The paper deals with the relations of the civil society and state in México in the XXI-st century. The author analyzes the participation of the middle class, scientists and intellectuals in the structural reforms of the state institutions and their insert of the effective path of the realization of economic and social problems in the context of the possible Mexican development trajectory.

The article discusses the current political situation in Chile and the results of the first year in power of Michelle Bachelet second government; analyzes problems and risks of this period associated with increasing political instability. The author points out that high social expectations of the part of society, requiring an accelerated pace of reforms, do not always contribute to the formation of the balanced and adequate political strategy.

The article outlines new trends in the international flows of highly-skilled human resources from Spain because of deep economic crisis started in 2008 with its dramatic social consequences. High levels of youth unemployment as a result of downturn of national labor market provoked emigration of young Spaniards. The paper aims to compare the main socio-economic characteristics of recent migration and massive movements of the 1960-1970s when thousands of domestic Spaniards went abroad, to neighboring European countries to find a job and better life conditions. That historical wave of migration had rotary cycles and was composed mainly by low educated and unskilled workers. In comparison, among recent Spanish-born emigrants predominates educated and highly-qualified youth. However the Europe is the main end of attraction, some Latin American countries are increasing their importance due to the government politics with the purpose of recruiting Spanish scientists and highly qualified professionals.

On-going regional transformations in Latin America have already dramatically shifted the landscape of Latin American integration. The article analyzes evolution as well as current trends of the regional integration and poses that political and ideological factors increasingly prove to be driving forces of regionalism leading to subregionalization, with each of the existing integration associations elaborating its own (and sometimes competing) development pattern. The author resorts to SWOT-analysis to single out internal and external forces, which influence integration in Latin America, and formulates several scenarios of regional/subregional development in the future, to wit: Pan-American dream, Bolívar’s dream and Latin American mosaics.

The article dissects possible shifts in the inter-American system of international relations during Barack Obama’s presidency under the impact of shale gas revolution in the USA. Despite the fact that internal energy revolution can strengthen US political and economic heft in the Western Hemisphere, the system will not develop in the logic of the 20th century. The conclusions made by the author are confirmed by the 2015 National Security Strategy and recent Barack Obama’s remarks at the VII OAS summit in Panamá (2015).

In the article are considered criteria and possibilities of comparative analysis of the processes of political modernization of Brazil and Russia that unfolded there at the turn of the 1980s-1990s. The article deals with the features of the formation of civil society and political culture on the stage of a radical transformation of political structures in both countries (party system, the role of political leadership, etc.). Also the article investigates character of the differences in the development of the both countries at the beginning of the XXI century.

The article focuses on financial arrangements and schemes in Latin America insofar they may help countries cope with external vulnerability in trade and capital markets. The Latin America Reserve Fund (FLAR) has been created to cushion liquidity in case of sudden stops in capital flows and trade deficit. The SICAP-ALADI, SUCRE and Mercosur SML are designed to mitigated exchange rate shocks. To strengthen national systems is the common target for these arrangements. Hereof, they sustain business activity and promote growth and structural reforms. To be more pertinent to member-states needs and able to react fast to credit crunches or price movements these institutions have wide scope of instruments.

The article deals with the issue of the UN Security Council reform. The author considers the currently existing expansion initiatives, as well as the positions of the five permanent members and the main countries interested in launching the process. The UN Security Council reform is analyzed as one of the priorities of Brazilian foreign policy, so special emphasis is laid on the role of the Latin American giant in this process. The author examines the Brazilian strategy aimed at obtaining a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The article presents the political portrait of Nestor Kirchner, president of Argentina, elected at the beginning of this century. It was a difficult period in the history of one of the biggest countries of Latin America, caused by ruinous default which entailed heavy consequences in all the spheres of social life. Kirchner was in power for only four years, but he left an ineffaceable trace in the people’s memory. His name is inseparably linked with the overcoming of the critical stage and redirecting of the society towards the left-centric development model.

The article presents the political portrait of Mexican president Vicente Fox who was in power in the biggest Latin-American country for six years from 2000 to 2006. The historical significance of this outstanding statesman is determined by his coming to power at the crucial point of the history of Mexico, when there ended a long monopoly of one party which was dominating in the national scene and began a peaceful and nonviolent change to the way of pluralistic democracy.

The paper explores the life and political activities of Juan Domingo Perón, one of the most prominent politicians in the history of Argentina and Latin America. There are many debates about the nature and significance of “Peronism”, ideological and political movement created by Perón in the 1940s (and, since the 1970s, often called “Justicialism” or “the doctrine of justice”). Since 2003 the Argentine government was headed by Perón’s followers – Nestor Kirchner (2003–2007) and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007–2015). The article aims to show the ideological kinship and policy continuity of these governments with the ideological and political legacy of Perón.