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Catherine Osborn

@ccosborn.bsky.social
1.2K followers 202 following 125 posts

Journalist and author of Foreign Policy's Latin America Brief

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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The U.S. government plans to own a partial stake in production at multiple Venezuelan oilfields, at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer, and buy part of the oil at a steep discount, the White House said this week. The no-bid deal has ruffled feathers across Venezuela's political 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
For the past several years, Latin America's right has been rallying momentum around their ideas at regional spinoffs of CPAC, the U.S.-origin conservative conference. Progressives are now meeting together in regional conferences too. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Colombia's earthquake this week came as De la Espriella was sharply redirecting the country's foreign policy. While his foreign minister denied ideology was steering the response, the administration said it would only accept rescue teams from a limited number of governments, 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
As Washington ends immigration pathways for Cubans—and increases its pressure campaign on the island—those who want to flee are increasingly looking to Brazil. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Latin American countries with growing oil exports have more financial room to maneuver amid the Hormuz price shock than heavy energy importers. But what they've chosen to do during the price spike varies. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
The World Cup is unquestionably intertwined with soft power and countries’ images on the global stage. For @foreignpolicy.com, I interviewed international relations and sports history experts about what clues the lead-up to the tournament offers 🧵
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Benjamin H. Bradlow @bhbradlow.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Enjoyed chatting with @ccosborn.bsky.social for her report in @foreignpolicy.com on Chinese FDI in Brazil's auto sector. foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/08/b...
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
In April, BYD became the top-selling brand in Brazil's retail car market for the first time. Company officials have waged a yearslong marketing campaign that helped lead to this moment, which even included placing BYD cars in popular soap operas. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Informal U.N. custom suggests the next Secretary-General should hail from Latin America and the Caribbean. While the three candidates from the region have ample experience in the U.N. system, they were also shaped by their experiences in Latin American politics, 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
A Colombia summit last week showcased how several Latin American and Caribbean countries have been building up their Africa policies in recent years, with new embassies and increased trade flows. The trend is stronger in governments with leftist leaders, raising questions 🧵
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Chloe Hadavas @hadavas.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Very excited to share that we're launching a monthly newsletter @foreignpolicy.com to showcase our growing Books coverage, including criticism, excerpts, curated reading lists, and an international fiction column. Sign up for FP Bookshelf here:
foreignpolicy.com
Bookshelf Politics, Relations & Current Affairs – Foreign Policy
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Latin American heads of state gathered in significant numbers for last weekend's Florida event with Trump, an opportunity to voice a joint agenda. But the event was light on specifics, serving generally to reinforce Trump's preference 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Latin America's first crop of millennial presidents have now been around long enough that they are getting reelected—or replaced by the other side of the aisle. The latter is the case for Chile's Gabriel Boric, who leaves office on Wednesday. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
While Sunday's raid thrust the Sheinbaum administration's security policy into the spotlight, she has been carving a new path on security for months. The choice to step up cooperation with Washington allowed her not only to head off unilateral U.S. military action 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
At this week's AI summit in India, Brazil showcased its nascent policies toward the technology. Brazilian officials drew up much of the country's draft AI governance based on the EU model, and while they argue their approach strikes a balance 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
In Cuba, the top U.S. envoy said Washington is in talks with unspecified local officials in an effort to bring about political change this year. He suggested his team favored a repeat of the Venezuela strategy 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Costa Rica's election was the region's latest to reward a tough-on-crime candidate against a backdrop of rising concerns about insecurity. Drug smuggling routes have grown following the opening of a new port. But Costa Rica's openness 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Copper's soar to record-high prices this month—and projections of a coming global supply crunch—are being closely watched in Chile and Peru, which consistently rank in the world's top three producers. Chile is planning to increase production, while experts in Peru warn 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Carney’s Davos speech on the world order rang familiar to many Latin American policymakers, who have spent years testing active non-alignment in an effort to avoid being boxed in by spheres-of-influence assumptions. In @foreignpolicy.com: foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/23/l...
foreignpolicy.com
Why Latin America Has Been Demure in Davos
U.S. aggression is nothing new for the region.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief looks at factors affecting whether, and how, Cuba is the next target of a major U.S. intervention. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
In the wake of Maduro’s capture, several Latin American officials have defended international law and the need to avoid a “Wild West” in their public comments. But the Trump administration has signaled little interest in such arguments, most recently Trump himself 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
A look back at the year in Latin American politics: efforts at trade diversification amid U.S. pressure, the fights for Venezuela’s future & to keep climate cooperation alive, the new politics of migration, & why regional historical dramas won global film kudos. foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/26/l...
