In Latin America, most drug-related insecurity is caused not by drug use itself, but by policies that persist in combating it through prohibition and punishment.
Venezuela and Cuba are experimenting with a limited economic opening to preserve political control, following the model of China and Vietnam without opening the door to democratic freedoms.
The figure of the "American friend" continues to symbolize an unequal power relationship, from the Cold War to contemporary transatlantic and Latin American politics.
Democratic values continue to enjoy broad support, but institutional distrust and political polarization threaten their resilience in Latin America and Europe.
