Research Library

Brazil's economy is among those most closed to foreign trade. Debate on trade policy has returned to the political agenda, but domestic and international circumstances do not currently favor reform. This brief discusses the outlook for trade policy reform in Brazil during President Michel Temer's term and the challenges that will be faced by any succeeding government.

The author discusses the history of socio-environmental conflict in Mexico, the potential emergence of such conflicts in urban and rural areas in the future due to the energy reform, and the role the judicial branch may play in resolving socio-environmental challenges.

Since early 2014, Brazil has been in the midst of a political and economic crisis characterized by the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff, steadily worsening economic conditions, and an investigation into widespread corruption within the government and Petrobras, the state-owned oil company. Experts from the Latin America Initiative analyze different aspects of the current situation in the issue briefs listed below.

Since the first quarter of 2014, Brazil has been living in crisis mode as the result of a severe economic crisis in conjunction with an investigation into widespread corruption that has penetrated the highest offices in the government. Although the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016 did offer some hope for recovery, recent events demonstrate that Brazil's troubles are still ongoing. Contributing expert Sergio Fausto analyzes the main factors leading to this crisis and surveys the current economic and political situation.

Voices of the Americas is a space for Americas Project fellows to share their insights into events unfolding in their home countries and in the region as a whole. Links to the blogs are available here: http://bit.ly/1XaJ2hs

The development of the petroleum sector has been characterized by a succession of cycles of investment and expropriation that have been particularly pronounced in Latin America. This paper analyzes the causes of these cycles and the lessons that can be derived and applied during the implementation of the petroleum reform in Mexico.

This compilation of briefs addresses a range of issues the new administration will face in the coming years.  “It is our hope that these Baker Institute studies will prove to be useful starting points for the new administration to develop comprehensive, forward-looking solutions," said Baker Institute Director Edward Djerejian.

Although the energy challenge is significant and requires a long-term view to be successfully addressed, long-term goals can be sustainably achieved through fundamental research and development.

In the early 2000s, the Inter-American Development Bank conducted a series of analyses evaluating the role of key actors in the public policymaking process in eight Latin American countries — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela. This working paper reviews the degree to which these eight country-level analyses still accurately portray the actors and their present-day roles in the policymaking process.

The United States has a unique opportunity to reduce the spread of disease by engaging the leaders of the G20 countries and targeting neglected diseases. Fellow Peter Hotez explains how.