Ideas
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Inequalities of Racism
Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean has increased after the pandemic. The recent global economic turmoil has impacted almost a third (29%) of the Latin American and Caribbean population, while extreme poverty reaches 11%. My interest here is the internal composition of this poverty indicator. OXFAM's EconoNuestra Regional Inequality Report contrasts “the Afro-descendant population (24.3% impoverished) and the indigenous population (43.1% impoverished) with the non-indigenous or Afro-descendant population (19.4% impoverished).” These data highlight developmental processes that produce biased results against indigenous and Afro-descendant populations, indicating a situation of structural racism—a well-known diagnosis. The figures cited express economic relations, but at the same time refer to processes of inequality of a non-economic nature. As I point out in my book “Racism and Power in Bolivia” (OXFAM/FES, 2021), in our societies, people who are born indigenous (which is a social, not an economic fact) are more likely to be poor — as we have seen, twice as likely — than those who are not. They are also more probable to receive less education, live in poorer housing, have a shorter life expectancy, suffer more alcoholism and other preventable diseases, work hard and alienating jobs that begin in childhood, etc. The Report notes these inequalities as...
The embargo: an issue between Cubans
Since the end of the Cold War, the dispute has not been between the U.S. and the Cuban governments, as the island claims, but between the exiles and the totalitarian Cuban regime.
Our governments are insufficiently addressing the reduction of inequalities
We know that economic and social inequalities in Latin America are among the highest in the world. And these inequalities are not only a hallmark of the region, but have also been a drag on its own development. These inequalities are increasingly characterized by high levels of concentration of income and wealth in the hands of a few. Faced with this tragic situation, how much are Latin American governments doing? In the vast majority of Latin American countries, the top 10% of the population captures about half or more of the national income, according to the World Inequality Database of the World Inequality Lab, a joint initiative of the Paris School of Economics and the University of Berkeley. In Brazil, the figure is 56.8%, in Peru 57% and in Colombia 60%, while in most developed countries the figure is usually around one third. Something similar or even worse happens with wealth: the richest 10% of the population captures more than 60% of the national wealth. And in some countries, such as Brazil, close to 80%. According to Oxfam International's recent EconoNuestra report, the richest 1% of the population would account for nearly 43.5 out of every 100 dollars of total wealth...
Costa Rica today: balancers of optimism?
Every society and nation needs a dose of optimism to move forward. Positive values such as well-being and human development are associated with happiness and optimism. This is the case with Denmark, Norway and Finland, champions of the Social Progress Index, while Costa Rica ranks 39th, behind Chile (37th) and Uruguay (38th) in the region. This optimism also benefits and deepens democratic values, fosters trust in our peers, promotes healthy discussions and facilitates the promotion of improvements. But it is worth asking: does this positive outlook on the future mobilize citizens? Does it strengthen civic participation? Does it succeed in promoting social mobility? In retrospect, using the Costa Rican case, it initially appears that the advances of the social state under the rule of law validate such statements. However, systems wear out and require adjustments to continue functioning, leading to levels of disconnection from expectations and, consequently, pessimism. Thus, despite the benefits it brought in the past, today the Costa Rican society coexists with anger, pessimism, despair and violence—feelings and perceptions that appear in surveys and are also palpable in qualitative research. According to the consulting firm Borge y Asociados (in collaboration with Revista PODER), a majority of Costa Rican citizens...
Intimate Inequalities: Menstrual Poverty in Latin America
It is essential that menstruation cannot be an obstacle for any woman, and it is the responsibility of society as a whole to ensure a level playing field for all.
The progressive paradox: Petro’s regressive measures against Venezuelan migration
President Petro has aligned his narrative with the Bolivarian government's by attributing migration to the economic sanctions imposed by the United States in 2019.
