00:00We welcome expert in foreign politics. It's El Pamela Pérez Gómez. Welcome, Edson. Thank you very much for joining us today.
00:09Hello. Nice to be here. Thank you.
00:14Let's jump right in. What is the stake for the people of San Vincent and the Granadians in today's elections?
00:20Okay, so this election for the people represents an opportunity of change.
00:29You know, like we are talking about a country that has been governed for around 24 years for the same party,
00:35and it has been a very tough road for them, a lot of controversy after the pandemic regarding unemployment of young people
00:45and other economic issues due to also the natural disasters that has faced the island.
00:54So it's an opportunity for the people to choose to vote maybe for an alternate government
01:02and be, I mean, like change their government.
01:08And also, newly registered and younger voters may be decisive in this electoral process.
01:17What issues tend to matter the most to younger voters?
01:22Okay, so the issues that matter the most nowadays, and it's not just talking about the island,
01:28I think it's a regional and I will say like a world strike,
01:32which is young people asking for opportunities, for opportunities for people,
01:38but for young people that are educated and that don't see the opportunities in their country,
01:45and also they are asking for actions towards climate change.
01:49So now also young people in the Caribbean, but in general in the Caribbean and in the island,
01:56they are asking for actions against climate change.
02:02And regarding the regional context, how do you think the recent deployment of U.S. military assets
02:09in Caribbean waters is affecting regional stability?
02:12And what implications does it have for St. Vincent and the Granadians amid this general election?
02:20So for the regional context, these elections, it's very representative because the island,
02:28it's just an example of what is generally happening in the region.
02:32What I mean is they have these issues, economic issues, and also political struggles are also present in other islands.
02:44So it's shared by other countries.
02:46Also, we see in the region weak opposition parties and people asking for electoral transparency.
02:53So there are social tensions around the region due to inequality, unemployment, and especially among young people.
03:00So it represents just what the Caribbean is shouting for, which is transitions.
03:06And they are hoping to use democracy as a mean to achieve what they believe it should be done in the society.
03:19So St. Vincent just represents the democratic resilience in the whole region.
03:25Thank you, Itzel, very much for your time hearing from the South.
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