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Rio Violence Reveals Brazil's Image Gap

By Eliot Brockner 03 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review Brazil has had a lot to celebrate recently. The nation has taken on an increasingly important role in matters of regional diplomacy and has emerged as the de facto political and economic leader of Latin America. And earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee awarded Rio de Janeiro the 2016 Olympic Games. But ever since Oct. 17, the spotlight has been on Brazil for all the wrong reasons.

Brazil Looks East: Lula's Trips Abroad

By Eliot Brockner 27 May 2009 | World Politics Review Last week, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, on a tour intended to strengthen Brazil's diplomatic and economic ties with those three nations. Brazil has been slowly asserting itself as the economic and diplomatic leader in Latin America. Lula's visits demonstrate Brazil's commitment to expanding its influence on the world stage.

Colombia, Ecuador Tensions Still High a Year Later

By Eliot Brockner 25 Feb 2009 | World Politics Review A year after Colombia's cross-border strike on a FARC camp in Ecuadorian territory, the political fallout between the two countries has still not been resolved. The two sides' inability to make progress on reconciliation makes for a volatile border rife with drug smuggling, U.S.-funded coca eradication efforts, and thousands of troops from rival armies whose nations do not have official diplomatic ties.

U.S.-Colombian Relations at a Crossroads

By Eliot Brockner 29 Dec 2008 | World Politics Review Most of the early analysis of President George W. Bush's Latin American legacy concentrates on his failure to engage the region despite early promises to "look south." But the emphasis on the outgoing administration's general neglect of Latin America has diverted attention from the strong alliance that has developed between the United States and Colombia.