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“The record of history is absolutely crystal clear, that there is no alternative way so far discovered of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by the free-enterprise system.” ― Milton Friedman
Bolivia has enjoyed nearly 190 years of independence from Spain. Unfortunately, leadership of the country during those years may be best defined as “tumultuous.” Violence, coups, and civil wars have been far too common place throughout the nation’s story, as evidenced by the sheer number of leaders who have carried the burden of authority in…
With the introduction of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, influence from outside powers in Central and South America had been strategically limited to the United States. It is a doctrine that shaped the Cold War, and has served to deter international meddling in Central and South America. Recently, influence is growing from unexpected regions; notably, from…
His full name is Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco, and his legacy is equally voluminous. Born on July 24, 1783, he was serendipitously raised in an age of revolutions, and was one of the key leaders in the struggle for independence from Spain which would spread throughout…
The Andes mountain range is the world’s longest continental mountain range, and while second in height outside of Asia, the range contains the highest volcanoes in the world. Consensus currently supports the idea that the Andes derive their name from the Quechua word “anti” which can be translated to “high crest.” Running over 4,000 miles…
Like many South American countries, Paraguayans have held onto their indigenous language despite modernization in areas such as television, telecommunications, or the internet. An estimated half of the rural population is monolingual, and the majority of the population in Paraguay speaks Guaraní (it is also spoken in parts of Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil). The tenacious hold of the language in what is…
As he boarded the Peruvian armored monitor Huáscar on May the 21st, 1879 the Chilean navy officer Arturo Prat lead his Chilean crewmen with the shout “Let’s board, boys!” Prat would not survive the battle, but managed to set into motion a path which would have a profound effect on his own country’s future, and geopolitical perceptions between Chile, Peru,…
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