Research Library

One of the goals of Mexico's energy reform was to create a regulatory system that would foster competition in a very complex political environment. This framework, known as "coordinated regulatory bodies," was established in Article 28 of the Constitution and is intended to oversee and regulate the hydrocarbons sector. This paper conducts a legal analysis of this new model of regulation and seeks to determine whether its implementation strengthens the rule of law in Mexico.

An intrinsic element of Mexico's 2013-2014 energy reform was the promise that transfers of technology required to exploit the country's hydrocarbons would take place. This paper analyzes the extent to which this has actually happened and proposes policies that could foster innovation in the energy sector in Mexico.

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.

This research paper analyzes portions of Mexico’s energy reform legislation related to increasing participation by small and medium-sized companies in the electrical market and the implications of including such businesses on strengthening the rule of law in Mexico.

China Studies fellow Steve Lewis offers an approach to increase and strengthen the number of “contact points” between the Trump administration and the future leadership of China.

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.

The recent energy reform in Mexico is the most radical institutional change the country has experienced since the nationalization of the oil industry in 1938. The authors of this paper outline how this major reform was accomplished, examining its primary supporters and detractors, the multi-dimensional interests at play, and the negotiation strategies used. They also analyze the quality of the prior deliberation process in order to determine the degree of legitimacy of the reform.

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.

This paper analyzes the possible impact of Mexico’s energy reform on the country’s environment, as well as the challenges to preserving natural resources and access to water while also supporting the expanding oil and gas sector.