Mexico continues to face challenges in 2021, as it continues to grapple with economic fallout from the global COVID pandemic and amid policy shifts emanating from the United States, as President Joe Biden assumed the office in January. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, 67, also tested positive for coronavirus after a recent business trip; … Continue Reading
With the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) recently going into effect on July 1, the President of Mexico made his first visit to the United States on Wednesday, July 8. This marks his first visit to the White House and his first foreign trip since taking office in December 2018; it comes ahead of the U.S. election … Continue Reading
On May 5, 2020, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (“AMLO”) announced new measures to resume automotive manufacturing, mining, and construction activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mexican Minister of Economy Graciela Márquez Colín announced on May 13 a new plan to re-open the economy in three stages. The first stage of the plan is set to begin on … Continue Reading
Over 300 manufacturing CEOs in the United States sent a letter to the President of Mexico on April 22 asking him to align Mexico’s definition of essential businesses with that of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to minimize supply chain disruptions in North America. On April 21, the Mexican … Continue Reading
In January, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo travelled overseas for a trip that included stops in Germany, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. This was the Secretary’s ninth trip to the Western Hemisphere since assuming office in 2018 and his first overseas trip for 2020, underscoring the Trump Administration’s renewed emphasis on the importance of … Continue Reading
Like the United States, Colombia has similarly become very polarized over the past few years. Simply put, this dichotomy involves (1) those who support the former two-term President, and now senator, Álvaro Uribe Vélez (“Uribe”) and his political polices, and (2) those who do not support him or his policies. Colombia’s newest President-elect, Iván Duque … Continue Reading
During his trip to the Western Hemisphere in early February 2018 – which included stops in Mexico City, Mexico; San Carlos Bariloche and Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Bogotá, Colombia; and Kingston, Jamaica – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stressed the continued importance of the region to the United States. In a speech that … Continue Reading
There were 13 candidates in the running for the presidency in Costa Rica until last Sunday, when Costa Ricans narrowed the pool two candidates. Among the 13 presidential candidates were several lawyers who are also politicians, including: Antonio Álvarez (National Liberation Party) – Lawyer, businessman and veteran legislator who twice served as President of the … Continue Reading
There is much uncertainty and speculation surrounding President-Elect Trump’s nascent foreign and trade policies, particularly given his domestic-focused and trade skeptical campaign statements. Though President-Elect Trump has not made specific comments about regional trade deals other than the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), his emphasis on returning jobs to the United States could impact … Continue Reading