As the new year commences, there are several developments taking place in Latin America and the Caribbean that will likely make international headlines in 2020. In this commentary, we will briefly discuss some issues to keep in mind.

Three South American countries—Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador—have experienced massive protests in the past couple of months.

China maintains a flexible strategy as it looks to gain and secure new international partners and backers, while the US has demanded accountability and democracy from Guyana.

While the US continues to support Taiwan, it has been unable to prevent some governments from establishing relations with China. Many of the nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, two regions where the US has plenty of allies and partners. So as we discuss Taipei’s future in the Western Hemisphere, we must discuss what Washington can (realistically) do to help its ally.

While Beijing continues its multidimensional approach to Latin America and the Caribbean, US leadership is notably missing.

The Republic of Moldova is entering a new era after the events of June 2019, with the rise to power of Prime Minister Maia Sandu, the first woman to ever hold this position, and an agreement of sorts between Washington and Moscow to support the political changes that have been taking place within the landlocked southeastern European state over the last two months.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s decision to nominate his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, to become the next ambassador of Brazil to the US has triggered concerns about nepotism in the South American nation.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev won Kazakhstan’s June 9 elections with 70 percent of the vote, while his closest challenger, Amirzhan Kosanov, obtained around 16 percent.

While there continues to be a movement among policymakers in Caracas, Washington, and even Oslo, the Venezuelan church has made several provocative statements in recent weeks, demonstrating that even its patience is running out.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on April 9 that his country will hold presidential elections on June 9.