Brazil’s Non-Elections: A Crisis of Trust, a Failure of Democracy

By Asad Ismi Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva was still, at publishing time, the Workers Party (PT) candidate and frontrunner in Brazilian elections scheduled for October 7. This was despite him being sentenced in July to 12 years in prison for what his allies and vast supporter base (June polls put Lula […]

Careful What You Wish For

Canadian Business Wants a Notch in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In Asia as in Canada, there are Domestic and Foreign Policy Risks to Consider. By Asad Ismi IN MID-JANUARY, AT a forum in Shanghai, the Chinese government presented the latest additions to its global economic strategy known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), […]

Canadian Mining Company Accused of Atrocities in Guatemala: Lawsuit Alleges Killing, Gang Rapes of Indigenous People

By Asad Ismi “Dandy!” said U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower when informed in June 1954 that the CIA had overthrown the elected government of Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala. The U.S. toppled Arbenz for daring to implement land reform and replaced him with a string of military dictators who ensured that life for most Guatemalans would be […]

The Latin American Revolution (Part 9): Argentina Was Rescued from Neoliberalism by Néstor Kirchner

By Asad Ismi At the end of October, Argentina lost its economic saviour who made the country part of the Latin American Revolution. Néstor Kirchner, former President of Argentina and husband of the current President, Cristina Fernandez-Kirchner, died on October 27 from a heart attack. He was 60. While serving as President from May 2003 […]