Research Library

The elections that will be held in Cuba on April 19 undoubtedly represents the most important election since 1979 — for the first time in nearly 60 years, someone from outside the Castro family will lead the country. Although the change at the top of the Cuban regime may not constitute a radical change in the political system, the symbolic significance of a post-Castro era cannot be overstated, write the authors in a new post for the Baker Institute Blog.

The people of Costa Rica will face a dilemma when they vote for a new president on April 1, writes Erika de la Garza: In Carlos Alvarado they have a candidate whose party has failed to deliver the change it promised in the last election. His opponent, Fabricio Alvarado appeals to their conservative instincts but seems unconcerned about Costa Rica’s reputation for tolerance, respect for all human rights, and regard for international institutions.

Days after Peru's Congress nearly impeached the country's president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, he pardoned his authoritarian predecessor, Alberto Fujimoro.

Mexico Center director Tony Payan weighs in on President Trump's decision to end DACA: http://bit.ly/2wDU1Zm

Aside from the massive cost of constructing a physical barrier along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, factors such as private and tribal land ownership and the impact on the environment must be taken into account.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appears to be a month away from destroying all remnants of what was once one of Latin America's most stable democracies.

Research scholar Abdullah Aydogan explores to what extent would the spread of right-wing populism in the West may influence the nature of civil-military relations across the world in a post for the Baker Institute blog.

Do laws in the Middle East adequately protect women against domestic violence? The author examines the positions of two highly visible Islamist parties — Al-Nahda in Tunisia and the Justice and Development Party in Morocco — on the criminalization of spousal abuse.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega was elected to a third consecutive and fourth overall term as president Sunday. While Ortega has successfully revitalized Nicaragua’s economy, his reelection signals a return toward an authoritarian power structure that dismantles the country’s democratic progress.

Venezuela's fragile democracy is crumbling under President Nicolás Maduro. Latin America Initiative program director Erika de la Garza analyzes the country's political and economic crises in the Baker Institute Blog: http://bit.ly/2ekRNFH