Matteo Ceurvels

In 1999, the Ecuadorian economy was on the brink of collapse. Under the mandate of Jamil Mahuad, Ecuador bared witness to its currency's depreciation by 195%, 70% of its financial institutions closing, and major structural reforms resulting in the dollarization of the economy. In direct parallel to this, Juan Carlos Donoso's film Saudade speaks to this crisis through his protagonist, Miguel. As Miguel tries to mitigate the trials and tribulations of his teenage years, the viewer is able to see… Show more

In 1999, the Ecuadorian economy was on the brink of collapse. Under the mandate of Jamil Mahuad, Ecuador bared witness to its currency's depreciation by 195%, 70% of its financial institutions closing, and major structural reforms resulting in the dollarization of the economy. In direct parallel to this, Juan Carlos Donoso's film Saudade speaks to this crisis through his protagonist, Miguel. As Miguel tries to mitigate the trials and tribulations of his teenage years, the viewer is able to see how Donoso cleverly juxtaposes the economic crisis through Miguel’s eyes. Ultimately, the boy is representative of the Ecuadorian nation as a whole. By prioritizing the protagonist and his point of view, the viewer is able to humanize such outright, horrid corruption and the pain that Ecuador faced during this dark period of its history while being offered a beacon of hope for a brighter future in the subsequent years to come. Show less

On January 23, AS/COA and the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce hosted a program on developments in the cyberspace environment. Participants discussed ways to help organizations develop practical solutions to cyber investigations, digital forensics, threat management, legal challenges, and asset protection while doing business online.

On December 12, AS/COA hosted a public panel discussion on Latin American innovation, in partnership with the Latin American Venture Capital Association (LAVCA). Panelists discussed a variety of opportunities for private equity and venture capital investors created as a new generation of Latin American entrepreneurs and consumers come of age. Leading fund managers shared stories of recent ventures as well as their strategies for building innovative Latin American companies.

On December 4, AS/COA hosted a book launch for Heraldo Muñoz’s new book Getting Away with Murder: Benazir Bhutto’s Assassination and the Politics of Pakistan. Muñoz—the UN assistant secretary-general and assistant administrator and director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the UNDP—revealed a story of betrayals, corruption, and foreign influence that led to the death of one of the world’s leading politicians, the former prime minister of Pakistan. Offering personal insight, Muñoz situates… Show more

On December 4, AS/COA hosted a book launch for Heraldo Muñoz’s new book Getting Away with Murder: Benazir Bhutto’s Assassination and the Politics of Pakistan. Muñoz—the UN assistant secretary-general and assistant administrator and director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the UNDP—revealed a story of betrayals, corruption, and foreign influence that led to the death of one of the world’s leading politicians, the former prime minister of Pakistan. Offering personal insight, Muñoz situates Bhutto within Pakistan’s turbulent evolution and cites the leader’s murder as the major turning point in the country’s decades-long relationship with the United States. Lally Weymouth of the Washington Post interviewed the author about his experiences in writing the book as well as his thoughts surrounding Bhutto’s assassination. Show less

On November 8, AS/COA hosted a public discussion on Brazil’s economic and political prospects for 2014. President Dilma Rousseff—whose approval ratings fell after the street protests in June—will seek reelection amid the country’s slow economic growth and rising inflation. Major cabinet shifts are expected, as Rousseff’s chief of staff and several ministers are to leave the federal government to run in state elections. As these changes take place, Brazil will host the World Cup. Panelists… Show more

On November 8, AS/COA hosted a public discussion on Brazil’s economic and political prospects for 2014. President Dilma Rousseff—whose approval ratings fell after the street protests in June—will seek reelection amid the country’s slow economic growth and rising inflation. Major cabinet shifts are expected, as Rousseff’s chief of staff and several ministers are to leave the federal government to run in state elections. As these changes take place, Brazil will host the World Cup. Panelists discussed the political climate in Brazil, the impact of Brazil’s macroeconomic policies, and the next administration’s ability to address Brazil’s economic bottlenecks. Show less

On October 16, AS/COA partnered with Cornell University’s Emerging Market Institute to host an all-day conference in New York about new approaches to fostering innovation in Latin America. Bringing together a variety of leaders and innovators, the panelists explored topics such as innovation in the financial services, IT, and manufacturing sectors.

On October 7, AS/COA hosted a luncheon discussion focusing on sustainability in the Itaipu region of Brazil and Paraguay. Panelists discussed the overall positive impact that the Itaipu hydroelectric dam has had in the region through environmental programs. In 2003, Itaipu Binacional launched a series of sustainable projects to address international concerns about climate change and access to water. Among these projects, the Cultivating Good Water Program consists of 20 programs and 63… Show more

On October 7, AS/COA hosted a luncheon discussion focusing on sustainability in the Itaipu region of Brazil and Paraguay. Panelists discussed the overall positive impact that the Itaipu hydroelectric dam has had in the region through environmental programs. In 2003, Itaipu Binacional launched a series of sustainable projects to address international concerns about climate change and access to water. Among these projects, the Cultivating Good Water Program consists of 20 programs and 63 initiatives dedicated to issues including environmental education, watershed management, biodiversity, sustainable rural development, medicinal plants, fish production, and fish farming. Show less

Since the end of one of the most fascist regimes the Spanish-speaking world had seen, Franco’s departure from Spain left its citizens in a state of wonder. After many years of such strict and rigid rule, the post-Franco world of Spain would never be the same. Even decades after he left power, many people still continue to talk about, write, and recreate the Franco era. In a sense, one can even go as far to say that reproducing this period of history is used as a means to reflect upon the… Show more

