Speakers:

• Alexandra Aguirre, Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP
• Giannina Marin, Deputy General Counsel for HispAm, American Tower 
• Juliana Sguerra, Managing Director and Partner, Bogotá, BCG
• Ragnhild Melzi, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas

AS/COA's Women Hemispheric Network hosted a panel discussion with experts about supporting working parents to advance their careers while balancing the demands of family, home, and work. Juliana Sguerra presented the results of Boston Consulting Group's study Making the Workplace Work for Dual-Career Couples, an ongoing report that provides recommendations for companies to support working parents. Panelists also talked about strategies for companies and families during the current critical time.

• Learn more about AS/COA Women Hemispheric Network.
• Watch more videos about making the workplace more equal for women.

Keynote Speaker:

• Bill Cassidy, U.S. Senator (R-LA)

Panelists:

• Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Council of the Americas, former White House Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for the Americas
• James Mulvenon, Director of Intelligence Integration, SOS International LLC
• David R. Shedd, Visiting Fellow, Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, The Heritage Foundation, and former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
• Ana Rosa Quintana, Senior Policy Analyst, Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, The Heritage Foundation (moderator)

“The degree to which we are not engaged [with Latin America] is the degree to which China takes root,” said Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana in remarks to open a virtual discussion hosted in collaboration with The Heritage Foundation. Following the senator’s remarks, panelists discussed China’s ambitions and aid largesse in Latin America, the region in which the majority of the United States’ free-trade partners are. Eric Farnsworth talked about reinforcing the benefits of free trade in an era when many companies and countries are rethinking their dependence on China. James Mulvenon explained how China’s global activities and objectives have shifted during the pandemic, and David Shedd discussed the future of Taiwan’s profile in Latin America.

Carin Zissis, editor-in-chief of AS/COA Online, spoke to Carolina Sarassa of Univision News about rising COVID-19 cases in Mexico. "The truth is that here in Mexico, people have been concerned and there's anxiety about the health risks, but people have also been supportive of the government. The real anxiety that people are feeling is about the economy," said Zissis. She added that a growing number of people are seeing their economic conditions worsen, so there is a push to reopen the economy. 

Zissis said that Mexico has one of the lowest coronavirus testing rates in Latin America, noting there are about 40 tests per 1,000 people in the United States compared with 1.5 tests per 1,000 people in Mexico. She said the government is trying to reopen areas of Mexico that have no confirmed cases or deaths, that has many asking: "How do you know there are no confirmed cases or deaths if you haven't actually been testing?" Zissis cited a study released by the publication Nexos that reported 8,000 more deaths than normal in the capital since the beginning of the year, though only 1,800 COVID-19 deaths had been counted.

Zissis said that there is concern from the United States and Canada, both part of NAFTA, about disrupted supply chains. "The question is: Can factories protect their workers?" said Zissis.

Brian Winter, vice president of AS/COA, spoke to Lorraine Cáceres of Univision News about Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's approach to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban for Brazilian citizens, Winter said it is ironic because, "The Bolsonaro government is the one in the world that has arguably most closely copied the approach of the Trump administration by downplaying the gravity of the pandemic." 

"While it’s true that Bolsonaro has been playing this down, a lot of power in Brazil does reside with these governors and mayors in places like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where they have instituted quarantines and mandated social distancing measures and shut down public transportation," Winter said. "I think it’s safe to assume that without those measures, the tragedy would’ve been much bigger."

He noted that Brazil's death toll is much higher than in countries like Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, where messaging from their respective presidents has been stricter. Winter explained that the United States is testing for the coronavirus at a "relatively low level by global standards," and that there are indications that Brazil's testing rate may be even lower. Winter emphasized that many uncertainties remain about why the virus hits harder in some places than it does in others and what it will take to ultimately eradicate it.

"The only thing we really seem to know for sure is that social distancing works," Winter said. "At least in the U.S., we’ve seen some modest progress. It may not be enough, but at least the curve of deaths is pointing down. But that’s not even true in Brazil."

Speakers:

• Fernando Straface, Secretary General, City of Buenos Aires
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas

AS/COA's president and CEO spoke with the Argentine capital's secretary general about the COVID-19 impact on cities and urban futures, in a conversation on Buenos Aires' response and recovery. The city official and former executive director of the Argentine think tank CIPPEC distinguished between three focus areas, including crisis management, government administration, and "the day after" factor of post-coronavirus plans for city activity. Straface presented a timeline comparison between Argentina and other select countries' social isolation responses, highlighting the South American country's rapid action in establishing total quarantine. Straface also spoke of the economic impacts to the city including commercial activity, knowledge-based services, and tourism, and noted also the city government's reorganization of public finances to strengthen critical areas. He continued to speak of the city's plans for education, as well as efforts to market itself internationally once quarantine is lifted and travel and economic activity can reopen in a "new normal."

Young Professionals of the Americas recibió al chef “paisa” Juan Manuel Barrientos, o Juanma, para su segundo evento de la serie de Gastrodiplomacia. El chef, nacido en la ciudad de Medellín, nos enseñó a preparar dos cócteles de su carta en su restaurant ElCielo, uno el Lady Old Fashioned, y el otro, No Dar Papaya, representando la cultura colombiana con una frase casual que significa "no darle importancia" a algo. En su modo ligero y alegre, Juanma preparó los tragos y luego el plato del día, la tortilla de papas arrugadas. Durante la clase, Juanma contestó preguntas sobre el estado del turismo en Colombia, cómo la pandemia ha afectado a emprendedores de todas las industrias, en particular en la alimenticia, y qué consejos tiene para jóvenes emprendedores con sueños de negocios. A eso, el chef contestó que hay que "soñar en grande, dedicar tu vida a hacer tus sueños realidad, y si no son grandes los sueños, no valen la pena", y que se debe ser "irrealista al soñar, y realista al planear".