ebola
Venezuela
Angola
Ayotzinapa
Chile
Liberia
politics
Beltran Leyva Cartel
Drug War
Fidel Castro
Raul Castro
Guerreros Unidos
human rights
civil society
organized crime
Juarez Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
extrajudicial killings
human trafficking
health issues
medical services
protest movement
This week, Latin Pulse studies the culture of indigenous religions as the program dives into the history of the Day of the Dead. The program takes a look at the impact of colonialism on this holiday, and how those changes impact Latin America today. However, the day continues to be a celebration of humanity's relationship with death and the environment. Then, in the second half of the show, the program analyzes Mayan spirituality and its central role in Mayan culture. The news segment of the program follows the evolving situation with a group of missing university students in Mexico.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Roberto Barrios of Southern Illinois University - Carbondale;
David Freidel of Washington University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Mexico
religion
tradition
death
Mexico
Aztecs
Enrique Pena Nieto
indigenous religion
violence
disappearances
migration
immigration
Catholic Church
Catholicism
education
history
colonization
colonialism
Pre-Columbian
Day of the Dead
agriculture
environment
anthropology
spirituality
Maya
Mayan
Guatemala
ancient
text
civilization
custom
culture
Indian
indigenous
archeology
celebration
This week, Latin Pulse provides insight into important elections in South America: presidential races in Brazil and Uruguay. Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff is fighting for her political life as some polls show conservative challenger Aecio Neves ahead with voting coming this weekend. In Uruguay, polls show former president Tabare Vazquez is the front-runner. However, balloting this weekend may reveal he is not popular enough to avoid a second round of voting. Necessary improvements in education is an issue driving both races. The news segment covers an informal alliance between Cuba and the U.S. to fight Ebola together in West Africa.
The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Cristina Pacheco of the State University of Paraiba;
Francisco Panizza of the London School of Economics.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**podcast
news
Latin America
Uruguay
elections
politics
Brazil
economics
Dilma Rousseff
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Marina Silva
corruption
Workers Party
Cuba
United States
Ebola
health issues
Fidel Castro
education
crime
protest movement
marijuana
finance
business
media
Aecio Neves
Tabare Vazquez
Pedro Bordaberry
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou
Jose Mujica
World Cup
labor
marijuana legalization
drug legalization
Broad Front
poverty
tobacco laws
This week, Latin Pulse focuses on Argentina's debt crisis. A federal judge in the U.S. is holding Argentina in contempt for failing to come up with a plan that satisfies all of its creditors from a default in 2001. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled it would not review the case, thus upholding the lower court decisions on the bond repayments. That decision triggered a second default. This case holds implications not only for Argentina's economic future, but for the position of financial outlets in New York. This week's news segment covers the victory claims of President Evo Morales in Bolivia.The program includes in-depth interviews with:
Peter Schechter of Adrienne Arsht Latin American Center of the Atlantic Council; and
Leslie Armijo of Portland State University.
**Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;*
*Producer: Jim Singer; and
Associate Producer: Gabriela Canchola.****
**(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)
(The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)**News
Latin AmericaArgentina
Latin America
debt crisis
Evo Morales
Bolivia
elections
politics
vulture funds
economics
Thomas Griesa
Hugo Chavez
diplomacy
trade
finance
Mexico
Colombia
Peru
Venezuela
Ecuador
Nicaragua
China
Chile
banking
justice
Barack Obama
George Soros
United States
U.S. Supreme Court
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner