New Yorkers have now experienced about two months under the new Mamdani administration. Last November, more than a million New Yorkers, including myself, headed to the polls and cast our ballots for Zohran Mamdani. The New York City mayoral election drew significant media attention from within the five boroughs and beyond. Mamdani stood out as markedly younger than his opponents, born in Uganda, and as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. Yet the aspect that drew the greatest

Just over a month ago, two events occurred that until recently seemed improbable: the direct intervention of the United States in Venezuelan territory and the overthrow, and apparent end, of Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship . The following reflects on the nuances surrounding this episode , understanding that it does not follow on from mere wars of words, but rather a conflict with a deep geopolitical heritage, both internal and external. The United States has a long history of i

This Trump administration’s recent Latin American chevauchées are old school. But the world has moved on since Monroe, and regional actors may well respond in more modern manners to the egregious treatment of Venezuela. ‘Gunboat diplomacy’ was the name awarded, perhaps most famously, to the actions of US Commodore Perry in the 1850s. The USA gained access to the closed-off Japanese economy by pounding Japanese infrastructure from the sea until it got its way. Though this infa

The second half of the decade begins with a political map in Latin America radically different from the one that marked its early years. The region enters 2026 undergoing a clear shift to the right , with political forces that have not only consolidated their power but have done so with greater ideological discourse and ambition for power than in previous cycles. During 2025, the right wing won all four presidential elections held in the region - Ecuador , Bolivia , Chile , a

On the 5th of December Donald Trump’s second National Security strategy was released to little fanfare, nevertheless precipitating great global alarm, not least in Europe, as it appears to promote an archaic vision of a world once again carved up for consumption by superpowers.  This National Security Strategy is very streamlined, at only 29 pages, compared to  Trump’s 55-page 2017 equivalent. It even describes these old strategies as ‘ bloated and unfocused.’  This reflects

When it comes to political crises in Latin America, Peru is always on everyone's lips. The country suffered yet another political earthquake early last month, ending the presidency of Dina Boluarte . The now former president, like her immediate and myriad other predecessors, was removed by Congress after a brief stint. Peru has had eight presidents in the last ten years, with Ollanta Humala (2011-2016) being the last to complete his term. Since then, instability has gone from

The elections held in Bolivia on August 17 marked a historic turning point. For the first time in two decades, the country took a...

Since early June, my city, Los Angeles, has been experiencing  an all-out aggressive immigration enforcement campaign from the Trump...

Chile is facing its most complicated political landscape since the return of democracy. The outlook for the presidential elections in...

CELAC–China summit revealed both the potential and limitations of regional diplomacy in this new era. China is defending the order that...

Politics in Latin America has its own particular elements that make it one of the most politicised regions in the world. The national...

Illustration by Will Allen/Europinion On February 20 2025, President Trump officially designated eight Latin American drug cartels as...