foreignpolicy.com
Latin America’s Year in Review
In 2025, the region went up against tariffs, deportations, and a major U.S. military buildup.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
This week’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: As U.S. threats to 🇻🇪 have intensified, China has updated its public strategy document on Latin America & the Caribbean for the first time in almost a decade. It reads as an indirect rebuttal to Trump’s recent National Security Strategy. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Today's @foreignpolicy.com Lat Am Brief: It’s kickoff time for a process that could change the biggest rulebook on trade in North America. A review that one 🇨🇦 expert said risks foreign-policy catastrophe is unfolding as the parties to a current deal prepare to jointly host the World Cup. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
I wrote a post-COP update for @phenomenalworld.bsky.social. With the former pillars of multilateral climate politics—resource transfer from rich to poor countries & U.S.-China stability—being upended, 🇧🇷's focus on green industrial policy at COP is one example of how climate diplomacy is evolving. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
In this week’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief, Trump announces a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine as he weighs in on Honduras’s presidential election, endorsing a conservative candidate and pardoning another member of the same party from a U.S. cocaine importation conviction. 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief, elections last weekend offered clues about what appears to be an ascendant right-wing moment in the region. Most Chileans backed right-wing candidates in the 1st round presidential vote. But a referendum in Ecuador 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief looks at some of the new climate strategies that Latin American policymakers are showcasing at COP30, including Mexico's new emissions target, Colombia's plan for a summit on fossil fuel phase-out, 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
For @foreignpolicy.com I did a deep dive on Brazil's effort to keep climate cooperation alive despite highly adverse geopolitics. While some have said the U.S. retreat on this issue creates an opening for China, Brazil is also flexing its voice as a middle power and raising 🧵
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Today's @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: At APEC, 🇨🇱, 🇲🇽, & 🇵🇪 moved trade talks forward w countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and New Zealand. The look toward Asia is part of Latin American countries’ broad efforts at trade diversification. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/a...
foreignpolicy.com
Latin America’s Pivot to Asia
Chile, Mexico, and Peru announced new trade talks at APEC.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
This week’s @ForeignPolicy LatAm Brief: Hurricane Melissa brought the costs of climate change into catastrophic focus. Battering countries w different access to global markets, it also underscored there is no one-size-fits-all solution to fund climate adaptation. foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/30/h...
foreignpolicy.com
The Politics of Hurricane Melissa
The storm hit three island nations with vastly different approaches to climate adaptation.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: Outrage over crime—and pre-election political calculations—finally ousted 🇵🇪’s Dina Boluarte. Unrest has continued under her replacement, while as elsewhere in the world, youth demonstrators have embraced the Gen Z slogan. foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/17/p...
foreignpolicy.com
Peru’s Political Churn Isn’t Over Yet
Even after the president’s impeachment, protests show little sign of slowing down.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: Four Caribbean countries launched an EU-style free movement regime, saying easing migration is part of their economic development strategy. It reflects at least a partial shift in regional debates on migration policy. foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/10/c...
foreignpolicy.com
The Caribbean’s Migration Milestone
Four countries are defying global anti-migrant sentiment to offer free movement to their citizens.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: the UN Security Council greenlit a larger and more powerful security mission to Haiti on the same day that U.S. trade benefits for the country, which helped cultivate its largest export sector, expired. foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/03/h...
foreignpolicy.com
U.N. Authorizes Larger Haiti Mission
The resolution was a rare point of consensus between Washington and Latin American countries.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
This week's @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief is about UNGA's surprises, including Trump's “chemistry” with Lula and the pledge of an unusually direct U.S. bailout for Milei. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/26/u...
foreignpolicy.com
UNGA Deals Latin America Some Surprises
From Trump’s “chemistry” with Lula to a U.S. bailout of Argentina.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Today's @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief: 🇺🇸 declared 🇨🇴 failed at drug control obligations but stopped short of halting support $. Despite leader-to-leader tensions, lower level officials & civil society advocates helped preserve some cooperation. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/19/c...
foreignpolicy.com
The U.S.-Colombia Rift Widens
Trump added Bogotá to an anti-drug blacklist but stopped short of cutting aid.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
In @foreignpolicy.com: 🇧🇷’s top court convicted Bolsonaro & allies of attempting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 vote. In a country w a long history of coups, it was the 1st time a civilian court convicted military members of coup-related charges. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/b...
