Debates
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Brazil: Lusophony as a transregional bridge
Brazil’s foreign policy is often analyzed through the lens of its regional leadership or its participation in the BRICS and the G20. Yet one of its most strategic dimensions has been its relationship with the Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP), a sphere that illustrates how a middle power can expand its autonomy in a multipolar international system by relying on resources that extend beyond economic and military power. During the governments of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003–2010), Brazil significantly reshaped its foreign policy. Rather than concentrating its international engagement on its traditional ties with the United States and Europe, it adopted a strategy that international relations scholars Vigevani and Cepaluni described as "autonomy through diversification": expanding its room for maneuver by building alliances with the Global South in order to reduce its dependence on the Global North. This approach was not unique to Brazil. Argentina under the Kirchners and Venezuela under Hugo Chávez also promoted South-South cooperation initiatives. However, Brazil possessed advantages that no other Latin American country could match: the Portuguese language, a strong Afro-descendant heritage, decades of technical cooperation, and a diplomatic corps with extensive multilateral experience. These soft power resources enabled Brazil to establish a distinctive presence in...
The Venezuelan diaspora demands its own voice: The path to representation in the National Assembly
More than eight million Venezuelans living abroad are calling for representation in the National Assembly, a goal that would require a constitutional amendment along with electoral and institutional reforms.
The geopolitical cost of underestimating Latin America
Whilst Europe delayed its engagement with Latin America, China quietly moved to become a key player in the region.
The democratic challenge of turning disenchantment into progress
Latin America's great challenge is to renew its democracies by transforming growing public disillusionment into an opportunity for progress, inclusion, and stronger institutions.
Petrostates, electrostates, and the new geopolitics of energy
The energy transition is redefining global power, shifting geopolitical competition away from oil and toward electricity, energy storage technologies, and strategic minerals.
Raising our gaze: Rome and the power of symbols
The photograph that never appeared revealed the true power behind Leo XIV’s visit to Spain: the Vatican’s ability to construct meaning even through absence.