Latin Pulse

It's the fourth anniversary of Latin Pulse, and the program celebrates in its own way:  a medley of out-takes and pithy comments from the most popular programs of the past year. The topics on the program range from a review of the crisis of unaccompanied minors on the U.S.-Mexico border to covering various fronts in the Drug War.  The program also includes segments on the economic impact of China on Latin America.  The news segment of the program covers the aftereffects of the earthquake in Chile that saw a million people evacuate their homes. The program includes interview segments with: Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center;  Jo Tuckman of The Guardian; Jeremy McDermott of InSight Crime; Mark Jones of Rice University; Kevin Gallagher of Boston University; and Ignacio Siles of the Universidad de Costa Rica. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Technical Director: Jim Singer; and Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Guatemala corruption politics Chile disaster Cuba Mexico Michelle Bachelet Central America United States Brazil Drug War El Salvador U.S. Congress Zetas Cartel Guerreros Unidos Gang Knights Templar Cartel immigration violence Beltran-Leyva Cartel Gulf Cartel diplomacy poverty Tijuana Cartel Sinaloa Cartel gangs cartels police Honduras justice crime Venezuela military Felipe Calderon Hugo Chavez Nicolas Maduro Costa Rica media China Argentina Cuba Paraguay Uruguay mining elections agriculture environment Peru Ecuador Brazil Colombia newspapers internet advertising trade Barack Obama The Amazon La Nacion economics

Religion in Latin America provides the theme this week on Latin Pulse, as Cuba prepares for an official visit from Pope Francis. The program analyzes the importance of the pope's upcoming trip to Cuba and reflects on how the Cuba trip will provide a preface for the pope's visit to the United States. The program also reviews a new book that deals with how religion is fighting violence throughout Latin America, especially Central America.  The news segment of the program reviews the results in the first round of the Guatemalan presidential voting and the upset of comedian Jimmy Morales. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University; and Alex Wilde of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS). Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Technical Director: Jim Singer; and Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Guatemala corruption politics elections Catholicism Cuba Mexico Pope Francis Central America United States Brazil Jimmy Morales Raul Castro Fidel Castro Junipero Serra Otto Perez Molina Afro-Latin American issues colonialism Bolivia liberation theology LGBT issues same-sex marriage indigenous issues diplomacy violence colonialism Bolivia Honduras poverty democracy prisons evangelicals immigration human rights El Salvador Oscar Romero street gangs religion capitalism

The seismic political shift in Guatemala provides the focus this week on Latin Pulse. The program covers both the resignation of President Otto Perez Molina due to a corruption scandal and the presidential elections that will have the country voting on new leaders this weekend.  The program analyzes the impact of the United Nations' International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG, by its Spanish acronym) in uncovering corruption and supporting the justice system.  The program also provides a preview of the elections and how the issue of corruption has become the centerpiece of that process too. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Adriana Beltran of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); and Julie Lopez of Plaza Publica. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Technical Director: Jim Singer; and Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Guatemala corruption politics elections justice scandal CICIG Roxanna Baldetti Central America protest movement democracy United Nations Alejandro Maldonado Manuel Baldizon Edgar Barquin Otto Perez Molina National Convergence Front rule of law International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala LIDER Party Jimmy Morales Sandra Torres UNE Party oligarchy violence media impunity

Violence, crime and national security provide the themes this week on Latin Pulse. First, the program reviews security in Mexico, and discusses the rise of various cartels, especially the Sinaloa Cartel.  Another in-depth part of the program deals with the crisis in El Salvador due to the involvement of street gangs in a transportation strike. Both segments discuss how the central governments in these countries do not have the power to stop the criminal groups. The news segment of the program covers the border crisis between Venezuela and Colombia due to unauthorized immigration, violence and the influence of criminal groups. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Jo Tuckman of The Guardian; and Hector Silva of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS). Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Technical Director: Jim Singer; and Associate Producer: Natalie Ottinger. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Guatemala Mexico Colombia diplomacy Venezuela military immigration El Salvador Central America protest movement immigration human rights Jalisco Cartel Sinaloa Cartel organized crime Enrique Pena Nieto Salvador Sanchez Ceren Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman drug cartels extrajudicial killings death squads United States Barrio 18 justice politics democracy media MS-13 poverty economics impunity violence corruption police

Pursuit of justice in major human rights cases in Central America provide the central focus this week on Latin Pulse. First, the program considers the potential extradition of Inocente Montano, a former high-ranking military official in El Salvador who a Spanish court is attempting to try for his part in ordering the massacre of Jesuit priests and religious workers.  The second case concerns former dictator Efrain Rios Montt accused of genocide in the killing of Mayan villagers in Guatemala. The news segment of the program covers the controversies swirling around the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Havana. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Hector Silva of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); and Kelsey Alford Jones of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Announcer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Guatemala Cuba dissidents diplomacy Jesuits military Spain civil war indigenous issues El Salvador amnesty human rights Central America Inocente Montano Catholic Church Efrain Rios Montt U.S. State Department John Kerry Ronald Reagan Cold War health issues justice impunity genocide corruption oligarchy

