A Report Card on Latin America’s Bureaucratic Conundrum
June 27, 2024 | Latin Trade
“Lethargic” best describes Latin America’s perennial challenge to grow its economy and create prosperity for its people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. The World Bank forecasts regional GDP will expand by 1.6% in 2024. GDP growth of 2.7% and 2.6% is expected for 2025 and 2026. These rates are the lowest compared to all other regions in the world and insufficient to drive prosperity... more
The hidden effect of the ‘gray market’ on global trade
June 17, 2024 | The Hill
At an estimated $10 trillion, the global black market is the world’s fastest growing economy and is only rivaled in total value by America’s $14 trillion GDP. However, while countries are increasingly cracking down on the black market, the “gray market” has not received much attention — mainly because it is not illegal. Nonetheless, it does have serious, negative effects on global trade, even though certain groups of consumers may benefit... more
Strengthening US-Mexico Quality Pharmaceutical Supply Chains
June 11, 2024 | Wilson Center
The COVID-19 pandemic expoled weaknesses in the US and Mexican Supply chains for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The reliance on imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and finished products, including from China and India, placed our countries in a vulnerable, and previously underappreciated position. However, shortages of these critical products, some of which continue today, underscore the risk of relying on a single country or pair of countries. Pandemic quarantines led to production reductions. Transportation delays exacerbated shortages... more
Brazil’s Embrace of Biotechnology
May 17, 2024 | Latin Trade
If there has been any positive collateral impact of the global pandemic, it has been the rapid evolvement of biotechnology to effectively address global challenges in health care, science and agriculture—all aimed at improving the quality of life for people across the globe. COVID vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna are the clearest examples. And while industrialized nations dominate with their vast, sophisticated infrastructure of science and technology, several emerging markets have made biotechnology an important contributor to economic development. One such country is Brazil where the government’s new industrial policy plans to invest $60 billion in biotechnology, chip development and related field of science and technology... more
360° View of New Tariffs on China
May 16, 2024 | Wilson Center
In the fast and furious competition among presidential candidates to determine who is more protectionist than the other vis-á-vis China, President Biden has upped the ante with his recent announcement of new tariffs of $18 billion on Chinese EVs, semiconductors, batteries, solar cells, steel and aluminum. (The current tariff of 25 on EVs will increase fourfold to 100%.).. more
An “Entrepreneurial” Development Bank? The Inter-American Development Bank Shows the Way
March 19, 2024 | The National Interest
There is no love lost between the public and development banks. While these multilateral institutions with a global scope such as the World Bank, or regional ones like the Asian Development Bank, play a vitally important role, providing financing and technical assistance to enhance development, they are incessantly criticized across the board... more
Free Trade Under Siege
March 12, 2024 | The Hill
“Free trade”---for some it is a boon, for others a boondoggle. Blessing or curse, it will retain a central role in political discussions and policymaking for the foreseeable future... more
Canada and South Florida—More than Tourism and Real Estate
January 10, 2024 | Miami Today
Defining the Canada-South Florida relationship as exclusively one of tourism and real estate investment paints an erroneous picture of our commercial interaction with our northern neighbor... more
How Nearshoring Can Revolutionize US-China Commerce
January 4, 2024 | The Hill
In the aftermath of the global pandemic and in light of increasing tensions in US-China relations, nearshoring has emerged as one—if not the—major issue in global production and distribution.
Throughout the pandemic, shortages of personal protection equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies caused havoc on many businesses and communities... more