Latin America - European and International Cooperation
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Latin America
Interaktive Karten
Foundation Office Mexico
Head:
Hans-Hartwig Blomeier
Based in:
Mexico City, Mexico
Year of foundation:
1980
Main areas of work:
Party cooperation, rule of law, economy and sustainability, international politics
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Argentinia
Head:
Susanne Käss
Based in:
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Year of foundation:
1964
Main areas of work:
Political education, rule of law and regulatory policy, local politics, international relations
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Guatemala
Head:
Dr. Rudolf Teuwsen
Based in:
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Year of foundation:
1966
Main areas of work:
Rule of law, promotion of young politicians, social market economy, social dialogue
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Costa Rica
Head:
Winfried Weck
Based in:
San José, Costa Rica
Year of foundation:
1980
Main areas of work:
Party cooperation, innovation, international exchange, economy and sustainability
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Panama
Head:
Winfried Weck
Based in:
Panama City, Panama
Year of foundation:
2019
Main areas of work:
Democracy promotion, economy and sustainability
To the Foundation Office
Liaison Office of the Foundation Honduras
Head:
Dr. Rudolf Teuwsen
Based in:
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Year of foundation:
1984
Main areas of work:
Rule of law, social market economy, promotion of young politicians
To the Liaison Office of the Foundation
Foundation Office Venezuela
Head:
Annette Schwarzbauer
Based in:
Caracas, Venezuela
Year of foundation:
1962
Main areas of work:
Education and dialogue measures on social issues, local development and participation, foreign, energy and economic policy, scholarships
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Colombia
Head:
Stefan Reith
Based in:
Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Year of foundation:
1964
Main areas of work:
Peace process, migration, sustainable development, democratic participation
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Peru
Head:
Dr. Robert Helbig
Based in:
Lima, Peru
Year of foundation:
1968
Main areas of work:
Strengthening democratic structures, rule of law, political reform and promotion of young talent, foreign and security policy
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Bolivia
Head:
Dr. Christina Stolte
Based in:
La Paz, Bolivia
Year of foundation:
1967
Main areas of work:
Social market economy, strengthening of parliament, freedom of the press and freedom of expression, democratic participation of women, youth and indigenous peoples
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Brazil
Head:
Anja Czymmeck
Based in:
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Year of foundation:
1969
Main areas of work:
Political education, rule of law and regulatory policy, decentralisation and sustainable development, international relations
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Uruguay
Head:
Sebastian Grundberger
Based in:
Montevideo, Uruguay
Year of foundation:
1967
Main areas of work:
Political education and advisory work, municipal development and decentralisation, international relations
To the Foundation Office
Foundation Office Chile
Head:
Olaf Jacob
Based in:
Santiago de Chile, Chile
Year of foundation:
1962
Main areas of work:
Decentralisation, digitalisation and sustainable development, promotion of young politicians, international relations
To the Foundation Office
Regional Programme Alliances for Development and Democracy with Latin America
Head:
Winfried Weck
Based in:
Panama City, Panama
Year of foundation:
2019
Main areas of work:
Multilateralism, international economic and trade policy, digital future, agenda 2030
To the Regional Programme
Rule of Law Programme Latin America
Head:
Hartmut Rank
Based in:
Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Year of foundation:
1991
Main areas of work:
Constitutional law and regional and international human rights protection, international criminal law and transitional justice, combating corruption
To the Regional Programme
Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Latin America
Head:
Nicole Stopfer
Based in:
Lima, Peru
Year of foundation:
2013
Main areas of work:
Energy security, climate change, resource policy, circular economy
To the Regional Programme
Regional Programme Political Partizipation of Indigenous People in Latin America
Head:
Dr. Christina Stolte
Based in:
La Paz, Bolivia
Year of foundation:
2005
Main areas of work:
Promoting the political participation of indigenous people, raising awareness among political actors, intercultural dialogue
To the Regional Programme
Regional Programme Political Parties and Democracy in Latin America
Head:
Sebastian Grundberger
Based in:
Montevideo, Uruguay
Year of foundation:
2012
Main areas of work:
Party dialogue, political education, political youth work, democracy
To the Regional Programme
Foundation Office Ecuador
Head:
Johannes Hügel
Based in:
Quito, Ecuador
Year of foundation:
2022
Main areas of work:
Strengthening democratic and market-economy structures, rule of law, political reforms, promotion of young talent, foreign and security policy
To the Foundation Office
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Alongside Europe and North America, Latin America is one of the world’s most democratic regions and therefore an important partner for Germany in the creation of a rule-based, multilateral world order. KAS has been working with Latin American states in a spirit of trust for over 50 years to foster close dialogue on the topics of democracy, the rule of law, decentralisation and social market economics through its 12 Foundation offices and 5 regional projects.
When it comes to their histories, cultures and mentalities, Germany has more in common with Latin America than almost any other region. This ‘natural partnership’ with the region is also reflected in KAS’s international work, which started with the first Foundation offices in Venezuela and Chile (1962).
Latin America has experienced sweeping changes since the early days of cooperation. Apart from a few exceptions, the countries in the region are governed democratically and adhere to the principles of market economy. At the beginning of the millennium, Latin America experienced a period of prosperity thanks to the huge revenue brought in from the resources boom, which significantly reduced poverty levels in many countries and boosted the region’s self-confidence on the international stage. However, a number of social and political challenges, including corruption, social inequality, a lack of trust in politics and state institutions, along with crime and violence, continue to exist despite the economic upswing. These factors are hampering the region’s development - now that the economic heyday is over and many states have to fight the serious impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

