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Latin America Edition

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Letter from the Editor

If you did not know it Latin America is home to 65% of the world’s lithium, 42% of the world’s silver, 38% of the world’s copper, 20% of the world’s oil reserves, and more than 20% of the world’s rare earth elements.  These numbers are certainly not lost upon three sets of eyes – namely China, Russia, and the United States, all of whom are fixated on this region, with a laser-like focus, to meet the growing demands of consumers worldwide.  The last ten years especially has seen a surge of mining activity throughout Latin America as these three major powers have made every effort to exert their political prowess, social influence, and financial capabilities, to curry favor with foreign heads of state and other influential leaders to ensure they have a seat at the table. 


China has been extremely active throughout Latin America as one of the largest global consumers of minerals and metals, and consequently leveraged their financial strength to procure access to resources such as copper, lithium, iron ore, and oil. Chinese companies have invested heavily in these nations, seeking to secure access to critical resources.  However, China's growing influence in the region has raised concerns over environmental degradation and labor rights, as many of these mining operations are conducted with minimal regulatory oversight.  Russia’s mining interests in Latin America have been more selective but growing steadily.  Russian companies, particularly in the energy and mining sectors, have been investing in countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Bolivia.  As but one example, in Venezuela Russian companies have been involved in extracting oil and minerals, including gold and diamonds, in areas where the state has limited control.  Russia's mining activities are often tied to broader political and strategic interests, seeking to strengthen bilateral relations with these nations while countering the influence of the United States and China. 


The United States has a long history of mining operations in Latin America, as one of the dominant players in the extraction of resources such as copper, gold, silver, and oil.  However, the legacy of U.S. mining has been a double-edged sword: while bringing economic growth to many Latin American countries, it has also been a source of social unrest, and environmental harm, with some U.S. corporations facing human rights violations as well.   While the extraction of natural resources in Latin America by these political heavyweights promises economic growth, geopolitical influence, and much-needed infrastructure, there is clearly a dark side to these mining contracts no one dares to speak of. Serious concerns about deforestation, water contamination, displacement of indigenous communities, social equity, and sovereignty top the list.  The future of mining in Latin America will depend on how these powers choose to navigate the challenges confronting them. 

The Deerfield Report - DECEMBER 2024

Previous reports - June 2024

Suriname Urges Action Against Corruption and Terrorist Financing

Suriname Urges Action Against Corruption and Terrorist Financing

Suriname Urges Action Against Corruption and Terrorist Financing

Suriname is falling short in the fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing. That is the conclusion of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

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Why the 2024 Election May Not Be an Easy Win for Maduro

Suriname Urges Action Against Corruption and Terrorist Financing

Suriname Urges Action Against Corruption and Terrorist Financing

As the July 28th presidential election approaches, Nicolás Maduro's continuation in power seems less certain than in previous polls. 

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Javier Milei’s new model sparks Argentina's largest protests

Javier Milei’s new model sparks Argentina's largest protests

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The massive marches in defense of public universities in Argentina mark a turning point in Javier Milei’s presidency. In a nation grappling with economic turmoil...

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Haiti's rise of violence: A humanitarian emergency unfolding

Javier Milei’s new model sparks Argentina's largest protests

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Previous reports - FEBRUARY 2024

Nayib Bukele Wins Reelection Despite El Salvador's Constitution

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In October 2023, Daniel Noboa became the youngest person to be elected President of Ecuador.  However, Noboa has inherited a major problem which he must overcome...

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Bolivian Mining And Geopolitics

Nicaragua's Catholic Church Faces Increased Persecution by Ortega

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Geopolitics revolves around the control of natural resources. Our territory has been endowed with many minerals that, at different times...

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Nicaragua's Catholic Church Faces Increased Persecution by Ortega

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Dozens of priests have been imprisoned and subsequently exiled. Temples are under surveillance, and homilies are being recorded. 

