Speakers:

• Arturo Sarukhan, President, Sarukhan & Associates LLC; Former Mexican Ambassador to the U.S.
• Bruce Andrews, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce
• Miriam Sapiro, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, SVC Public Affairs; Former Acting U.S. Trade Representative

NAFTA negotiations could conclude as soon as the end of August, but even if they don't, incoming Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) has signaled his commitment to a successful renegotiation. Panelists at a Washington, DC event discussed the challenges that would remain in ratifying the pact under each country’s Congress, areas where AMLO's views on trade overlap with those of U.S. President Donald Trump, and how Mexico should continue to diversify its trade ties overall—especially with China. “If I were the Mexican president, I would start flirting with the Chinese a little bit more, especially as the United States becomes an unreliable partner,” said Bruce Andrews.

Learn more about AMLO in our Mexico Election Guide.

Mexico's next president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), has made major pledges in terms of confronting corruption, battling violence, and building social programs—all with fiscal responsibility and without raising taxes. How will he get it all done? "The devil is in the details," said Citi's Ernesto Revilla. An AS/COA expert panel moderated by Bloomberg's Vivianne Rodrigues covered potential upsides and downsides to an incoming AMLO government, with BlackRock's Gerardo Rodriguez suggesting that corruption, insecurity, and U.S.-Mexico relations have reached such lows that the new administration has a real chance to improve in these areas. In terms of relations with Washington, Moody's Mauro Leos pointed out that Donald Trump has indicated interest in having a bilateral trade accord with Mexico, which could mean he would produce a letter pulling Mexico out of NAFTA-and then have six months to change his mind. He also noted reasons why, despite comparisons between AMLO and ex-Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mexico's next president has more in common with Chile's former President Michelle Bachelet during her second term in office. 

Learn more about the outcome of the Mexican elections at: www.as-coa.org/mxelex

Panelists:

• Alberto Bernal, Chief Emerging Markets and Global Strategist, XP Securities
• Michael Cullen, Senior Partner, Control Risks
• Joe Kogan, ‎Head of Latin American Strategy, Scotiabank
• Lisa Schineller, Managing Director, S&P Global Ratings (moderator)

Experts discussed what's next after Colombian voters elected Iván Duque president in the June 17 runoff with ex-Bogotá Mayor Gustavo Petro. They analyzed the importance of the high participation at the polls, how new congressional coalitions will work under Duque's presidency, the effects of the influx of Venezuelans, and where there might be room to adjust the implementation of the FARC peace process.

• Learn more about the vote with our Colombia Election Guide.
• Read and hear where Colombia's center goes from here.

Days before the election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador to the presidency of Mexico, AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth talked with i24's The Rundown about how the rhetoric and campaign promises of the candidate, known as AMLO, gave him such a commanding lead in the polls heading into the July 1 vote.

“Mexico, and Mexicans more particularly, are looking for change right now,” said Farnsworth. López Obrador’s campaign emphasized growing the economy, reducing crime, and fighting corruption throughout the country, promises “he will have to deliver on,” he added. Despite politically polarizing domestic climate, when it comes to rejecting the U.S. presidential administration’s rhetoric and immigration policy, “All the Mexican candidates for president have basically taken the same position,” said Farnsworth.