KAS helps Latin American partners to tackle these political and social challenges. Specifically, KAS is committed to the following priority areas in Latin America:
- cooperation with Christian-democratic and other centrist parties
- promotion of the rule of law, constitutional reform processes and fighting corruption
- regulatory dialogue on the structure of economic and social policies
- contribution to the sustainability of democratic structures and institutions
- consulting of governments and parliaments
- promotion of political participation and human rights
- cooperation with organisations in civil society and the media
- promotion of decentralisation processes
- dialogue on environmental politics, climate change and energy security
- dialogue on foreign and security policy within the region and with Europe and Germany
The work of the Foundation offices in Latin America is divided into three project regions, which are coordinated from Berlin.

Mexico and Central America
The project region of Mexico and Central America is characterised, at first glance, by considerable heterogeneity. Thanks to its size and economic power, Mexico sticks out as a member of the G20 and the OECD, and is also an important actor in an international context. Costa Rica is securely anchored in the western community of shared values and serves, alongside Panama, as a politically stable and reliable interlocutor for Germany and the European Union. In the Northern Triangle of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, the most dominant issues on the agenda are security policy challenges and the topic of migration.
The KAS Foundation offices in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama work closely with local partner institutions to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, as well as to promote active participation (particularly amongst indigenous populations, women and young people) in politics and society. Political dialogue with partner parties plays a particularly important role, especially in Mexico and Costa Rica. In addition to national aspects, issues in regard to regional cooperation, such as migration, security and foreign trade, as well as relationships with Europe and Germany are also addressed. Based in Panama, the ‘Alliances for Democracy and Development with Latin America’ regional programme (ADELA) makes an important contribution to the promotion of multilateralism and the strengthening of partnerships between Germany, Europe and Latin America as democratic partners with shared values.