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Previous reports - OCTOBER 2023

Ecuador's Presidential Elections Marked by Violence & Uncertainty

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On October 15, Ecuadorians will attend the second Presidential and Legislative Elections round. The two favourite candidates are Luisa González...

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Depletion of Gas Reserves in Bolivia: Economic Impact

Ecuador's Presidential Elections Marked by Violence & Uncertainty

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Bolivia commenced exporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Argentina in the 1970s and later extended its market to Brazil in the 1990s.  

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Continuation or Disruption? Argentina's Upcoming Election's

Honduras Mirrors El Salvador's Crime War with Militarization

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The impending general election on October 22 presents a unique scenario in recent Argentine history. There is a possibility of a distinctly right-leaning party winning...

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Honduras Mirrors El Salvador's Crime War with Militarization

Honduras Mirrors El Salvador's Crime War with Militarization

Honduras Mirrors El Salvador's Crime War with Militarization

On August 24, the Government of Honduras extended the State of Emergency for an additional 45 days, marking the eighth consecutive extension. 

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Previous reports - JUNE 2023

Guatemala -A Tumultuous Race Marred by Exclusions and Controversy

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As June 25th approaches, Guatemala is gearing up for a unique election season, where new presidents, congress members, mayors, and representatives...

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Inequality fuels human rights violations by Maduro

Guatemala -A Tumultuous Race Marred by Exclusions and Controversy

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"Since the pandemic began, Venezuela has experienced rapid economic and social changes," says Darwin José Delgado, a Ridery driver who works nights in Caracas. 

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Lula's foreign policy towards the US, China, and Russia

Guatemala -A Tumultuous Race Marred by Exclusions and Controversy

Lula's foreign policy towards the US, China, and Russia

After four years of foreign policy that defied traditional paradigms of Brazilian diplomacy, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) declared, "Brazil is back"...

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Previous reports - march 2023

The Crisis in Ushuaia: The Need for Fair and Sustainable Housing

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Ushuaia, a small city of about 140,000 inhabitants, is a popular place to live as it’s a tourist city recognized worldwide as “the end of the world.”  

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Customs in Ushuaia: The Challenges of Importing goods

The Crisis in Ushuaia: The Need for Fair and Sustainable Housing

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Argentina is one of the largest countries in Latin America, geographically speaking, and one of the most important economies in the region.

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Peru Is No Longer A Democracy

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The demonstrations that started in December 2022 following President Pedro Castillo's failed coup and subsequent removal and arrest have only gotten bigger and ...

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The Malvinas Cause Today

Peru Is No Longer A Democracy

Peru Is No Longer A Democracy

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Previous reports - october 2022

Recent Colombo-Venezolana Commercial Border Reopening

Recent Colombo-Venezolana Commercial Border Reopening

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After more than seven years, the Colombo-Venezolana border re-opened on September 26, 2022.  On August 7th, 2022, Venezuela welcomed President Gustavo Petro...

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Teachers Protest New Regulations in Venezuela

Recent Colombo-Venezolana Commercial Border Reopening

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“I’ve been a teacher for 25 years, and the situation has been particularly hard for the past seven,” said Mario Villanueva, a second and third-grade public school teacher in Petare...

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Attempted Assassination of Vice President Fernández de Kirchner

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On September 1 at 8:52 p.m. local time in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, a man identified as Fernando André Sabag Montiel (35) waded through a crowd...

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The Lithium Rush is reigniting old conflicts in South America

Attempted Assassination of Vice President Fernández de Kirchner

Attempted Assassination of Vice President Fernández de Kirchner

Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina hold the largest reserves of this increasingly valuable metal. But in the face of global demand for making batteries, these countries...

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Previous reports - JUNE 2022

The Actual Influence of Taiwan and China in Paraguay

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The Actual Influence of Taiwan and China in Paraguay

Paraguay is the only South American country that currently recognizes Taiwan as not a part of China (Bloomberg News 2021). 

