On February 5, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the David Rockefeller for Latin American Studies, and the Council of the Americas featured a seminar focused on the widespread economic, political, and social effects felt in the region amid the current global financial crisis.

COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, suggesting ways to foment a mutually beneficial agenda in Latin America. He emphasized the importance of resisting investment protectionism and prioritizing U.S. relations with Mexico and Brazil.

The April Summit of the Americas will provide a clue to President Barack Obama’s Latin America policy.

"The existing model for expanding trade in the hemisphere—in essence, piecemeal liberalization—has reached a point of diminishing returns," writes COA's Eric Farnsworth in Current History.

Tough financial times may open the door for cooperation with new and longstanding economic partners, especially those in our hemisphere.

As the new administration settles in, hope rises anew for comprehensive immigration reform. Meanwhile, experts discuss what shape reform should take and emphasize ways to boost integration.

With a new Congress sworn in, legislative leaders now have an opportunity to respond to the hemisphere’s most pressing socioeconomic, security, and development priorities. This would be a win for the United States and for the Americas.