Americas Decoded /americas-decoded Americas Editor Tim Padgett's commentary on Latin America, the Caribbean and their key relationship with the US. en-US SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ä± Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT From soccer to Saab, Cape Verde's grannies raise heroic goalkeepers and a 'model' government /commentary/2026-06-18/from-soccer-to-saab-cape-verdes-grannies-raise-heroic-goalkeepers-and-a-model-government COMMENTARY Cape Verde's stunning draw with Spain in the World Cup is a reminder of how the country stood firm five years ago in the extradition of alleged Venezuelan corruption mastermind Alex Saab. Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-06-18/from-soccer-to-saab-cape-verdes-grannies-raise-heroic-goalkeepers-and-a-model-government Tim Padgett The World Cup can save soccer's soul by exalting Josué St. Vilus, not five-figure ticket prices /commentary/2026-06-11/world-cup-can-haiti-gangs-ticket-prices COMMENTARY The World Cup should dedicate Haiti's opening game to a Port-au-Prince boy who embraced soccer — the game, not the greed — as sanctuary from the gangs that killed him last month. Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:01:00 GMT /commentary/2026-06-11/world-cup-can-haiti-gangs-ticket-prices Tim Padgett Colombia's political center not only doesn't hold anymore - it may no longer even exist /commentary/2026-06-04/colombia-presidential-election-espriella-cepeda-amarilla-soccer COMMENTARY Colombia should have shed its violent, centuries-old polarization when its civil war ended, but its political pendulum still swings far right and far left — especially in this presidential election. Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-06-04/colombia-presidential-election-espriella-cepeda-amarilla-soccer Tim Padgett The smart Cuba bet is on military strike but no regime change. It's the deportations, stupid /commentary/2026-05-28/cuba-military-strike-regime-change-trump COMMENTARY Prediction markets are betting President Trump will order military action in Cuba, but not regime change — as they know his priority is to make countries ripe for deportation, not democracy. Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-05-28/cuba-military-strike-regime-change-trump Tim Padgett Maduro was a clown. Removing Castro would be a harder mission — as his indictment tells us /commentary/2026-05-21/maduro-was-a-clown-removing-castro-could-be-a-harder-mission-as-his-indictment-tells-us COMMENTARY The fact that Cuban leader Raúl Castro likely deserves his U.S. indictment for killing exiles in 1996 is exactly why President Trump will likely have big trouble removing him in 2026. Thu, 21 May 2026 18:42:35 GMT /commentary/2026-05-21/maduro-was-a-clown-removing-castro-could-be-a-harder-mission-as-his-indictment-tells-us Tim Padgett As Jamaica loosened its politics-and-gangs ties, Haiti tightened them — maybe forever /commentary/2026-05-14/haiti-gangs-corruption-flag-day-jamaica COMMENTARY To observe Haitian Flag Day on May 18, the members of Haiti's political and business elite who've sponsored violent gangs could reflect on the possibly irreparable damage they've done. Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-05-14/haiti-gangs-corruption-flag-day-jamaica Tim Padgett Trump's moves in Venezuela, Cuba risk being Hormuz miscalculations - not hemispheric makeovers /commentary/2026-04-30/trumps-venezuela-cuba-iran-hormuz COMMENTARY In Venezuela and Cuba, President Trump risks repeating the miscalculation he's made in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz — thinking bold strikes automatically yield regime change. Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-04-30/trumps-venezuela-cuba-iran-hormuz Tim Padgett Cherfilus-McCormick's exit is a wake-up call to Haitian Nation: Develop more political talent /commentary/2026-04-23/cherfilus-mccormick-haitian-congress-politics COMMENTARY Florida U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick's resignation leaves Haitian-Americans with no presence in Congress — and a bigger need to get serious about filling the void. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-04-23/cherfilus-mccormick-haitian-congress-politics Tim Padgett Trump deserves his Leo backlash. But, especially in the Americas, the Pope is not off-limits either /commentary/2026-04-16/trump-pope-leo-iran-war-immigration COMMENTARY Pope Leo XIV has every right to criticize President Trump's Iran war and immigration policies. But that doesn't mean, as so many are asserting, that no one has the right to criticize the Pope. Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-04-16/trump-pope-leo-iran-war-immigration Tim Padgett The Biden of Brazil? Lula's geriatric re-election bid risks the return of Bolsonarism /commentary/2026-04-09/brazil-lulas-re-election-biden-bolsonaro COMMENTARY Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is 80 and running for re-election, an egotistical move that may open the door to another reactionary Bolsonaro presidency — this time the son's. Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:04:00 GMT /commentary/2026-04-09/brazil-lulas-re-election-biden-bolsonaro Tim Padgett Should the U.S. boast about facing down terrorists — or apologize for arming them up? /commentary/2026-02-26/caricom-rubio-cartel-mexico-haiti-gangs-us-guns COMMENTARY The U.S. is great at designating criminal groups as terrorists — but it's a hypocritical failure at preventing the trafficking of guns that aids those terrorists, including Mexico's narco-cartels. Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:41:57 GMT /commentary/2026-02-26/caricom-rubio-cartel-mexico-haiti-gangs-us-guns Tim Padgett Marco and Miami, Donald and Doral: They've got big disconnects on Cuba, Venezuela — and China /commentary/2026-02-19/rubio-trump-cuba-venezuela-china COMMENTARY President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio seem to have tuned out Venezuelan and Cuban exile leaders — and their own rhetoric about blocking China's influence in the Americas. Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:00:00 GMT /commentary/2026-02-19/rubio-trump-cuba-venezuela-china Tim Padgett