Brazil: Lula Returns in Triumph

By Asad Ismi In what Time magazine called “the comeback of the century,” leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s most popular president (2003-2010), returned to power by winning the October 30, 2022 elections. Lula takes office this January. He defeated his neofascist opponent, incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, by more than two million votes (50.9% compared […]

Sri Lanka’s Neoliberal Nightmare

By Asad Ismi With the collapse of its economy in June, the situation is dire in Sri Lanka. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Sri Lanka faces a “serious food crisis,” with 6.3 million people—close to 30% of the 22 million population—being food insecure. Food inflation has reached a record-high of 90%, making staples […]

The Possibilities for Buen Vivir

By Asad Ismi You may have heard the term “Buen Vivir” when it was made part of the constitutions of Bolivia and Ecuador (in 2009 and 2008 respectively), the first countries to give rights to nature. Buen Vivir (BV) is an Indigenous-led philosophy and movement spreading throughout Latin America and beyond that presents an alternative […]