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The autor examines the first month of Keiko Fujimori’s presidency and argues that she has inherited an unusually favorable economic situation, but that this initial momentum will not be enough to guarantee political success. The author’s central thesis is that Fujimori’s main challenge is to transform Peru’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals into a stronger and more capable state, while resisting fiscal pressures and addressing security, natural disasters, and political fragmentation. In other words, Peru’s economic strength has given the new government valuable time, but the administration must use that opportunity to improve the state’s ability to deliver concrete public services. By the end of the year, the author suggests, it should become much clearer whether Fujimori used her favorable starting position to rebuild the state or simply used it to create more room for government spending.

Read the full article from Americas Quarterly here.

The author argues that the new U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement, despite its enormous financial ambitions, should be viewed with considerable skepticism. The author’s central thesis is that the deal’s impressive headline figures, particularly the billions of dollars in projected investment and government revenues, may create the illusion of a transformative agreement, while failing to address the fundamental legal, political, corporate, and technical problems that have devastated Venezuela’s oil industry. In Pacheco’s view, the success of the agreement will depend not on its size, but on whether it can attract the technical expertise, financial resources, and institutional stability necessary to actually rebuild the industry.

Read the full article from Americas Quarterly here.

Nach 25 Jahren engagierter, treuer und selbstloser Unterstützung verabschieden wir Fritz von der Schulenburg aus unserem Vorstand.

25 Jahre, in denen er den LAV mit großem Einsatz begleitet, unterstützt und geprägt hat, das verdient einen ganz besonderen Abschied. Und so war die Stimmung bei aller Wehmut vor allem eines: herzlich, persönlich und voller Dankbarkeit.

Umso mehr freuen wir uns über sein Versprechen, uns auch weiterhin mit Rat und Tat zur Seite zu stehen. Denn ganz vom Spielfeldrand verabschiedet er sich glücklicherweise nicht.

Lieber Fritz, danke für 25 Jahre! Für dein Engagement, deine Unterstützung und die vielen gemeinsamen Jahre. Wir wünschen dir für die Zukunft alles Gute und freuen uns auf einen weiterhin intensiven Austausch aus der Trainerloge am Rande des Spielfelds.

„Kontinuität des Wandels“ oder Belastungsprobe für den Rechtsstaat?

Am 15. August 2026 ist die Regierung von Laura Fernández in Costa Rica seit 100 Tagen im Amt. Die neue Administration knüpft in ihrer politischen Ausrichtung weitgehend an den unter Rodrigo Chaves etablierten Kurs an und kann dank ihrer absoluten Mehrheit im Parlament deutlich entschlossener agieren als ihre Vorgänger. Zugleich haben sich die Spannungen zwischen Regierung, Justiz und unabhängigen Kontrollinstitutionen spürbar verschärft. Auseinandersetzungen um die Besetzung der Verfassungskammer, die Kritik an gerichtlichen Entscheidungen sowie geplante Reformen im Bereich Sicherheit und Justiz haben eine Debatte über die Zukunft der institutionellen Checks and Balances in Costa Rica ausgelöst. Der beigefügte Länderbericht zieht eine erste Bilanz der Regierung Fernández und analysiert, welche politischen und institutionellen Herausforderungen die kommenden Monate prägen dürften.

Lesen Sie HIER den kompletten Bericht der Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

Great power rivalry, ongoing technological revolutions and changing world views and values have led to several ruptures in the world order. In late 2024, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) convened an independent commission and invited its members to prepare a report on the impacts of the evolving global environment on the region and make recommendations on how the countries of the region might respond. This book is the result of the work of the ECLAC Commission on Geopolitics, Globalization and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean. It is intended primarily for decision makers in government, the business sector and civil society who face the challenge of managing the profound transformations in the world order that are currently under way. One key message is that, while the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean cannot fully control these transformations, they have assets and options to navigate the new global landscape to achieve development gains and increase their agency in international affairs. Critically, their success will depend on the ability to craft appropriate strategies and to strengthen their governance and institutions to ensure effective implementation.

Read here the complete report from the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA).

On 10 August 2026, Colombia was struck by a devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake, the strongest recorded in the country in the 21st century. The epicentre was located near San José del Palmar in Chocó Department, with the earthquake affecting a wide area across western and central Colombia, including Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Caldas. Major urban centres including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales experienced significant structural damage, while the earthquake was also felt across much of the country and in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. The earthquake occurred only days after the inauguration of Colombia's new government, placing immediate pressure on national authorities as search and rescue operations continue and the full humanitarian impact is still being assessed. A national state of emergency has been declared to facilitate response efforts and mobilization of national resources.

Attached you will find the complete report from IOM UN Migration, 10.08.2026

The report provides an overview of Venezuela's transition from isolation to integration, and of its process of navigating the regulatory maze while operating under the lens of the US Treasury. The document also highlights the country's new legal framework and presents the energy sector's initial successes and ongoing challenges. Currently, the country faces two main challenges. Firstly, it must stabilise the Venezuelan economy, and secondly, it must respond to the post-earthquake situation.

Read more here.