Hello, and welcome to the Latin America Weekly newsletter! In this issue: the multi-layered political crisis facing Colombia’s Gustavo Petro. The push for coca leaves. And how criminal gangs have taken over Argentina’s third-largest city.
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Petro faces first political crisis
Honeymoon periods don’t last long in Latin America, and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro might now see his at risk. Multiple storms have shaken his administration over the last few weeks, including his first cabinet shakeup and corruption allegations against his family.
Reform agenda. Mr. Petro started the year with an ambitious reform agenda, looking to pass multiple bills in Congress â including an overhaul of the healthcare system, changes to the pension regime, and new labor regulations. And there’s also his ongoing attempts to negotiate peace with the country’s remaining armed organizations.
Healthcare. The health reform was first in line on Mr. Petro’s 2023 wishlist, with the goal of shifting power away from private insurers (known in Colombia as EPSs) and into the hands of a single state-controlled fund, which would also work...