In the last decade, Latin America has undergone a series of historic transformations. Major political shifts, unprecedented economic growth, and political leaders challenging US influence and championing regional autonomy, have combined to reshape an emerging new continent. With ideologies and policies as varying as Venezuela's Bolivarian socialism, Colombia's economic liberalism and the centrism of Brazil and Argentina being exercised throughout the region, Empire examines the geopolitical shifts across Latin America and asks what challenges may yet lie ahead. Joining us to analyse and uncover some of these issues are: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the former president of Brazil; Otto Perez Molina, the president of Guatemala; Cesar Gaviria, the former president of Colombia; and Jeremy McDermott, the co-founder of the South American organised crime research institute, InSight Crime. We also discuss the future of Latin America and its relationship with the US with our guests: Professor Arlene Beth Tickner from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, who is the editor of a number of books including Thinking International Relations Differently (Worlding Beyond the West); Professor Michael Hardt from Duke University, who is the author of several books including co-authored works Empire and Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire; and Greg Grandin, a professor of history at New York University and author of Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the US and the Rise of the New Imperialism.

• published: 30 Oct 2013
• views: 4096