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Geopolitics Ideas

Why Colombia May Be Primed For A Social Explosion

The long lockdown period has only added to the frustrations people feel about their country’s unresolved class disparities, crass politics and history of violence.

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Ideas

Colombia, No Country For Old Folks

What if, instead of pretending to care about the welfare of the elderly, we just wrote them off completely? A dose of satire about public attitudes toward seniors in the era of COVID-19.

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In The News

George Floyd, Coronavirus And The Dawn Of The Chinese Century

Beijing is stepping in to fill the leadership void left by a United States distracted and hobbled by its deep, structural divisions.

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In The News

An Ode To Drinking In The Pandemic

Alcohol can be problematic. But it’s also a simple source of pleasure, and in moderation, may be just what the doctor ordered — until a vaccine is available instead.

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In The News

How Pandemic Shutdowns Can Turn Into A Political Weapon

The pandemic, and especially the fears whipped up by states and the media, may be pushing society toward greater submission to the world’s powers.

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Economy Ideas

What The Pandemic Teaches Us About Debt

Colombia is a prime example of how overspending and indebtedness leave little room for error, and why it’s important to take a new approach moving forward.

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Ideas

This Plague Is Different — And That’s Good News And Bad

Nature has its ways, and in the end, the pandemic will pass. But will humankind be able to return the favor and save that planet that still nurtures us?

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In The News

COVID-19 And The Cruel Side Effects Of Trying To ‘Ban Death’

The COVID-19 outbreak is a scourge like no other, but not because of the dangers that this particular pathogen presents.

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In The News

Bolsonaro, The Political Cost Of Downplaying Coronavirus

The Brazilian president may be risking his political future by taking the viral pandemic lightly.

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Geopolitics

Coronavirus: Why The Crisis In Colombia Could Be Colossal

With its oil-dependent economy and mostly privatized healthcare system, Colombia is particularly ill prepared for the pandemic.

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Geopolitics

U.S. Leadership, The Missing Link In World’s Fight Against COVID-19

In 2020, the world faces a pandemic without recognizable leadership from a state or multilateral bodies. Even diehard critics of U.S. interventionism may be missing the superpower of the old days.

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Food / Travel Ideas Society

Avocado v. Coffee, A Battle For Colombian Farmland

There’s risk of a veritable ‘coffeecide,’ as farmers are forgoing tradition and trying to cash in on the craze for Haas avocados.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Maduro Worse Than Xi? The Case For Colombia-Venezuela Trade

Troubled as Venezuela may be, it is a major, and needy, market right next door to Colombia. Double standards should not apply, especially when there are national interests at stake.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics

Washington And Latin America: Time To Undo A Warped Alliance

How have U.S. governments treated their deferential Latin American allies and admiring societies in the past century? A hard look from Bogota.

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Geopolitics Society

Coronavirus: Will It Earn A Spot In The Literature Of Plagues?

Contagious diseases through history have inspired authors, describing the horror, but also instances of nobility born of courage and compassion.

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Geopolitics

The Marketing Power Of Stereotypes

Italians are hot-headed. Brits can’t cook … Sure they’re offensive. But as marketing experts are aware, stereotypes can also help forge a group’s shared identity.

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Economy Society

The Revolution Colombia Really Needs: Free Buses

It may seem like a pipe dream. And it would certainly cost a lot, especially in a large capital city like Bogotá. But providing fare-free public transport could also be transformative.

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In The News

Impeachment: Trump’s Victory Is Boost For Latin American Strongmen

President Trump’s scuppered impeachment may provide a cue to regional leaders working to undermine their own democracies.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Coronavirus: A Pandemic Born Of ‘Strange’ Culinary Tastes?

The epidemic unnerving the world originated in the Wuhan shellfish market, where other local delicacies are sold. But does that matter?

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Economy

The Real-World Limits Of Colombia’s Economic Growth

The economy is expected to have a relatively strong year. But will the average Colombian really benefit?

