Has the United States "lost" Latin America? AS/COA Senior Policy Director Christopher Sabatini and COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth explore the shared responsibility between U.S. and Latin American leaders in the breakdown of hemispheric consensus around democracy and open markets.

In a Miami Herald op-ed, Colombia's Vice President Francisco Santos underlines the importance of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the U.S., which is currently pending approval in Congress.

Senior Policy Director and Americas Quarterly Editor-in-Chief Christopher Sabatini examines why Latin America remains one of the most inflexible regions in terms of labor markets. He suggests swift labor law reforms to attract foreign investment, increase productivity, and social protections for their workforce.

Finding balance between enforcing immigration laws and maintaining a sound, competitive state economy are priorities over the rhetoric clouding the immigration debate, writes Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

Social programs in many Latin American countries require identification to access services, yet lack of documentation prevents those most in need from receiving benefits, writes Suzanne Duryea, a senior economist of the Inter-American Development Bank.

In a Miami Herald editorial, retired U.S. General Barry R. McCaffrey explains that Colombia's robust economy and drastically improved security situation warrant approval of a U.S.-Colombia free-trade agreement—a pact currently stalled in the U.S. Congress.

COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth writes that Iran's deepening ties with some Latin American nations could have destabilizing consequences. But he emphasizes that Iran's foray into the Americas serves as an opportunity for nations of the Western Hemisphere to work together in support of democratic principles.