CHILE’S NEXT POLITICAL CHAPTER: NEW CONSTITUTION ON THE WAY, AND NEW PRESIDENT

On December 19, 2021, Gabriel Boric was elected the new President of Chile. This is a significant development for the country, and its potential impact on foreign investment is best understood by revisiting the most recent developments in Chile, including the moves to effect Constitutional changes. Over the past few years, Latin American countries have … Read more

Recent merger control developments in Latin America: Focus on Peru

On 14 June 2021, a new merger control regime entered into force in Peru. Merger control laws have been in place in Peru for almost 30 years but these were limited to the electricity sector. The new merger control legislation (Law Nº 31112, approved by the Peruvian Congress in January 2021) has repealed the sector-specific … Read more

COP26 – TRENDS IN LATIN AMERICA

Below you will find a detailed update on Latin America regional climate policy trends as part of HSF’s global launch of the COP26 hub. Our dedicated hub arms you with the resources, updates and insights to chart how climate change policy will impact your business through the 2020s. From regional overviews to sectorial deep dives, … Read more

Are concerns about “attacks on arbitration” in Brazil justified?

Alarmism would be excessive. However, recent judgments by the Brazilian judiciary call for a hint of caution when selecting Brazil as a seat for arbitration. Recent articles published in the Brazilian legal and general press have spurred a lively debate as to potential threats to the country’s development into one of the world’s leading seats … Read more

Ecuador is Now Officially a Contracting State of the ICSID Convention

On June 30, 2021, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court (Constitutional Court) held that President Guillermo Lasso had the power to ratify the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention) without the approval of Ecuador’s National Assembly (the Decision).[1] The Constitutional Court also held that the ratification of the … Read more

The Brazilian New Gas Market

These are exciting times for the natural gas sector in Brazil. Over the past few months, the Brazilian legal framework for the sector has been completely overhauled. Energy companies and those investing in the region should be aware of what the Brazilian government and local players call a “new gas market” and the legislative reform … Read more

MEXICO ENERGY ALERT: Recent Regulatory Measures Impacting the Oil & Gas Sector

During the first half of May 2021, the Mexican government passed a controversial amendment of Mexico’s Hydrocarbons Law and revoked over a hundred oil and gas marketing permits. These measures are part President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (“AMLO“)’s plan to reverse the energy reforms introduced by former President Enrique Peña Nieto in 2013, which liberalized … Read more

The Dominican Republic’s Recent Legislation on Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a widespread tool for collaboration between a government agency and a private sector company and are used to finance large-scale public projects such as transportation networks, renewable energy and/or other infrastructure related projects. The government agency and the private-sector company come together to sponsor and build the project with shared risks … Read more