Transnational Terrorism, Security and the Rule of Law

Book: Captive Institutions

What do Chileans think of the Armed Forces since the death of Augusto Pinochet?
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Forum Europe-Latin America

Latin America & Caribbean

European-cuban academic views on the economy, development and cooperation

By Francesc Bayo, Anicia García, Susanne Gratius (13/11/2008)

Str/AFP/Getty Images

This document, which is the result of a collaboration between the CEEC in Havana, CIDOB in Barcelona and FRIDE in Madrid, summarizes the main results of a frank and open discussion between a select group of Cuban and European academics.

 

Latin America & Caribbean

Latin American's new conflict zones

By Ivan Briscoe (11/07/2008)

Marco Millán/AFP/Getty Images
Mexico’s attempts to combat drug cartels along its border with the United States and the dispute between Ecuador and Colombia over the bombardment of a FARC camp have shown the extreme difficulties in establishing state control over Latin America's frontiers, and the different views over how this should be done.

 

Latin America & Caribbean

The state of the negotiated political solution of the Colombian conflict

By Carlos Lozano (04/07/2008)

Colombian President Álvaro Uribe’s policy of “democratic security” is rooted entirely in counter-insurgent warfare and authoritarianism, which have served to weaken the FARC’s military operations yet do nothing to bring about the conditions for dialogue lasting peace.

Latin America & Caribbean

US foreign policy towards Latin America's oldest guerrilla group

By Sebastián Chaskel (04/07/2008)

US foreign policy toward Colombia is at a crossroads. Colombia’s security achievements – including the recent release of 15 FARC hostages – and prospects for a negotiated solution, coupled with a revived interest in the region’s efforts to solve its own problems, mean that Washington must update its policies in order to further its interests.

Latin America & Caribbean

Cuba: the end of an era

By Susanne Gratius (21/02/2008)

Sven Creutzmann / Mambo photo / Getty Images
A new day has finally arrived. Despite all the predictions, the post-Fidel era did not begin in traumatic fashion, but was instead almost stealthy in character. It was an orderly change that took place within the framework established by the regime. Little by little, Cuba and the world can now get used to the idea of life without Fidel. It is a positive development and there is hope that it will mark the beginning of a new era in Cuban politics.

Latin America & Caribbean

Colombia: a paradoxical state

By Kees Koonings, Dirk Krujit (17/01/2008)

El Presidente de Colombia, Álvaro Uribe
Raul Arboleda / AFP / Getty Images
Colombia is a paradoxical state, one of stable instability and unstable stability. The spheres of stability and instability, equally persistent, are linked to the country’s recent economic, social and institutional history. In this Comment article, Dirk Krujit and Kees Koonings of Utrecht University explore the unique political and economic factors that give Colombia its firm foundations despite the country’s troubled reputation.

Latin America & Caribbean

Chavez' failure at the polls opens a new horizon in Venezuelan politics

By Susanne Gratius, Laura Tedesco (11/12/2007)

With a tight margin of 1,4%, Venezuelans rejected a referendum on constitutional amendments on 2 December 2007. Their decision was not a judgement on Hugo Chávez himself, but rather on his proposals for a new state centred on the president and his “21st century socialism”. Nonetheless, the result of the referendum opens a new political horizon in Venezuela.

Latin America & Caribbean

Cuba: change and continuity in the 21st century

By Susanne Gratius (03/12/2007)

On 29 November FRIDE organised a debate in Casa de Galicia featuring the Cuban academic Carlos Alzugaray Treto, a profesor from the Centre for Studies on the United States in the University of Havana. The main internal challenges of the country, its foreign policy and the relations with its allies and opponents were at the centre of the debate.

Latin America & Caribbean

Is the politicial dialogue between the European Union and Latin America useful?

By Christian Freres, Susanne Gratius (01/09/2007)

Different European and Latin American authors analyse the results and prospects of political dialogue between European Union and Latin America. The editors of the book are Christian Freres, Susanne Gratius, Tomás Mallo, Ana Pellicer and José Antonio Sanahuja. All of them participated in this project financed by the Spanish agency AECI.

Latin America & Caribbean

The European Union and South American Populism

By Susanne Gratius (14/06/2007)

This comment examines the impact of populism in European Union's policy towards South America and concludes with a series of policy recommendations.

Latin America & Caribbean

The External Actors and Cuba after Fidel

By Susanne Gratius (01/04/2007)

This articles analyses the policy of the European Union, the United States and some Latin American countries in a post-Fidel Cuba.

Latin America & Caribbean

Hugo Chávez' "Revolution": a leftist project or historic populism?

By Susanne Gratius (01/03/2007)

This comment analyses the main characteristics of Chávez' political regime and concludes that his project is closer to historic peronism than to socialism.

Latin America & Caribbean

Forum Spain-Cuba: Spanish Policy and the future of Cuba

By Jorge I. Domínguez, Susanne Gratius (01/10/2006)

This Activity Brief reflects the results of three debates on Spanish policy towards Cuba and the opportunities of co-operation in the future

Latin America & Caribbean

¿Transición de Castro a Castro?: ensayando el futuro

By Susanne Gratius (15/09/2006)

Following the transition of power from Fidel to Raúl Castro, this essay looks at the power constellation inside the Cuban regime and underlines some common elements with the Spanish Transition.