Since the first quarter of 2014, Brazil has been living in crisis mode as the result of a severe economic crisis in conjunction with an investigation into widespread corruption that has penetrated the highest offices in the government. Although the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016 did offer some hope for recovery, recent events demonstrate that Brazil's troubles are still ongoing. Contributing expert Sergio Fausto analyzes the main factors leading to this crisis and surveys the current economic and political situation.
Under long-established Texas law, the surface estate owner clearly owns oilfield produced water. However, the law does not address how, if at all, the producer would need to split revenues with the surface owner for a sale or a for-value transfer of produced water. Fellow Gabe Collins analyzes the ambiguity related to revenues from this commodity and discusses potential transaction structures for produced water in Texas.
Do laws in the Middle East adequately protect women against domestic violence? The author examines the positions of two highly visible Islamist parties — Al-Nahda in Tunisia and the Justice and Development Party in Morocco — on the criminalization of spousal abuse.
This paper analyzes the possible impact of Mexico’s energy reform on the country’s environment, as well as the challenges to preserving natural resources and access to water while also supporting the expanding oil and gas sector.
The author analyzes the major claims and implications of the Surgeon General's report "Facing Addiction in America," and proposes additional drug policy considerations for addressing substance use disorders.
Nonresident fellow Gary J. Hale explains why the U.S. should celebrate Mexico’s constitutional centennial as a marker of the country’s commitment to the principles of democracy and freedom.
This paper explores the constitutional and legal standards regarding oversight systems related to accountability, transparency and responsibility within the scope of the energy reform in Mexico. It analyzes these regulatory structures and assesses whether the procedures satisfy the constitutional principles that the energy reform establishes for the petroleum sector. It also identifies challenges and opportunities for improvement presented by the legislation.
Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, makes the case for a comprehensive North American strategy in which the U.S., Mexico and Canada act in concert to become the global superpower of the 21st century.
Despite the recent energy reforms in Mexico, the conditions under which some economic sectors operate in Mexico reflect a reality that is still far from a competitive marketplace, and the benefits that such markets generate. The authors of this paper present three factors that, if not recognized in a timely manner, may limit the effective application of the most recent reform in the natural gas and electricity industries.
The development of the petroleum sector has been characterized by a succession of cycles of investment and expropriation that have been particularly pronounced in Latin America. This paper analyzes the causes of these cycles and the lessons that can be derived and applied during the implementation of the petroleum reform in Mexico.
