Susanne Gratius comments on Cuba’s situation and considers 2010 to have been a decisive year. Issues explored in this interview include the massive layoffs, the protests by Cuba’s “ladies in white”, the release of political prisoners, the role of the Catholic Church, Guillermo Fariñas’ hunger strike and the EU’s stand.
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Susanne Gratius, FRIDE expert on Latin America, participated in a special programme for Antena3 TV International, which centred on different aspects of the region’s current situation.
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With the ratification of the Lisbon treaty, the EU had hoped to develop the infrastructure to handle the multiple challenges of the twenty-first century world. However, the rise of emerging powers, new security threats like cyber warfare, and the prospect of long-term economic instability have all sparked widespread talk of Europe's relative decline.
Richard Youngs, Director General at FRIDE, and Steve Chang, St Antony's College, Oxford, discuss these issues for World Today, BBC Radio 4.
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In an interview for Onda Cero, Pedro Solbes, President of the Executive Committee of FRIDE, analyses the euro and the benefits it has brought to Spain.
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Cristina Barrios, FRIDE expert on EU-Africa relations, analyses the return to politics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of Etienne Tshisekedi, who will run against Joseph Kabila in the presidential elections scheduled for November 2011.
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In an interview for Radio France International, FRIDE expert Cristina Barrios analyses the EU-Africa summit held in Tripoli, Libya, which demonstrated the artificial horizontality used to deal with joint concerns.
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Egypt is just one of a string of dictatorial style governments in Northern Africa and the Middle East, including Tunisia, Libya and Syria. Next year, another round of elections in Egypt, this time for the Presidency, could see the three decade rule of President Hosni Mubarak come to an end. Neighboring Tunisia’s frail and aging ruler could also hand over power in the near future, and one of the world’s longest standing dictator's, Libya's Colonel Gadhafi – is now into his fourth decade of rule. Kristina Kausch analyzes the situation of the African and Arab states for Free Speech radio.
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In an interview for Radio France International, FRIDE expert Kristina Kausch analyses Egypt’s parliamentary elections and the chances of Hosni Mubarak standing once again in the presidential elections to be held in 2011.
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In an interview for Radio Exterior de España, FRIDE expert on Latin America Susanne Gratius analyses the perspectives for including a democratic clause in Unasur’s establishing treaty, in order to avoid another Honduras in the future.
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In an interview for Radio France International, FRIDE expert on Latin America, Susanne Gratius, analyses the Unasur summit in Georgetown, Guyana.
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Pedro Solbes, president of the Executive Committee of FRIDE, and Carlos Westendorp, secretary general of the Club of Madrid, comment on the Irish crisis and the EU’s rescue package.
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FRIDE expert Cristina Barrios analyses the NATO summit in Lisbon and the need to revisit the organisation’s relations with Russia and other Eastern countries better to face the new challenges of the twenty-first century.
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Cristina Barrios, FRIDE's expert, comments on the NATO summit in Lisbon and the different alternatives of the situation in Afghanistan.
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NATO’s new strategic concept, the organisation’s relations, and its projects for the twenty-first century are some of the issues discussed in this interview in French for Radio Exterior de España.
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FRIDE expert Cristina Barrios analyses the implications of NATO’s new strategic concept and how it will guide the organisation in the face of the global threats of the twenty-first century.
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An analysis in French for Radio Exterior de España of NATO’s new strategic concept and the Alliance’s plans to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.
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The expert from FRIDE, Susanne Gratius, analyse for the Canary Islands regional radio the relationship between the President-elect of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and her political party under the shadow of Lula da Silva.
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Soon after the election results, FRIDE expert Susanne Gratius analyses the challenges that Dilma Rousseff will have to face as the new president of Brazil.
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Susanne Gratius comments on the appointment of Trinidad Jiménez as the new Spanish Foreign Affairs minister and the challenges ahead, pointing out, at the same time, the criticism suffered by the up until now head of Spain’s diplomacy, Miguel Ángel Moratinos.
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On 22 September, Espen Barth, secretary of state of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the FRIDE debate ‘Fighting over the Arctic? Opportunities and challenges for cooperation: a strategic vision of the Arctic’s evolution’, in which experts discussed the implications of the historic agreement recently signed between Norway and Russia on the demarcation of their maritime borders. Spanish TVE news broadcasted an interview with State Secretary Barth.
