CLAGistas,

Happy fall to all!

The CLAG/LASG Summer 2024 Newsletter is here!!

We hope everyone has enjoyed their summer – whether that was spent doing fieldwork, enjoying time with loved ones, or having time off in general.

It’s been an exciting first half of 2024 for Latin Americanist Geographers! First, it’s been a big year of politics- in Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela in particular. Elections mostly of continued reign of the dominant party or same leader- although in Venezuela’s case this “outcome” seems fabricated. With Mexico’s first woman president- a climate scientist- we’ll see what policies of AMLOs continue and which she makes her own! The Venezuelan elections and resounding rejection from civil society of Maduro- and denial of that by the government-makes for continued turbulent times. El Salvador and Dominican Republic both reelected their popular heads of State, and Panama went with a pro-business right wing leader.

There is certainly some good news- like deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropping for almost 12 consecutive months for the lowest level seen in 5 years under Lula’s watch. But also a lot of bad climate news, also in Brazil, in Rio Grande do Sul, of devastating floods in big El niño swing exacerbated by climate change and hot ocean temperatures. Climate change continues to wreak havoc- from unprecedented heat waves in Mexico and Brazil, to the Panama canal being barely functional due to drought- causing increases in mosquito board disease like dengue and increase in hunger.

We’ve also seen huge shifts in migration patterns this year with less entry into the US but more people bottled necked in Mexico from other countries. This is likely due to Mexico’s containment policies and perhaps more recently due to the new Biden administration order to restrict asylum seeking. Tougher migration policies come at a time of increased unrest and violence in many countries- especially Venezuela, Haiti, and new narco induced violence in Ecuador- and people who need asylum for survival.

The work we do on these issues- climate change, migration, deforestation- and others continues to be important- as does building global solidarity across our region to come together to defend social, environmental, and climate justice. We hope you drew inspiration from each other from those who could join the 2024 CLAG in San Juan, and look forward to seeing your latest research and engagement in the rest of 2024!

Saludos,
Elise and Beth
CLAG Newsletter Co-Editors