Taylor Dibbert

Taylor Dibbert holds a BA in political science from the University of Georgia and a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2006-2008. He has also worked in Spain and Zimbabwe. Dibbert's writing has appeared in Foreign Policy Journal, Foreign Policy in Focus, Slow Trains Literary Journal, Fair Observer and elsewhere. He is the author of the book Fiesta of Sunset: The Peace Corps, Guatemala and a Search for Truth.

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Articles by Taylor Dibbert:

Obama and Immigration

April 19, 2012 by

President Barack Obama is talking big (again). This time it is about immigration. At the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Obama has said that he would deal with immigration reform during the first year of his second term. Now all he has to do is get reelected.

Latin America’s Shift on Drug Policy

April 16, 2012 by

I recently read an interesting and smart piece on one of Foreign Policy’s blogs which charted some notable policy shifts among current Latin American heads of state as it relates to drugs. It is true that, more than two years ago, the former leaders of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico all (rightly) claimed that the “war on drugs” had been unsuccessful. It is also true that the current presidents of Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala (among others) have also called for a rethink on the current prohibition regime.

The Peace Corps, Drugs and US Foreign Policy

January 29, 2012 by

A few months ago, President Barack Obama was celebrating the “profound” relationship between the United States and Honduras. This happened in spite of the fact that current President Porfirio Lobo’s rise to power was aided by a June 2009 coup. Even though Obama publicly denounced the coup, the administration’s response was timid. It did not take the Obama administration long to warm up to the ouster of democratically elected Manuel Zelaya.

Contemplating a Paul Third Party Run

January 8, 2012 by

Ron Paul finished a disappointing third in the Iowa Caucuses. He is unlikely to win upcoming primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina or Florida. He probably will not win February caucuses in Nevada or Maine either. Even if Republicans are unable to decide on a candidate by that time, Paul’s influence in the primary will have waned considerably.

Amnesty and Guatemala’s Civil War

December 29, 2011 by

Guatemala’s civil war was, by far, Latin America’s bloodiest—leaving approximately 200,000 people dead. A United Nations-supported truth commission found that more than 90 percent of the human rights violations were committed by the military, including over 600 massacres in primarily indigenous villages. Since the conclusion of the war in 1996, the pursuit of accountability has not gone well.

The Peace Corps and Violence in Central America

December 23, 2011 by

In Central America, the Peace Corps is getting leaner. The organization has recently announced that it will be pulling out of Honduras. The Peace Corps has also put a hold on sending new training groups to Guatemala and El Salvador. There is no question that these countries are dangerous. Honduras, for example, has a murder rate of nearly 82 people per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest in the world.

Post-Zapatero Spain: Obstacles and Opportunities

December 16, 2011 by

Well, it happened. This past November, Spain’s Socialists (PSOE) got hammered at the polls and (after failing twice before) incoming Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the nation’s conservative Popular Party (PP), got his absolute majority in Congress. Next week he will be sworn into office. Now what?

Democratic Speed Bumps in Latin America

December 11, 2011 by

After a decade of growing popularity, democracy has hit a slump in Latin America. A recent Latinobarómetro poll cited by The Economist in late October underscores this point. In all but three Latin American countries, fewer people than last year believe that democracy is preferable to any other type of government. In the cases of Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, the drop in support for democracy is significant.

Rethinking US-Mexican Security Cooperation

December 4, 2011 by

Since Felipe Calderón came into office in 2006, security links between the US and Mexico have gotten noticeably stronger, the Mérida Initiative being the most obvious example of this. Funding under this program will almost certainly continue next year. Since “Mérida assistance” is costing the US government hundreds of millions of dollars a year, now would be an appropriate time to ascertain whether this is the best use of taxpayer money, or whether it promotes human rights or has even been effectual.

On the Reelection of Barack Obama

November 26, 2011 by

If Barack Obama is reelected he should consider himself quite lucky. Obama was heralded into office as a true visionary, someone who would be able to look beyond partisan politics and really change Washington. After all, Obama’s rise captures the very essence of the American dream. Then reality set in. It was naïve of the Obama administration to think that its healthcare policy could be retroactively sold to the American public. It cannot.

The Policy Implications of Spain’s Election

November 15, 2011 by

On November 20th Spaniards will go to the polls. Barring an epic upset, Mariano Rajoy of the center-right Popular Party (PP) will be the country’s next Prime Minister. Many Spaniards have grown tired hearing that the Socialist party (PSOE), which has been in power since 2004, has an answer to the country’s severe economic crisis. They don’t.

Old Habits Die Hard: What the Election of Otto Peréz Means for Guatemala

November 7, 2011 by

On November 6, Otto Peréz-Molina was voted Guatemala’s next president, making him the first military man to lead the country since 1986, the year the nation became reacquainted with democracy after decades of dictatorship. A prominent military figure in the 1980s and 1990s, he was active during the bloodiest period of the thirty-six year civil conflict that left some 200,000 people dead.

The Truth about the Peace Corps

September 29, 2011 by

As the Peace Corps turns fifty, now is an auspicious time to discuss Peace Corps reform. With annual expenses of less than $500 million, the organization costs little when considered in the broader budgetary debate on Capitol Hill. Over the past ten years, two disparate narratives have encompassed most talk surrounding the organization. The first has to do with Peace Corps volunteer (PCV) safety. The second issue has to do with inadequate funding.