Dead bodies left at home and in streets. Quarantined people facing hunger. Political turmoil. Ecuador’s coronavirus outbreak is a grim forecast of what may await poorer countries when COVID-19 hits.
In the last century, several South American countries faced coups, military dictatorships and social uprisings. Despite economic improvements in recent years, the continent remains mired in unrest.
Progressives are leading in the presidential elections of Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia, bucking the region’s recent rightward trend. But there are lessons in the failures of leftists past.
Citing national security, Ecuador, Peru and Chile have all made it harder for Venezuelan migrants to enter the country, and xenophobia is rising across the region – even in more welcoming Colombia.
Cheap Venezuelan oil boosted Nicaragua’s economy and funded President Daniel Ortega’s many anti-poverty programs. With Venezuela in crisis, the oil has dried up – as has support for Ortega’s regime.
Saudi Arabia is the most recent country to grant women the vote. Pakistan has some serious work to do. And Vatican City really needs to get with the programme.
Ecuador’s president, Lenin Moreno, has been flirting with conservatives. Beyond irking his base, it has also lead to mass resignations and Twitter battles with his powerful left-wing predecessor.
Up to 25% of Ecuadorian children suffer from malnutrition, and the country’s sugary school snacks aren’t helping. Kids need healthful, fresh food — not high-calorie humanitarian aid.
Mostly, humans have been devastating to the planet but, on rare occasions, we get it right. Here are stories of people who live in harmony with their surroundings, from Tibet to Morocco and beyond.
New Zealand just conferred personhood upon the Whanganui River, giving it standing to legally defend its rights. Can this novel strategy save the environment?
A new study shows that conditional cash transfers have helped Ecuador’s poorest households climb out of poverty. When that money was paired with capital to invest, people fared even better.
Recent elections in Latin America have suggested a retreat from left-wing politics and populist leaders. But results from Ecuador’s 2017 presidential election suggest otherwise.
When leaders of weak democracies use social media to connect with their constituents, people feel heard. But Twitter responses won’t give citizens what they need.