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Centrist Brazilian Voters in a Polarized Election

The Actual Influence of Taiwan and China in Paraguay

The Actual Influence of Taiwan and China in Paraguay

On October 2, 2022, the extreme right will face the radical left in the battle to determine who will be the next President of Brazil.  

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The Rise of Disappearances of Women In Mexico

Persecution of Journalists Deepens in El Salvador

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When Debanhi Susana Escobar went missing on April 9, there was confusing information about the events that led to her disappearance.

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Persecution of Journalists Deepens in El Salvador

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El Salvador might very well be one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist.  The severe level of violence, police brutality...

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Previous reports - February 2022

Suriname’s Largest Creditors are not Part of the IMF-agreement

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On April 29, 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached a USD 688 million Staff-Level Agreement with the Republic of Suriname.  

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Mass Trials and Severe Sentences in Cuba Deepen Social Unrest

Suriname’s Largest Creditors are not Part of the IMF-agreement

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When Walnier Luis Aguilar Rivera turned 21, he was sentenced to spend more time than he had lived in a prison in Cuba for participating in the demonstrations on July 11, 2021. 

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Colombia’s Presidential Front-runner is Anti-Oil

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Gustavo Petro is the likely favorite to become the first leftist president in Colombia.  He also once picked up arms against the state he now wants to lead.  

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Venezuela: A Developing Crypto Nation?

Colombia’s Presidential Front-runner is Anti-Oil

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Despite all its economic and political troubles, could Venezuela be on the path of becoming a legitimate Crypto Nation? Well, until the third quarter of 2021...

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Previous reports - OCTOBER 2021

The Controversy Surrounding Abimael Guzmán’s Death

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Abimael Guzmán’s cruelty is widely known in Peru and Latin America.  Guzmán was born in Arequipa, he studied Law and Philosophy and was a professor and administrative...

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Is Guyana Falling Victim to the “Resource curse”

The Controversy Surrounding Abimael Guzmán’s Death

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Guyana became one of the most sought-after regions for new oil exploration after more than 9 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas were discovered off it’s coast.

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China Makes the Best of the Pandemic in Latam and the Caribbean

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Economic and political ties between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have significantly strengthened over the last decade. 

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Nicaraguan Elections Have a Winner Before They’ve Begun

China Makes the Best of the Pandemic in Latam and the Caribbean

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When Nicaragua holds presidential elections on November 7th, Daniel Ortega will have secured a fourth consecutive presidential term, his fifth in total and the second.

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Previous reports - JULY 2021

Understanding Protests in Colombia and The Economic Effect

Taipei and Beijing compete for influence in Latam & the Caribbean

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The protests occurring in Colombia, in the midst of the most devastating peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, were triggered by a few key events one must understand to know...

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Taipei and Beijing compete for influence in Latam & the Caribbean

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As in every other domain of global politics, the Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the dynamics surrounding Taiwan’s bout for international recognition and China’s efforts... 

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Nayib Bukele’s Troubling Relationship with Gangs

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"Prisoners housed in specific cells based on their gang affiliation is over.  We have placed all terrorist groups in the same cell, in all security penal centers...

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Honduras: Can the National Party be Toppled?

Nayib Bukele’s Troubling Relationship with Gangs

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 The general elections to be held on November 28 of this year represent an unprecedented opportunity to end the authoritarian regime of the National Party 

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Previous reports - APRIL 2021

The Escalating Conflict Between the Venezuelan Military and FARC

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Two weeks ago Nicolás Maduro’s government began an unprecedented military operation in the southwest of the country. Their enemy: leftist FARC dissident group the 10th Front. 

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Ecuador's Electoral Runoff: a Choice Between Two Familiar Visions

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 On April 11th Ecuador will elect a new president in the midst of the worst economic crisis the country has experienced since its return to democratic rule in 1979. The Ecuadorian economy was devastated by COVID-19...

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The Changing Phase of China’s Lending Practices in Latin America

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 It is plausible that 2020 marked an inflection point in China’s relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).  According to joint research between Boston University’s...

