What difference does it make if NAFTA negotiations happen with just two countries present or all three? For Council of the Americas Vice President Eric Farnsworth, it can completely change the dynamics of the ongoing talks. “We’re not just three countries in a region. We are North America. The way these supply chains and production have gone together since NAFTA has passed means we are a fully integrated economy. So it’s difficult to disagragate these economies from each other,” he said in an appearance on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas.”

Farnworth said the U.S. government might be trying to gain leverage in negotiations by separating the meetings with Mexico and Canada, but politics mainly with the former may take a turn after Mexico's July 1 presidential election. He pointed out that cooperation on security, counter-narcotics, and immigration programs are all, he said, “issues where there is a fluid exchange with Mexico. And that depends on trust and goodwill.”  

"The Venezuelan people are different than the Venezuelan government," said Eric Farnsworth to BBC World News America when explaining the balance the U.S. government is trying to keep when applying additional sanctions against the country living an humanitarian crisis. "Anything that could be perceived as too heavy-handed by United States could be perceived in some quarters as counter-productive."

Farnsworth also talked about the outlook for the country's oil sector fand what's in store for newly reelected President Nicolás Maduro.

At the 48th Washington Conference on the Americas, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez focused his remarks on the need for developing a U.S. policy with Latin America focused on the rule of law, trade, and economic development. "Good governance is good for business," said the the ranking minority member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also addressed U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and announced he will be introducing a comprehensive bill regarding the country in the Senate.

• Learn more about and get additional materials from the 48th Washington Conference on the Americas.