Tag Archives: Energy

Different Means, Same Ends

By Eliot Brockner | Published: August 5, 2011
Oil production in Colombia is a popular topic these days. Domestic production levels are at an all time high, and Colombian state-owned oil behemoth Ecopetrol is considering selling 10 percent of its stake in the firm to the public. Dow Jones reports the deal will likely go down in 2012. Silla Vacia has an excellent [...]
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Broad Regional Integration or a Case-by-Case Basis?

By Eliot Brockner | Published: December 3, 2009
The AQ blog recently published an excellent article analyzing the effectiveness and utility of broad, multinational coalitions in the Americas: This is not to call for unilateralism or a rejection of international norms at the expense of alliances and partners.  What it does point to is a more limited, pragmatic agenda: engaging on specific, discrete issues with [...]
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China’s Shopping Sprees Head South: Forget “Howdy,” Now It’s Ni Hao

By Manuela Zoninsein | Published: March 9, 2009
This piece first appeared here on ‘China Calling,’ the blog from Newsweek’s Beijing bureau on Wednesday, March 4, 2009. Let’s hope China’s top diplomats have frequent flier accounts. Given the amount of time and money they’re spending on travels, President Hu Jintao and Vice President Xi Jinping’s loose wallets could benefit from some free upgrades. It’s [...]
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Iran’s Involvement in Latin America

By Eliot Brockner | Published: December 23, 2008
Tensions between the United States and Iran may soon spill over from the Middle East into Latin America. On a recent 5-day trip to Iran in December 2008, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmandinejad declared theirs to be a strategic alliance that transcends bi-national trade in a meeting between [...]
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Challenges Ahead for Paraguay’s New President

By Eliot Brockner | Published: August 23, 2008
On 15 August Paraguay welcomed the first president who was not a member of the Colorado party in 61 years with the swearing in of 57 year-old former Bishop Fernando Lugo. The former clergy member had to resign his position as Bishop before being allowed to run, due to a law in Paraguay that does not allow clergy [...]
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The Viability of the Current Kirchner Administration

By Eliot Brockner | Published: August 16, 2008
When Cristina Fernández de Kirchner replaced her husband on 10 December 2007 as president of Argentina, she inherited a relatively favorable position in Argentine politics. On the heels of an economic recovery and high popularity ratings, she seemed poised to continue the policies that helped rid Argentina of its debt. Less than eight months later, [...]
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