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Who is in Charge, The Haitian Government or the Criminal Gangs?

The Changing Phase of China’s Lending Practices in Latin America

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 Haiti has been rocked by protests for months.  Protesters have flooded the capital, Port-au-Prince, in demonstrations that have, at times, turned violent demanding...

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Previous reports - january 2021

After a Political Battle, an Uncertain Path Forward in Bolivia

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 When Evo Morales was elected President in 2006, Bolivia began a new political era, one which it’s designers called “the Plurinational State.” 

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New Constitution: Chile’s Biggest Political Change in 30 years

After a Political Battle, an Uncertain Path Forward in Bolivia

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 One year after massive street protests rocked the nation, Chileans held a plebiscite on October 25, to vote on whether to redraft its constitution...

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The Debt Problem of Sino-African Relations

China’s Shifting Digital Diplomacy in Latin America

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 Over the past two decades, China gradually became Africa’s single largest lender, funneling close to $150 billion to the region.  

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China’s Shifting Digital Diplomacy in Latin America

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 Cross-continental calamities have a way of accelerating ongoing technological disruptions, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.  

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previous reports - OCTOBER 2020

The Perfect Storm in Peru

Will The Ortega regime survive the 2021 elections?

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Peru is reeling on multiple fronts; first, the multi-pronged crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic is devastating both the economic and the public health sectors

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Will The Ortega regime survive the 2021 elections?

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 When Nicaragua erupted into widespread protests in April 2018, the illusion of authoritarian stability offered by president Daniel Ortega was dispelled.  

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Fuel Scarcity Throws Venezuelan Border Regions Into Chaos

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 After more than 11 weeks without gasoline, the Venezuelan border city of Táchira is finally receiving shipments of the Iranian fuel...

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The Eye of Huawei in Suriname

Fuel Scarcity Throws Venezuelan Border Regions Into Chaos

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 Paramaribo, the capital and first smart city in Suriname, is raising questions about civil liberties and foreign espionage.  During the second weekend of September...

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PREVIOUS REPORTS - SEPTEMBER 2020

Colombian Armed Groups Sow Chaos Under Cover of Lockdown

Argentina - An Executive Office With an Imperfect Marriage

Argentina - An Executive Office With an Imperfect Marriage

Since President Ivan Duque declared a national quarantine in early March, various armed groups in Colombia have utilized the national lockdown to consolidate power...

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Argentina - An Executive Office With an Imperfect Marriage

Argentina - An Executive Office With an Imperfect Marriage

Argentina - An Executive Office With an Imperfect Marriage

A debt crisis is looming in Argentina. The monetary policies of Argentinian Vice President Cristina Kirchner have created serious macroeconomic imbalances...

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Bolivia Struggles With Two Deadly Crises

Bolivia Struggles With Two Deadly Crises

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Bolivia finds itself grappling with a dual crises. Already hard hit by the pandemic as the number of Covid-19 cases skyrocket, the interim government ... 

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The Shadows of Nayib Bukele

Bolivia Struggles With Two Deadly Crises

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On June 1, 2019, Nayib Bukele's ascended to the El Salvadorian presidency. He offered the promise of a young new leader who would break the partisanship...

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Previous Reports - June 2020

Covid-19 - The New Excuse for Authoritarian Control in Venezuela

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Covid-19 - The New Excuse for Authoritarian Control in Venezuela

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Maduro's Last Resource: "Blood Gold"

Covid-19 - The New Excuse for Authoritarian Control in Venezuela

Covid-19 - The New Excuse for Authoritarian Control in Venezuela

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Bolivia's Interim President: Serious Challenges and Challengers

Bolivia's Interim President: Serious Challenges and Challengers

Bolivia's Interim President: Serious Challenges and Challengers

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The Petro: A failed Bid to Save an Economy

Bolivia's Interim President: Serious Challenges and Challengers

Bolivia's Interim President: Serious Challenges and Challengers

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