The Death of George Floyd and Race Relations in the Americas

In this week’s special focus edition of Americas 360, our roundtable discusses recent events in the United States in response to the killing of George Floyd while in police custody, and takes a look at how other countries in the Americas have reacted to what’s happening in the U.S. and the subsequent U.S. government response. The panelists then expand the discussion to explore the state of race relations throughout the Americas.

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Duncan Wood

• "The debate [in Mexico] has been focused on the question of police brutality rather than racism... I continue to press the point that there is an opportunity in Mexico and beyond that is presented to us by this situation to discuss race on a more overt level."
• "It's extraordinarily consistent throughout the hemisphere that you see this correlation between skin tone, prosperity, [and] opportunities."
• "We’re at a pivotal moment right now. We’re seeing a nationwide conversation about reforming police departments across this nation. Hopefully in a few years’ time that gives the United States a positive experience that can be taken out in to the hemisphere but you need to have successes before you can begin to sell your product."

Christopher Sands

• "[Recent events] have just made every diplomat that has to represent U.S. values [and] emphasis on human rights or democracy to counterparts abroad find his or her job so much more difficult."
• "Another thing that’s been particularly shocking for countries…that have gone through military dictatorship is the kind of language that’s being used, by President Trump [and] the Trump administration and the militarization of the response. This idea that you have troops on the street…the use of this [violent] rhetoric…the call to dominate the streets. It’s a kind of heavy handed policing that we have traditionally stood against in Latin America."

Benjamin Gedan 

• "We often point to inadequacies in the US but say we address them effectively. If we try to fight corruption in Latin America we say we have it here too. We have racial inequalities. We have abuse of policing. The question is how will the system react now that it’s once again been brought to light?"
• "In Latin America there is very little reluctance to criticize the United States when there is an opportunity."

Ricardo Zúñiga

• "The real question is where do we go from here? There’s all of this energy in civil society that we’re seeing in several countries. Does this turn into anything lasting?"
• "Criticism of the United States, while valid, is often not accompanied by some reflection in countries [in the Americas]... It's much easier to see disparities and difference and discrimination in another country than it is to see in one's own."