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On Sunday, October 27, Uruguay held the first round of its presidential elections. While the smoothness of Uruguay’s election may come as a breath of fresh air in a region where orderly political transitions can at times be luxuries, the outcome of the presidential race will have important domestic and foreign policy implications for Uruguay. In this special episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Mauro Casa, a Uruguayan political analyst. Together, they discuss the key issues in the election, and what can be expected as the country heads to a runoff in November. They also delve into U.S.-Uruguay dynamics, and how Washington and Montevideo can maintain a productive relationship with Washington irrespective of who wins the presidency in either country.

Since the blatant electoral fraud that took place on July 28, the Maduro regime in Venezuela has sought to repress its way out of mass protests demanding political change. The regime’s heavy-handed crackdown comes at a time when the International Criminal Court has already been investigating Venezuela for alleged crimes against humanity. As the regime seeks to silence dissent and close the civic space, this pending case may represent one of the few remaining levers the international community can apply to instill restraint, but only if such an approach is carefully considered. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Santiago Canton, Secretary General of the International Commission of Jurists and a member of the Panel of Independent International Experts on the Possible Commission of Crimes against Humanity in Venezuela of the Organization of American States. Together, they discuss the state of the ICC's investigation and how it is likely to develop in light of the abuses the regime has committed in the past three months. They also delve into the debate around whether the ICC case represents an impediment to political change, or if it remains a useful means of applying pressure on the regime.

International diplomatic and economic pressure on Maduro will be decisive in determining whether his ongoing attempts to steal the results of Venezuela's July 28 election will prevail, or if there is potential for change ahead of the official inauguration in January 2025. While the United States has condemned the results in Venezuela, regional heavyweights like Brazil have taken a different approach, refusing to officially recognize Maduro as the victor, but simultaneously avoiding harsh criticism of the regime’s actions. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Thiago de Aragão, a senior associate with CSIS and CEO of Arko Advice, a political risk analysis firm based in Brazil. Together, they discuss the international community's response to developments in Venezuela, with a specific focus on Brazil's approach. They also unpack the international implications of Maduro's electoral fraud for the Western Hemisphere as a whole, and Venezuela's efforts to join the BRICS grouping.

In recent years, feminist foreign policy has emerged as a transformative approach to international relations, focusing on the promotion of gender equality, human rights, and inclusive governance on the global stage. One of the key drivers of feminist foreign policy is its ability to reshape the way states interact with one another. Unlike traditional policies that often prioritize military strength or economic power, feminist foreign policy places emphasis on cooperation, dialogue, and addressing the root causes of conflict—such as inequality and exclusion.  In this episode, Juliana Rubio sits down with Ambassador Arlene B. Tickner, Colombia's Ambassador At-Large for Gender Issues and Feminist Global Policy. Together, they discuss the origins and implementation of Colombia's feminist foreign policy agenda. They also analyze how Colombia's approach to human security represents an important counter-narrative to mano dura hardline security policies in the region.