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Susanne Gratius, FRIDE expert on Latin America, examines for Radio Nacional de España how Brazil has become a relevant international actor.
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According to Susanne Gratius, FRIDE expert on Latin America, the opposition winning 52% of the votes in yesterday’s elections is a positive step towards pluralism. Also, in the words of the expert, the results reveal some discontent within president Chavez’s own party.
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FRIDE expert Susanne Gratius analyses the current paradox facing several countries in Latin America: as democracy expands throughout the region, violence levels increase.
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Cristina Barrios, FRIDE expert on African issues, analyses for the National Radio of Spain the elections in Rwanda. With a repressive and authoritarian style, president Kagame has silenced the opposition, but at the same time, has managed to boost the economy and eradicate corruption.
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FRIDE expert, Susanne Gratius, analyzed for the program "La tarde en vivo" (Spanish National Radio), the latest speech announced by Raul Castro that will mean layoffs in the public sector, but that will liberalize the economy of the island.
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Different interpretations can be given to the emergence of Fidel Castro in his olive uniform during the commemorating act of the Moncada assault (July 26, 1953). Susanne Gratius (FRIDE) and Carlos Malamud (Real Instituto Elcano) analyze the situation in this piece of news for TVE1.
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The Cuban government’s decision to free a number of political prisoners has triggered a heated debate regarding what the next steps should be in terms of Cuba’s relations with Europe, the USA and the international community.
International experts Stephen Wilkinson, Omar Everleny and Jorge María Sánchez, invited by FRIDE to a seminar on the island’s situation, debated the different interpretations of the prisoners’ release and the future of the regime on Radio Exterior de España and Radio Nederland.
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Speaking on ‘This Morning Live’ on RNE5, Susanne Gratius comments on the Cuban government’s decision to free 52 political prisoners and analyses Spain’s role in the decision.
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FRIDE expert Cristina Barrios analyses the challenges for the Belgium presidency in Radio France International.
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Gratius examines the relations of the new Santos administration with the United States, the European Union, and Latin America.
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Speaking on Radio France International, Richard Youngs discusses the meeting of the European Union heads of government in Brussels and highlights the important topics to be debated at the G-20 Summit in Canada.
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Cristina Barrios comments on the seminar organised by FRIDE featuring experts from the region, which analysed the delicate situation of Darfur in light of the referendum called for next January.
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Speaking on Radio Nacional de España, Pedro Solbes, President of FRIDE’s Executive Committee, recalls Spain’s 1985 negotiations to join the European bloc and analyses the present and future of a Europe that must adapt itself to the global arena.
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FRIDE expert Julia Schünemann discusses the dismissal of therecently appointed Fiscal General of Guatemala, accused by the Justice/law/legal system of being ‘incapable’, and explains the implications for the fragile Central American democracy.
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Speaking on Radio Nederland, the FRIDE expert discusses the chancellors’ meeting which will take place shortly, and at which the EU’s Common Position towards Cuba will be discussed. The Cuban Minister of Foreign Relations, Bruno Rodríguez, has already asked his European counterparts to modify their common policy towards Cuba, in place since 1996.
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On 17 May at the IFEMA conference centre, where the EU–Latin America Summit was held, Canal 34 horas (TVE) brought together Carlos Malamud, an expert from the Real Instituto Elcano, Luis Esteban González, a journalist from Foreign Policy magazine, and Susanne Gratius, FRIDE expert, to discuss their views on the summit between country leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
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Speaking on Radio France International’s English service, the FRIDE expert discusses the France–Africa summit taking place in Nice. Through this meeting, French president Nicolas Sarkozy aims to boost relations with not only the African continent’s Francophone countries, but also with its Anglophone ones, Nigeria and South Africa.
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Susanne Gratius, FRIDE’s expert on Latin American topics, appeared on the Antena3 TV international service to discuss the Summit which, on May 18 in Madrid, brought together 60 heads of state and government.
Presented by Antonio Izquierdo, the programme ‘Special Report’ also featured Fernando García Casas, head of the department of the General Secretariat of the SEGIB, Enrique Iglesias, and Carmelo Angulo, a former Spanish diplomat.
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Susanne Gratius comments for channel Antena 3 TV International, the different aspects of European Union-Latin America summit.
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FRIDE expert Susanne Gratius discusses for the Community of Madrid’s radio station the agreements reached at the recent EU–Latin America Summit and analyses Spain’s complex position vis à vis the bloc on the other side of the Atlantic.
