Democracy Dialogues

Ecuador's Defining Choice

Daniel Lansberg-Rodríguez of Aurora MacroStrategy speaks on escalating crime, the 2025 presidential runoff, and the race's global implications. Speakers: * Daniel Lansberg-Rodríguez, Founding Partner, Aurora MacroStrategy * Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas As Ecuador approaches a pivotal presidential runoff [https://www.as-coa.org/articles/ecuadors-2025-presidential-runoff-comparing-daniel-noboa-and-luisa-gonzalez], the country is enduring one of the most challenging periods in its history. "Ecuador is facing a proxy war between Mexican and Albanian cartels," says geopolitical risk consultant Daniel Lansberg-Rodríguez in a wide-ranging Democracy Dialogues conversation with AS/COA’s Eric Farnsworth on the nation's crisis. The country's 2025 general elections [https://www.as-coa.org/articles/explainer-ecuadors-2025-elections] are poised to have profound implications for the nation's trajectory. The presidential race between Daniel Noboa and Luisa González is serving as a referendum on security, the economy, and sovereignty. Lansberg-Rodríguez sheds light on the growing electoral influence of two demographics: indigenous voters and the diaspora. “This may be the first time Ecuador’s diaspora decides a national election,” he says, pointing to the bloc's razor-thin margins and increasing political engagement.  The conversation examines how Ecuador’s strategic geography impacts the shifting global political landscape, as well as what’s at stake for the country’s relations with the United States. Lansberg-Rodríguez and Farnsworth also cover whether China’s economic influence could expand if González's correísta coalition returns to power.

Haiti on the Brink

“The mood [in Haiti] I would describe as despair and near panic,” says journalist Michael Deibert in a Democracy Dialogues interview with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth. Drawing on his on-the-ground reporting and daily contact with Haitians, Deibert outlines how armed groups—some with as many as 14,000 members—are expanding their control over Port-au-Prince and other parts of the country.  With Haiti's police force severely understaffed and under-equipped, and international security missions struggling to make an impact, "the small section of Port-au-Prince where life is not under gang control is getting smaller and smaller," Deibert warns. He traces the roots of the current gang crisis to political and economic elites, explaining how past Haitian leaders, including former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, empowered these groups to maintain control over electoral politics and suppress any opposition.  Deibert is deeply skeptical that Haiti’s schedule 2025 elections will take place. "Port-au-Prince is hanging on by a fingernail and could fall into complete gang control within weeks or months," he warns.  Despite the dire outlook, the author of Haiti Will Not Perish: A Recent History [https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/haiti-will-not-perish-9781783607983/]acknowledges the country’s resilience, praising its “extraordinarily talented, gifted, and patriotic people.” His conversation with Farnsworth also explores the international community's response, stressing the urgent need for stronger security forces, improved resources for Haitian police, and better coordination among global stakeholders.

Edmundo González on Venezuela's Next Steps

Venezuela’s president-elect speaks on the need for global pressure against the Maduro regime and the Trump administration's approach to the crisis.Speakers: * Edmundo González Urrutia, President-elect of Venezuela * Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas “There’s now greater interest in finding a resolution to the Venezuelan political crisis within U.S. foreign policy,” says Edmundo González, Venezuela’s legitimate president, in a Democracy Dialogues interview with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth. González, who attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump, has visited multiple countries across the Americas since his election, urging the international community to ramp up pressure on Nicolás Maduro and his regime.In the interview, González discusses the challenges facing the Venezuela, from the escalating humanitarian crisis to the repression of the opposition. “There are approximately 2,000 political prisoners,” he states. He also warns that Maduro’s refusal to recognize his election victory will only exacerbate the country’s migration crisis, forcing even more Venezuelans to flee. “The only language [the regime] understands is pressure,” González asserts, calling on the United States and its allies to intensify efforts to remove Maduro from power. He details to Farnsworth his conversations with world leaders, including presidents of Argentina, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, as well as and officials from Brazil and Colombia.As he travels across the Americas and Europe, González remains optimistic and offers a message of hope to the Venezuelan people: “Sooner or later, we will win.”

Juan Manuel Barrientos' Culinary Revolution in Colombia

The founder of El Cielo Group shares how his kitchen is helping to heal the divisions of Colombia's armed conflict. Speakers: * Juan Manuel Barrientos, Chef and Founder, El Cielo Group * Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas “In my kitchen, we are not a former anything. You are a chef at El Cielo, and we are not looking back,” says Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos in a Democracy Dialogues interview with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth. From his humble beginnings with a small restaurant in Medellín to earning Michelin stars for his establishments in Miami and Washington, Barrientos has built a hospitality empire while staying true to a powerful vision of social impact.  Barrientos explains how El Cielo Group, his growing business, has trained over 2,500 former combatants from Colombia’s armed conflict—including wounded soldiers, former guerrillas, and paramilitaries—teaching them culinary skills while fostering forgiveness and collaboration. “The most important part is creating a social tissue of forgiveness and reconciliation,” he says, describing the transformative process of bringing together people who were once adversaries.  Unlike traditional corporate social responsibility models, Barrientos integrates social impact into his business strategy. “We donate between 5% to 25% of profits to the foundation,” he notes, emphasizing his commitment to sustainability and independence from external funding.  As a global ambassador for Colombian culture and resilience, Barrientos also calls on viewers to visit his home country: “Colombia is a beautiful, resilient, and welcoming country. After 60 years of war, we have reinvented ourselves.”  Democracy Dialogues [https://www.as-coa.org/watchlisten/democracy-dialogues-series] is a series of conversations on the state of democracy in the Americas. Hosted by Eric Farnsworth, these one-on-one interviews with leading democracy practitioners explore the most difficult issues of regional democratic governance with an eye toward pragmatic, deeply-considered solutions.  Previous guests have included Guatemala's President Bernardo Arévalo, Colombia's then-President Ivan Duque, Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, NBA Basketball Star Enes Kanter Freedom, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, Cuba Decide founder Rosa Maria Paya, founder and editor of Nicaragua's Confidential Carlos Fernando Chamorro, and numerous others.  Follow the conversation: #DemocracyDialogues [https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemocracyDialogues?src=hashtag_click] | @ASCOA [https://twitter.com/ascoa] Subscribe to YouTube podcasts [https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYBZqP9zCyaiuU4k3Nkg9dgPMZLlQNdx4&feature=share] or Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-dialogues/id1740464926] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5rE3xzuGVeuwZFnTfhLsqC?si=136f7fb1004e4fe2] to listen on the go.

Mexico’s Shift, Risks, Reforms, and Relations with the U.S.

he former head of the INE examines the state of democracy in Mexico as President Sheinbaum executes judicial reforms. "We are right now in the context of a transition into autocracy,” warns Lorenzo Córdova, a professor and researcher at the Institute of Legal Research at UNAM and the former head of Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE). In a Democracy Dialogues interview with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, Córdova reflects on the state of Mexican democracy and explains how recent constitutional amendments have begun to erode foundational democratic principles, including the independence of the judiciary. Córdova examines the implications of Mexico's shift for the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). With judicial independence weakened, he argues that the rule of law—the bedrock of investor confidence and cross-border cooperation—becomes more vulnerable. He warns that, in light of judicial reforms, "we could have politicians instead of judges," threatening both democracy and trade stability. The discussion also highlights Mexico's democratic resilience. Despite these challenges, large-scale public protests have emerged in defense of institutions like the INE. However, Córdova cautions that this public commitment may not be enough, warning that the future of Mexican democracy now hinges on government will and "discretionary powers"—a precarious situation for a democracy at risk.