The most important international affairs magazine in the Spanish-speaking world celebrated in 2020 its twenty anniversary.

The January – March 2020 edition of Foreign Affairs Latin America (FAL) magazine brought with it a discreet but significant change, in its cover the legend “20 YEARS” appeared. This legend made known to its readers that, in 2020, the most important international affairs magazine in the Spanish-speaking world was celebrating its twentieth anniversary.

Foreign Affairs Latin America, in accordance with is web page, is the result of a joint effort of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). Since its birthday in 2000 (as Foreign Affairs in Spanish), it has been characterized by offering an open space for the discussion of current international issues, of great interest to the world and, in particular, to Latin America.

The founders, directors, members of the editorial council, people who has written for FAL, administrative collaborators, the various sponsors, as well as subscribers and readers; all of them made possible this editorial work, which has become the ideal medium for a continues reflection about world geopolitics from Mexico and Latin America. That is how Dr. Arturo Fernández, President of ITAM, explains, in a congratulation that has been sent to the entire FAL team.

In its first edition (December 2020), one of its founders – with Dra. Rossana Fuentes-Berain –  and first director, Dr. Rafael Fernández de Castro, tells which was the spirit that made to the creation of Foreign Affairs Latin America (in that moment Foreign Affairs in Spanish).

We are born to come up with ideas, and open spaces for debate deferred debate within Latin America: How to take advantage of globalization and face its burdens? We are committed to stimulating dialogue and discussion by internationalists, defined as anyone who is aware that global processes affect them.

We enthusiastically join a forum for reflection that already exists within universities, governments, large multinational companies and even in spaces of public protest but which, we firmly believe, can benefit from systematization, periodicity and registration of ideas.

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FAE is an international magazine made in Latin America, and written in spanish -hence the brand that distinguishes us, the Ñ.

Another historic edition in the magazine’s life was the volume 08, número 3, del año  2008. In that edition “Foreign Affairs in Spanish” changed its name to the one it currently uses “Foreign Affairs Latin America”, and renew with a new cover. In its letter, Jordi Bacaria Colom, current director of FAL shared with the readers the reasons of the transition.

We have changed our name, from Foreign Affairs in Spanish to Foreign Affairs Latin America, because we consider that this is a way of clarifying that we are not only a translation and also because we believe that, in these almost 8 years of existence, we have endorsed our Latin American vocation.

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is essential that today’s Latin Americans know the world around them and the perspectives that dominate the international debate – hence the value of the texts we translate from Foreign Affairs, the world’s most influential magazine on international issues. But it is also important that, from Latin America, there are voices that express their opinion on the international, in general, and on our region, in particular. That is why we are proud to count in each issue with the contributions of great authors who, from academia, public policy or civil society, contribute their reflections on international events or on what happens to Latin Americans, without forgetting our Iberian brothers. Knowing what is international is of fundamental importance to understand who we are and what our prospects may be in the medium and long term.

The last significant change in Foreign Affairs Latin America was in its April-June 2013 edition. In that edition, the magazine renew its cover, increasing its visual impact but without losing its identity. In its letter, Jordi Bacaria Colom, the Director, gave the details of that change.

As readers may have perceived, Foreign Affairs Latin America changes the cover. We wanted to give a makeover in the wake of Foreign Affairs magazine and not lose this identification. But also, through our content and analysis, we want to reach more readers, renew trust with our subscribers and followers, and the cover, which is the first impact the reader receives, deserved to be renewed. One of the hallmarks of our magazine is the interior cartoon, always inspired by the content of the main theme. From this number on, the cartoon, due to its importance and stamp, is also identified with the cover. We hope readers accept the challenge of such a change.

From that moment to the most recent number, the magazine has maintained the same institutional identity.

In a sentimental message addressed to the Editorial Board, on the occasion of the celebration for 20 years, Jordi Bacaria Colom shared that “the difficulties and challenges of humanity this 2020 has confirmed us the necessity to continue from FAL the analysis about Latin America and the world, with our modest but in any case independent and honest contribution”.

To know all the editions of Foreign Affairs Latin America, click here.