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Speaking on Radio Nacional de España, the FRIDE expert analyses the new agreements reached at the VI EU–Latin America Summit and speculates on the next steps in the latter region regarding the European bloc.
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FRIDE’s expert on European Union–Latin America relations, Susanne Gratius, analyses the VI VI EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Summit which took place in Madrid for Russian channel RT’s Spanish service.
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Susanne Gratius, FRIDE expert resume the key points from the so-called Declaration of Madrid, which certifies the unity of action of the leaders of sixty countries on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition, she analyse the new perception that Latin America is putting down roots in the European continent.
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FRIDE expert Susanne Gratius and Cristina Gallach, the spokesperson for the Spanish EU Presidency, discuss on Radio France International the importance of the European Union-Latin America Summit taking place this week, and analyse the new form that relations between the two blocs could take.
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The FRIDE expert discusses the possibility of reaching any concrete agreements at the new EU-Latin America Summit, given the new leading role played by Brazil and the differing stances of the countries involved.
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Speaking on Radio Nacional de Buenos Aires (Argentina), the FRIDE expert discusses the economic aspects which unite both blocs and the agreements which could be reached during the VI EU–Latin America Summit, bearing in mind the financial crisis currently gripping Europe.
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Speaking on Radio Nacional de Colombia, FRIDE expert Susanne Gratius discusses the resuming of negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur and points out that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the main stumbling block of the ongoing discussions.
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With the announcement of a coalition government in the United Kingdom, a new phase begins for politics in the British Isles. The FRIDE analyst explains the situation and discusses the difficulties which the new government could face during its mandate with the liberals in opposition.
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El nuevo gobierno de las islas británicas queda finalmente encabezado por los conservadores de Cameron y secundado porlos liberal-demócratas de Clegg. El analista de FRIDE comenta el resultado de las negociaciones para Radio Francia Internacional.
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Speaking on Radio Autonómica de Canarias, the FRIDE expert discusses the possibilities open to both the Conservatives and Labour following the announcement that Gordon Brown is to step down. For the top two British parties, Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats have become the key to the door of 10 Downing Street.
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Speaking on the ‘Hoy’ programme on CNN+, Richard Youngs, director general of FRIDE, discusses election day in the United Kingdom alongside Giles Tremlett, The Guardian’s Spain correspondent, and Shaun Riordan, former British diplomat. He analyses the first exit poll broadcast on UK television, which reveals that Cameron’s Conservative Party has won by a small margin.
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Speaking on ‘La tarde en vivo’ on Radio Nacional de España, FRIDE’s director general Richard Youngs discusses the possibility of the British Conservative leader David Cameron forming a government through an agreement with Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats, following the narrow Conservative victory in the UK election on May 6.
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With a ‘hung parliament’, there is a real need to form a coalition government. Allowing this would bring the UK closer to the political systems of continental Europe.
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FRIDE associate researcher David Mathieson makes predictions for today’s general election and comments on the various parties for the Herrera programme on Onda Cero.
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Brazil is attempting to encourage a consensus between the international community and Iran regarding the latter’s controversial uranium enrichment programme. The South American power is taking advantage of its good relationships with both Tehran and Washington to attempt to resolve the differences which are for some reason irreconcilable, according to FRIDE expert Paulo Botta.
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Speaking on Valencian station Radio Nou immediately prior to the UK election, the FRIDE expert discusses the different options of the British people as they go to the polls. He also gives a detailed explanation of the country’s complex electoral system.
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Richard Youngs comments upon the topics that he felt were most important to the UK electorate: immigration and the country’s economy.
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Just a few minutes after the final debate in the run-up to the UK general elections, the director general of FRIDE analyses the events for the ‘Today’ programme (CNN+), pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches of Brown, Cameron and Clegg.
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Speaking on Canal 24 horas (TVE), the director general of FRIDE discusses the general election in the UK and predicts the topics which the Conservative candidate David Cameron, the Labour candidate Gordon Brown and the Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Clegg face in the final debate broadcast by the BBC.
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To commemorate the 21st anniversary of the legalisation of the Solidarity union on 17 April 1989, FRIDE expert Natalia Shapovalova analyses the contemporary situation in Poland. She also discusses the current political and institutional context following the death of President Lech Kazcynki in a tragic aeroplane accident.
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Following the kidnap at the beginning of April of the Spanish doctor Mario Sarsa
Manresa, the FRIDE expert discusses the political and social situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the Madrid radio station Tentación.