Colombia and its civil war provide some of the central themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program discusses land reform, rural development, and indigenous issues and how they are related to the civil war.  The program also reflects on the Colombian emigrant experience and the various social and cultural forms that this community works to keep alive.  The program discusses Colombian music, dance, and customs.  The news segment of the program covers the debt default of Puerto Rico and its economic crisis. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Jack Laun of the Colombia Support Network; and Maria Amparo Holmes, author of Conexiones/Connections. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Colombia development agriculture mining culture music police civil war indigenous issues Puerto Rico music debt crisis dance immigrtion FARC transportation insurgents Barack Obama U.S. Congress land reform rebels poverty trade military agribusiness infrastructure environmental issues Brazil Peru tourism oil Canada business Juan Manuel Santos Afro-Latin American Issues poverty tourism roses internal refugees cuisine Japan infrastructure siestas

Looking back at the violent history of repression in the Dominican Republic is the central theme this week on Latin Pulse, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of U.S. efforts to bolster a military dictatorship.  The program discusses the U.S. invasion and occupation in some depth and discusses how this event continues to resonate with Dominicans to this day.  The program also explores the political and economic fallout from that invasion.  The news segment of the program covers the violent transportation strike in El Salvador and how street gangs have amplified the tense conditions. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Tim Shenk of the Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR); and Lauren Derby of UCLA. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America elections politics military Cuba invasion Haiti police United States Juan Bosch Dominican Republic corruption El Salvador coup gangs economics transportation violence Joaquin Balaguer Rafael Trujillo human rights rebellion poverty trade immigration PLD Communism labor strife PRD land reform labor Puerto Rico tourism CAFTA agriculture media John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson Barrio 18 Gang Afro-Latin American Issues Fidel Castro

Issues in the Caribbean provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse.  The program provides a deep analysis of the issues confronting the new relationship between Cuba and the United States.  Major parts of the discussion reveal how these relations are linked to domestic presidential politics in the United States.  The second segment in the program discusses the racial tensions fueling immigration policy in the Dominican Republic, regarding threats to deport Haitian immigrants.  The news segment of the program covers the details of the historic ceremonies to officially open the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Bill LeoGrande of American University; and Tim Shenk of the Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR). Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America elections politics military Cuba diplomacy Haiti immigration United States John Kerry Dominican Republic corruption U.S. Congress racism media economics Canada agriculture Jeb Bush Marco Rubio USAID propaganda Ted Cruz Pope Francis internet Barack Obama labor Raul Castro justice business Rand Paul Catholic Church human rights minority issues Afro-Latin American issues

War and politics provide the themes on Latin Pulse, this week, as the program tunes in to events in Guatemala and Colombia. The first segment of the program discusses the complex political matrix in Guatemala as the country heads toward presidential elections and what effects the anti-corruption protests in the country might have on that process.  The second part of the program examines how U.S. policies have affected the conduct of the civil war in Colombia. The news segment of the program gives details of the prison escape by Joaquin "El Chapo Shorty" Guzman, the head of the Sinaloa Cartel. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Julie Lopez of Plaza Publica; and Winifred Tate of Colby College. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America elections politics military Guatemala Colombia Mexico prisons civil war Drug War drug cartels corruption Sinaloa Cartel environmentalism media plagiarism immigration FARC LIDER Party Manuel Baldizon paramilitaries insurgents protest movement Prensa Libre economics Roberto Gonzalez coca CREO Party cocaine Monsanto violence glyshophate herbicides diplomacy Sandra Torres UNE Party peace talks Plan Colombia aerial spraying health issues human rights United States Otto Perez Molina Juan Manuel Santos World Health Organization Joaquin 'El Chapo Shorty' Guzman

Pope Francis and his trip to the Andes region of Latin America provides the central theme on Latin Pulse. The program includes a deep theological discussion of how Pope Francis is redirecting the philosophy of the Church to take the concerns of poverty more seriously.  The program also discusses the Church's views on LGBT rights, indigenous issues, and euthanasia.  The program also reviews the political issues in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay that intersect with the pope's trip. The news segment of the program covers the criticisms of ecological policies in Ecuador leveled by the pope during his trip. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Rev. Joe Eldridge of American University; and Alex Wilde of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Announcer: Guillermo Rodriguez. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America religion politics Catholicism Paraguay Argentina Bolivia Ecuador indigenous issues Pope Francis Rafael Correa oil Evo Morales environmentalism poverty Colombia euthanasia evangelicals indigenous issues LGBT issues colonialism corruption Rafael Correa Evo Morales economics Catholic Church Vatican The Amazon internet media

