South America – EPIS Thinktank

Peru’s Exports to U.S. & China in APEC

Eugen BulboacaJuly 28, 20250

The annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Peru this November highlighted shifting dynamics between two major players, China and the United States, as they compete for influence in the region. Chinese President Xi Jinping played a significant role during the inauguration of the Chancay Megaport, whereas U.S. President Joe Biden, in a private […]

Brazil and De-dollarization

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

The BRICS alliance has been debating alternatives to dollar-based global transactions for years. This initiative aims to diminish reliance on a singular reserve currency while fortifying financial sovereignty among member states. During the latest BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva intensified this position by advocating for […]

Venezuela elections: What’s next?

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

Fracia Baeke The 2024 Venezuelan election results were declared with an uproar for supposed fraudulent election results that led to intense confrontations on the streets of Caracas. Nicolás Maduro, who was inaugurated for his third term in January 2025, is believed to have won the election with fraudulent votes, while opposition candidate Edmundo González was […]

Beyond the Massacre River

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

Léo Chicheportiche The long-standing Haiti-Dominican Republic border tensions, driven by historical conflicts and migration, have worsened due to Haiti’s Pittobert irrigation Canal project. The Dominican Republic (DR) responded with border closure, militarisation, visa restrictions, and mass deportations, deepening economic strain and diplomatic disputes. Border tensions between Haiti and the Dominican Republic have long been a […]

Trump’s Trade War and Its Mixed Impact on Brazil

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

It started with a bang out of Washington, a tariff shockwave that few saw coming and even fewer were ready for. When Donald Trump, back for a second term, unleashed a sweeping 10 percent “base tariff” on all U.S. imports this April, global trade lines buckled. China, the primary target, was hit even harder. Tariffs […]

Peru’s Crime Surge: Gangs and State Response

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

By Belen Bringas 16 bus drivers were murdered as a result of gang extortion, triggering a massive transportation strike on April 11th. Around 20,000 buses and public transport units halted operations across Lima, with 460 private transport companies joining in, paralyzing the city’s main form of mobility. The strike protested the recent surge in crime, […]

Latin America

Octavian-Teodor DragonJuly 26, 20250

I. Introduction: A Region Between Poles? Latin America stands at a historical crossroads. For two centuries, its international posture has been largely shaped in reaction to external hegemonies—from British commercial penetration and U.S. hemispheric domination to Cold War alignments and neoliberal mandates. Yet today, the region confronts a new strategic landscape: one not defined by […]

Trump’s Trade War and Its Mixed Impact on Brazil

EPISJune 12, 20250

How will Trump's trade offensive reshape Brazil's economic position in the global market? Brazil emerges as the unlikely beneficiary of a trade war it didn't start, with its agricultural sector gaining unprecedented Chinese market share while its industrial base faces crushing U.S. tariffs. Either Brazil must leverage this moment to modernize infrastructure and strengthen manufacturing, or risk becoming trapped as merely a commodity powerhouse while its industrial dreams fade into silence.

Eugen Bulboaca

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

Octavian-Teodor Dragon

EPIS

Want to see more?