foreignpolicy.com
Bolsonaro Convicted of Attempting Coup
The ruling is a watershed moment in Brazilian history—and one that could further upend relations with the United States.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com Lat Am Brief: how different leaders in the region reacted to Trump’s highly unusual Caribbean strike reveals not only how they are positioning themselves in relation to Washington, but also Maduro’s relative isolation. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/04/t...
foreignpolicy.com
Trump’s Caribbean Strike Polarizes Region
Venezuela’s frayed ties with old allies have left it isolated in responding to U.S. force.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief, Amazon rainforest countries held their 2nd leaders summit in 3 years. But more summits did not necessarily mean more 🌳 protection, w/ deforestation rising in 🇨🇴 & 🇧🇴 in 2024. The countries did endorse an innovative plan for financing (1/2)
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief looks at how 🇧🇴’s foreign policy could change as MAS dominance ends & the country shifts right. It will hold a presidential runoff between a former president who admires 🇦🇷’s Javier Milei & a more conciliatory senator. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/22/b...
foreignpolicy.com
Bolivia Says ‘No MAS’
After two decades as a bastion of the left, the country is taking a right turn.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief, Haiti gets a new leader of its transitional government, Peru strikes a trade agreement with Indonesia, and Bolivia prepares for elections that could usher in a major political shift. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/15/h...
foreignpolicy.com
Haiti Taps New Interim Leader
The country avoided a gang-backed government takeover last week, but security remains tenuous.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
In today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: 🇸🇻 scraps presidential term limits, a move condemned by pro-democracy watchdogs when it happened elsewhere in the region. Now, diplomats say there is a chilling effect at one major such group, the OAS. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/08/e...
foreignpolicy.com
El Salvador’s Latest Regression Met With Silence From Watchdog
The Organization of American States is experiencing a chilling effect under Trump.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
This week’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief is about Colombia’s trial of former President Álvaro Uribe, South American countries receiving significant migrant flows in the first semester, and where Brazil and Mexico landed—for now—with U.S. tariffs. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/01/c...
foreignpolicy.com
Former Colombian Leader Is Convicted of Bribery
The landmark ruling provoked immediate criticism from the Trump administration.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com LatAm Brief: the recent U.S.-Brazil escalation can be analyzed from many angles. Attacking Brazil’s digital payments technology could reflect not only attempts to boost U.S. companies (1/2) foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/24/b...
foreignpolicy.com
U.S.-Brazil Feud Could Speed Up De-Dollarization
A popular Brazilian payment system is causing concerns in Washington.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief previews the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro and looks at how Brazil is trying to put its stamp on the group amid its expansion. foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/04/b...
foreignpolicy.com
BRICS Envoys Flock to Rio
At the bloc’s annual summit, Brazil hopes to focus on economic development rather than anti-Western antagonism.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
This week’s @foreignpolicy.com Lat Am Brief is about the COP30 warm-up talks in Bonn. They produced new draft language on a just transition away from fossil fuels, even as 🇧🇷 held a controversial auction of oil drilling rights off the coast of the Amazon River. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/27/b...
foreignpolicy.com
U.N. Hosts Dress Rehearsal for COP30
The November climate summit in Brazil will be Lula’s biggest diplomatic test yet.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
This week’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief looks at regional leaders’ priorities at the G7 summit. For Mexico’s Sheinbaum, whose predecessor never attended the event, the trip signaled a shift toward a more globally oriented foreign policy. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/19/b...
foreignpolicy.com
Sheinbaum Makes Her G-7 Debut
After years of disengagement on the global stage, Mexico’s new president is taking a different tack.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com Lat Am Brief is about an effort to put Latin America on the global AI map via a large language model that draws from deep archives of data in the region. It aims to address gaps & oversimplifications from models trained mostly in English. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/13/l...
foreignpolicy.com
Where Does Latin America Stand in the Global AI Race?
Chile-backed model Latam-GPT plans to make its public debut in September.
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Catherine Osborn @ccosborn.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
Today’s @foreignpolicy.com Latin America Brief looks at 🇲🇽’s shock therapy to its judiciary. Plans for the nationwide election had already rankled trade partners before it produced a top court full of judges tied to the ruling party on Sunday. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/06/m...
foreignpolicy.com
The Aftermath of Mexico’s Judicial Elections
Sunday’s vote handed more influence to the ruling party—and shook investor confidence.
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Allison Meakem @ameakem.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Today in @ccosborn.bsky.social's Latin America Brief: It's been a big week for Suriname, which held elections on Sunday and saw its former foreign minister take office as OAS secretary-general.
foreignpolicy.com
Suriname’s Growing Clout
The Caribbean nation now helms a key regional forum and is on the cusp of an oil boom.
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