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Speaking on the ‘Otras voces’ programme on Radio Nacional de España, the FRIDE expert discusses the increasing importance of Latin America’s new trade partners (especially China and Russia) and the declining influence of the United States and Europe in the region.
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The elections currently underway in Sudan will be decisive for the country as it prepares for next year’s referendum on the Darfur region. FRIDE’s expert on African topics discusses the situation in the country on Radio Autonómica de Canarias.
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Speaking on RN5's "Todo Noticias" programme, the coordinator of FRIDE's Darfur project discusses the preparations in Sudan for the first multi-party elections in 24 years and the implications for a troubled region that has been in conflict since 1987.
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After a week of protests by the 'Damas de Blanco', the FRIDE expert participates in a discussion on Radio Nacional de España about the current situation of the Cuban regime and dissidence. Also participating in the discussion are the Castro brothers’ sister Juanita, who is currently in exile, and Rigoberto Calceller, representative of 'Cuba Democracia Ya'.
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Jos Boonstra, senior researcher at FRIDE and one of the coordinators of the EUCAM project – undertaken in collaboration with CEPS – analyses the main challenges faced by the countries of Central Asia.
The director of FRIDE Richard Youngs, along with the ex-US ambassador David Mack and Mustafa Barghouti of the Palestinian National Initiative, discusses the visit of Catherine Ashton to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories with the aim of encouraging a rapprochement between Arabs and Israelis. He also analyses the way in which current tensions between the United States and Israel could allow the EU to play a more decisive role in the region.
The programme (Inside Story) was broadcast on the Qatari channel Al Jazeera.
Speaking on Radio Autonómica de Canarias, the FRIDE expert analyses last weekend’s EU–Morocco summit, indicating the actual possibilities of a rapprochement in the Mediterranean region.
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Speaking on Radio Nacional de Colombia, FRIDE expert Ed Burke discusses what the chance to return to the polls and choose a new Parliament means for the Iraqis.
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A few days after the meeting between the EU and Morocco, Radio Nacional de España brought together Pedro Martínez, expert in Arab culture, and FRIDE expert Kristina Kausch to discuss culture and politics in the Mediterranean sphere.
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Speaking on Radio autonómica de Canarias, the FRIDE expert discusses the International Atomic Energy Agency’s worrying report concerning the development of Iran’s nuclear plan. He also analyses the geopolitical situation of Iran in relation to that of its Arab neighbours.
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Coinciding with the tragic death of political prisoner Orlando Zapato, Cuba celebrates the arrival of the Brazilian president on the island as a new opportunity to revitalise its weak economy. Speaking on Radio France International, the FRIDE expert comments on the head of state’s visit.
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Speaking on Canal 24 horas, the FRIDE expert discusses the summit of the Bolivarian Alliance, which took place on 13–14 February 2010, the benefits of the Alliance for member states and the way in which Chávez’s Venezuela exerts its leadership.
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Following a new anniversary of the Islamic revolution, the FRIDE expert discusses for Radio Nou in Valencia the current discontent among the Iranian population due to the lack of civil liberties.
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The FRIDE expert comments on Brazil’s position – as an emerging power and as a current non-permanent member of the UN Security Council – following Tehran’s announcement that it will continue its uranium enrichment programme.
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The FRIDE expert puts last Sunday’s elections in Ukraine and Victor Yanukovich’s victory into context and points out the implications for the EU.
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In an interview with Radio France International, the FRIDE expert warns that the Ukrainian government’s room for manoeuvre will be limited by cohabitation with Prime Minister Timoshenko.
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Speaking on Radio Univision, the FRIDE expert contextualises Iran’s refusal to remain at the negotiating table, and analyses the regional situation in the Middle East regarding this topic.
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The FRIDE expert discusses on Radio France International the Iranian regime’s latest manoeuvres regarding its uranium enrichment programme.
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In an interview for a TVE news programme, the FRIDE expert states that during the international conference, a consensus should be reached on how to defeat the Taliban.
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Talking on RNE1’s ‘Asuntos propios’ programme, the FRIDE expert discusses how on the international stage, Brazil has transformed from a marginal country into a real emerging power. Brazil’s presence in Haiti following the earthquake supports this theory.
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Speaking on Radio France International, the FRIDE expert indicates which issues related to Latin America should be a priority for Spain during its EU presidency.
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