Since the end of one of the most fascist regimes the Spanish-speaking world had seen, Franco’s departure from Spain left its citizens in a state of wonder. After many years of such strict and rigid rule, the post-Franco world of Spain would never be the same. Even decades after he left power, many people still continue to talk about, write, and recreate the Franco era. In a sense, one can even go as far to say that reproducing this period of history is used as a means to reflect upon the gruesome events of Spain’s history so that people remember what has happened in the past as a means to make sure it never happens again in the future. In doing this research on a film that has received much critical acclaim worldwide, I wanted to know how history influenced the film: What actually happened in Spanish history to cause such horrid events to occur, and what happened to Spain (historically) after Franco died? Show less

Dos en particular son: Muda (2010) y Los ojos (2011). Aunque los títulos parezcan hablar de temas muy distintos, hay un tema que une las dos obras. Cada obra trata de examinar, cuestionar, y entender el lugar de una persona en este mundo existencial a través de las varias maneras de comunicación que sean directas, indirectas, o la falta de cada una de las dos. También, Messiez le demuestra al público como los protagonistas pueden lograr esto en el espacio en el cual que ellos están y con… Show more

Dos en particular son: Muda (2010) y Los ojos (2011). Aunque los títulos parezcan hablar de temas muy distintos, hay un tema que une las dos obras. Cada obra trata de examinar, cuestionar, y entender el lugar de una persona en este mundo existencial a través de las varias maneras de comunicación que sean directas, indirectas, o la falta de cada una de las dos. También, Messiez le demuestra al público como los protagonistas pueden lograr esto en el espacio en el cual que ellos están y con la gente que conocen a través de las obras. Al analizar, comparar, y contrastar Muda y Los ojos en profundidad, uno puede ver las semejanzas y diferencias entre ellas. Show less

This research focused on a film called City of God. The movie itself takes places in a favela (or better known as a “slum”) outside of Rio de Janeiro. Unlike the picture perfect postcard images of Rio, this film delves into deeper and more important matters, such as race, social and monetary inequities, drugs, gang violence, politics, and history. To the average person, this movie may be seen simply as another film trying to break onto the “Hollywood” stage. However, different from most… Show more

This research focused on a film called City of God. The movie itself takes places in a favela (or better known as a “slum”) outside of Rio de Janeiro. Unlike the picture perfect postcard images of Rio, this film delves into deeper and more important matters, such as race, social and monetary inequities, drugs, gang violence, politics, and history. To the average person, this movie may be seen simply as another film trying to break onto the “Hollywood” stage. However, different from most Hollywood films (in spite of its many action-packed scenes), City of God forces the viewer to question and take a deeper look into Brazil.
I first explored the parallels of history and memory with respect to the film itself. In doing so, I examined what actually happened in Brazilian history to cause these horrid slums to form and grow at such rapid speeds. In addition, I then broke the film down in terms of its historical significance into the three main decades it focuses on: the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Unlike the more prosperous Brazil of today, the Brazil of these thirty years was a very different place. By examining the film in such a way, I was able to expand upon the plethora of burning issues that the movie addresses including: drugs, gangs, extreme poverty, memory, and authoritarianism.
In spite of the more grim aspects of this film, City of God also presents the viewer with a positive message: that in spite of such terrible circumstances, there is still the hope and ability to break out of this political and social labyrinth. As seen by the film’s protagonist, Rocket’s ability to break out of this labyrinth shows that it is possible for success to come to the favelas. In taking this idea one step further, I will conclude this paper with an investigation on modern-day Brazil. Show less

Even though Even the Rain made its debut on the big screen only about a year ago, it has received much acclaim from critics worldwide. Many have commented on Iciar Bollaín’s portrayal of the 2000 Water War in Cochabamba, Bolivia. In spite of the movie’s more documentary feel, Bollaín examines many important issues that have plagued Bolivian society---all the way from its colonial past up through modern day. After seeing the film, I became inspired to know more about Bolivia’s colonial… Show more

Even though Even the Rain made its debut on the big screen only about a year ago, it has received much acclaim from critics worldwide. Many have commented on Iciar Bollaín’s portrayal of the 2000 Water War in Cochabamba, Bolivia. In spite of the movie’s more documentary feel, Bollaín examines many important issues that have plagued Bolivian society---all the way from its colonial past up through modern day. After seeing the film, I became inspired to know more about Bolivia’s colonial history. In addition to this, the film also showed the devastating effects the neoliberal reforms had on Bolivia (so much that a war was ignited because of it). Therefore, I wanted to learn about the history of neoliberal ideology, the specific policies created, and their effects on Bolivian society. Finally, I then wanted to analyze the film after having a solid base in colonial history and economic theory. With this knowledge, I would effectively be able to examine the burning question Bollaín poses to the viewer: Have 500 years of history changed Bolivia as a whole or are its citizens still stuck in an historic, economic, and racially oppressive labyrinthine world? Show less

This paper examines the origins, causes, and effects of ISI in Latin America focusing in particular on Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

This chapter focuses on a speech given by Mario Vargas Llosa on his thoughts towards fiction. There is also a link to the full page article where Vargas Llosa fully develops his thesis on fiction with an extract of pertinent quotes from the article itself. Finally, there are questions in regards to the speech/article, followed by the answers and a potential project for others to do, in order to enhance what they have learned.