Pope Francis and his upcoming trip to the Andes provide the central theme this week on Latin Pulse. The program includes analysis from Rome and how the issues of marriage equality and LGBT acceptance by the Catholic Church may arise during the pope's trip.  The program also includes discussion of the pope's role in bringing Cuba and the United States together diplomatically during the past year.  The program includes analysis of the pope's shift to favor liberation theology. The news segment of the program covers the plans between Cuba and the United States to resume normal diplomatic relations. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Joshua McElwee of the National Catholic Reporter; and Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America religion politics Catholicism Paraguay Argentina Bolivia Ecuador Barack Obama Pope Francis Dilma Rousseff Brazil United States liberation theology the Phillipines LGBT issues Cuba diplomacy poverty environmentalism Mexico politics Canada marriage equality same-sex marriage climate change Catholic Church Vatican evangelicals Raul Castro Fidel Castro Drug War Central America El Salvador Oscar Romero Enrique Pena Nieto abortion media

Looking ahead to next week and the important meetings between Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff and U.S. President Barack Obama, Latin Pulse gives an analytical preview of what to expect.  The program includes viewpoints from both Brazil and the United States, taking into account the domestic problems Rousseff faces, including the worst economic climate in a generation as Brazil slips into recession, and the worst presidential popularity ratings in Brazil's democratic history. The news segment of the program covers the success of special trade authority in the U.S. Congress this week and what that means for Mexico, Peru and Chile. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Matias Spektor of the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil; and Victoria Langland of the University of Michigan. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America trade politics finance economics Argentina Chile TPP Barack Obama Trans-Pacific Partnership Dilma Rousseff Brazil United States U.S. Congress Snowden affair Xi Jinping investment diplomacy espionage spying China infrastructure agriculture human rights Joe Biden climate change gender issues military history environment Venezuela Cuba transportation Petrobras oil elections

Violence and salvation are the themes this week on Latin Pulse. The alarming rise in homicide rates in El Salvador catches our attention and the program discusses the causes and how the government is reacting to the rise in gang-related violence.  The reaction seems to be extrajudicial killings and the return of death squads.  The program also includes an analysis about the shift of religious beliefs in Latin America, including the rise of evangelicals and religious pluralism. The news segment of the program covers the latest votes related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and special trade authority for President Barack Obama. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Hector Silva of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University; and Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America trade politics religion homicide violence Puerto Rico gangs Mexico United States El Salvador Barrio 18 Peru Chile MS-13 Trans-Pacific Partnership Catholicism Canada TPP Barack Obama John Boehner U.S. Congress death squads extrajudicial killings police military ARENA Mauricio Funes poverty education John Kerry Salvador Sanchez Ceren FMLN business Juan Orlando Hernandez Afro-Latin American issues Guatemala Honduras Brazil impunity coup evangelicals agnostics Uruguay Cuba atheists Santeria Candomble Umbanda Nicaragua Paraguay justice media crime United Nations Santa Muerte folk saints Central America

Trade and financial concerns provide the central themes this week on Latin Pulse as the program focuses on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.  With the U.S. Congress split over the TPP, the program debriefs an economic expert on how the proposed trade pact will have an impact on jobs in Latin America, the U.S. and Asia too.  The program also unravels the key issues related to the debt problems of Puerto Rico. The news segment of the program covers the ongoing debate between Argentina and the U.K. over disputed islands in the South Atlantic. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Rob Scott of the Economic Policy Institute; and Mauro Guillen of the Lauder Institute of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America trade politics finance economics Argentina Puerto Rico Chile Mexico United States United Kingdom Falkland Islands Peru labor NAFTA globalization education TPP Barack Obama Trans-Pacific Partnership debt crisis Las Malvinas David Cameron Hector Timmerman healthcare pharmaceuticals Canada copyright law welfare taxes U.S. Congress Alejandro Garcia Padilla

Violence provides the central theme this week on Latin Pulse as the program looks at troubles in Colombia and El Salvador. In Colombia, as the country's civil war turns the corner on 51 years of pain, the peace process seems stalled as violence escalates in the war.  In El Salvador, violence levels are higher than they have been in more than 20 years.  The news segment of the program covers how women demonstrated across South America this week to call attention to the high levels of violence aimed at them and the need for laws to combat the problem. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Winifred Tate of Colby College; and Hector Silva of the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) at American University. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell;  Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Sierra Hancock. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)  (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.)   podcast news Latin America Colombia politics violence media Argentina gender issues Chile Uruguay El Salvador civil war peace talks gangs justice police crime military FARC ELN refugees agribusiness agriculture oil extractive industries Juan Manuel Santos Salvador Sanchez Ceren land reform mining insurgents paramilitaries MS-13 Barrio 18 Central America social media extrajudicial killings economics impunity Cuba prisons homocides