Andean states
The situation in the Andean states of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia has been extremely volatile in recent years. Encouraging news, such as the historic peace agreement in Colombia that ended six decades of conflict with the FARC guerilla group in 2016, are juxtaposed with dramatic developments in the neighbouring country of Venezuela, which is currently experiencing a massive humanitarian, political and economic crisis and was the location of one of the 21st century’s largest refugee disasters. Social protests shook large parts of the region in autumn 2019, laying bare the full extent to which political polarisation and dissatisfaction over inadequate socio-economic participation are dividing the societies of the Andean countries.
The KAS Foundation offices in the Andes, which besides the country projects in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia also include the regional projects for ‘Indigenous Political Participation’ based in Bolivia, the ‘Rule of Law Programme Latin America’ based in Colombia and the ‘Energy Security and Climate Change in Latin America’ programme, work closely with local political, judicial, media and civil society partners in their areas of activity. The Foundation offices focus on specific national issues, such as the implementation of the peace process in Colombia, the decentralisation of government in Peru, the promotion of civil society in Venezuela and political dialogue in Bolivia. Although based in the Andean states, the regional projects work across borders and pursue overarching topics, such as promoting the rule of law in Latin America, socio-political participation amongst indigenous populations and the debate surrounding climate change. Since mid-2020, the KAS Foundation offices in the Andean states have also been focusing their efforts on the consequences of the Venezuelan refugee crisis, as the countries in the region have, in the meantime, taken in the majority of around five million migrants and born the brunt of the mass exodus from Venezuela.

Cono Sur
The Cono Sur project region covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay and fosters party dialogue and democracy through the regional programme based there. Compared with the other regions, Cono Sur enjoys a relatively high level of political stability. Nevertheless, increasing societal polarisation can also be observed here. Despite a generally high level of development, the countries are characterised by significant regional differences and show large income disparities. Violent demonstrations erupted in apparently stable Chile during 2019, mostly in protest of social injustices and demanding a new constitution. Social and economic reforms are difficult to implement in a polarised environment, as shown by the example of Argentina. Brazil and Argentina play an important role thanks to their size and economic power. Both countries are members of the G20, a group of the twenty most important industrialised and emerging economies. Chile and Uruguay show consistent commitment to multilateralism. All four countries are important interlocutors for Germany and the European Union.
The Foundation offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay focus primarily on the political dialogue with local partner parties and institutions, focusing on both national issues and the shared challenges of a more interdependent world: in addition to political education and dialogue formats for officials and junior staff on a national and municipal level, discussions also address global topics such as trade relationships, adapting to climate change and the development of regional security structures. KAS Brazil’s annual ‘Forte de Copacabana’ security conference has become firmly established on the global security policy agenda.
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Selected projects of our department
Exclusive and selected projects of our department (possibly in cooperation with other departments or external partners) are presented in the following overview.
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Publications to the topic

Uruguay starts election marathon
Uncertain outcome despite stable government polls
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Sebastian Grundberger, Kristin Langguth
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September 1, 2023
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Country Reports

BRICS invites Argentina in troubled times
BRICS Group welcomes admission of South American country
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Susanne Käss
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September 1, 2023
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Country Reports

Elections in Ecuador
Runoff between Entrepreneur and Correísta
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Johannes Hügel
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August 22, 2023
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Country Reports

Reboot of Colombia's Neighborhood Policy
President Petro seeks rapprochement with Venezuela.
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María Paula León, Stefan Reith
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June 5, 2023
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Country Reports
Election campaign in Guatemala
Between entrenched elites and unchannelled protest
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Stefan Jost
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May 25, 2023
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Country Reports
Ecuador: Muerte Cruzada Keeps President Guillermo Lasso in Office
By using the controversial but constitutional tool of muerte cruzada, President Lasso avoids imminent impeachment and provokes dissolution of Ecuador's National Assembly.
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Johannes Hügel
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May 19, 2023
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Country Reports
Spiral of violence in Costa Rica
No end in sight?
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Evelyn Gaiser
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May 17, 2023
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Country Reports
Mexico Update 2023
Election campaign temperature rises, political debate comes to a head
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Hans-Hartwig Blomeier
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May 10, 2023
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Country Reports
Clear shift to the right in Chile's constitutional council election
Another setback for the government of Gabriel Boric
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Olaf Jacob, Caroline Erdmannsdörffer
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May 10, 2023
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Country Reports
Paraguay's political power machine keeps on running
In the elections, the "Colorados" maintain their political dominance in the South American landlocked country
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Sebastian Grundberger, Zoe von Blücher López
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May 2, 2023
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Country Reports