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Ideas

Whiff Of Australian Smoke In South America, World On The Brink

From the apocalyptic Australian fires to the killer drone strike on Iran’s top military commander, these are troubling times indeed.

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Geopolitics

Around The World, The Best Days Of Democracy Are Still To Come

Authoritarianism seems to be gaining ground in many parts of the planet. But from Hong Kong to Chile — and many places in between — people are also pushing back.

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Green Or Gone Ideas Society

Why Women Are Particularly Vulnerable To Climate Change

-OpEd- BOGOTÁ — Is there a relation between women and the environment? Is it necessary to view environmental policies through female eyes? Is there is a difference in the male and female relationship to the matter? The response to all these is a definite “yes.” Around the world, women are the most interactive with natural […]

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Future Society

A Democratic Imperative Of The Technology Revolution

If societies really want to tackle inequality, they’ll need to do more than just improve access to new technologies.

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Geopolitics Ideas

How 21st Century Democracies Destroy Themselves From Within

From Venezuela to Hungary, populist leaders are carving away at fundamental checks and balances in slow and often subtle ways.

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Geopolitics

Next Up, Colombia: Why Latin American Protests Keep Spreading

Colombians are the latest in Latin America to take to the streets, in what may be the ‘first clang of the bell’ of many aimed at President Ivan Duque.

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Geopolitics Society

Colombia, No Country For Children

An attack on a guerilla camp killed several minors earlier this year. It was an ‘accident,’ say authorities, but it says a lot about the country’s dismal child welfare record.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Will Iran Step In To Suppress Lebanon And Iraq Uprisings?

Protesters in Lebanon and Iraq have been venting their fury at Iran, which is accused of practically running their countries. Tehran is not afraid to come down hard on its domestic opponents.

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Economy Geopolitics

Why Latin America Should Go All In On The Sharing Economy

The collaborative approach to trade, production and services could help countries like Colombia end their dependence on raw materials.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Is Venezuela Behind Latin America’s Surge In Civil Unrest?

South American states like Chile and Ecuador suspect Venezuela’s socialist regime of fanning rioting in their countries.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Democracy Hasn’t Made Latin America Any Less Turbulent

Politics in the region have become even more complex since the Cold War era of revolutions and military juntas.

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Ideas Society

Colombia, The Island Mentality Of A Mountainous Nation

Some of the world’s most insular places are cut off by land, not water.

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In The News

What’s Wrong With Rappi, Latin America’s Star Of Uberization

Questions are beginning to mount about the fast-growing, tech-based company’s business and hiring practices.

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Geopolitics Green Or Gone Ideas

Greta’s Right, Our World Leaders Still Don’t Get It

From climate change and migration, to tobacco deaths and exploitative business practices, governments and multilateral bodies are systematically failing to act.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics

Venezuela Revisited: Time For A Trump-Maduro Summit?

After Trump fired hawkish U.S. official John Bolton, who had repeatedly threatened Venezuela’s regime with military action, Maduro may have the opening he’s been waiting for.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Gangs That Rule Along Colombia-Venezuela Border

The border of Colombia and Venezuela has become a lawless land where people are kidnaped and killed with impunity.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Case For Legalizing Colombian Cocaine Production

The war on drugs continues to feed the flames of violence in Colombia, even in this so-called ‘post-conflict’ period.

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In The News

Same Old Faces: Rebel FARC Faction Has A Youth Problem

The decision of some prominent members of Colombia’s disbanded FARC rebels to resume fighting the government is bad news. But history — and demography — are working against them.

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Future Geopolitics Society

Brazilian Fires ‘Finally’ Spark Colombian Concerns Over Rainforest

Colombians were not overtly upset by deforestation in their country until recently. But massive media coverage of the Brazilian Amazon on fire may be changing attitudes.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Brutal Truths Of Maduro’s ‘Last Stand’ In Venezuela

Venezuela’s authoritarian leader is tightening the screws on his armed forces, the former regime bulwark now suspected as a seedbed of sedition, in a national setting of economic desperation and political despair.

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