Armchair Diplomat explores foreign policy through the experiences of career diplomats rather than abstract talking points. Hosted by Michael Eddy, each episode features firsthand accounts of overseas negotiations, relationships built on the ground, and the realities of representing the United States abroad. In about 30 minutes, the show connects current global events to the people who lived them and goes beyond cable news headlines. It focuses on why these issues matter and why listeners should care.
Episodes
The Queen of Hearts in Managua: Inside Nicaragua's Mom-and-Pop Dictatorship
The conversation explores the deeply concerning deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua, transitioning from a fragile state to a closed dictatorship under Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. Kevin O'Reilly, recently the top American diplomat in Managua, describes the paranoid and personalistic nature of the regime, where even the Catholic Church and long-standing allies face intense surveillance an
Flipping the script: Bolivia‘s lessons for protecting America’s midterms
The USAID veterans who spent decades helping other countries run trustworthy elections now ask what America can learn from them. Walter Guevara starts with Evo Morales. Morales won fairly in 2005 and 2009. He then stretched the rules: he called his third run a “first term in a new country,” and he ran a fourth time in 2019 after losing a referendum that barred it. His government also filed dozens
Lula vs. Bolsonaro 2.0: Why Brazil’s Runoff Resets the Relationship with Washington
The conversation explores the complexities of the U.S.-Brazil relationship on the eve of a historic runoff election between Lula da Silva and Jair Bolsonaro. Ambassador Liliana Ayalde shares insights from her tenure, emphasizing the deep ties and shared values between the two nations, while navigating diplomatic challenges like the Snowden disclosures and U.S. tariffs. The discussion delves into t
Saved Money or Lost a Continent? Zambia After USAID with Peter Wiebler
In 2003, Washington bet that AIDS deaths in Africa were America's problem too. Two decades later, Zambia was a model of what that bet could deliver: life expectancy up by more than 20 years, and health services increasingly run by Zambia's own provincial systems. Exactly the kind of sustainable, locally owned aid both parties say they want.In a matter of weeks in 2025, the US froze that assistance
Security Miracle or Dictatorship with Good PR? Inside the Bukele Model with Enrique Roig
The conversation explores the dramatic reduction in El Salvador's murder rate under President Nayib Bukele, juxtaposed with the country's high incarceration rate and concerns over human rights violations. Enrique Roig, a former U.S. official, discusses the implications of Bukele's security policies, the sustainability of these measures, and the broader impact on U.S.-El Salvador relations.Takeaway
What Venezuela Teaches Americans About Democracy with with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela
The conversation features Ambassador James Story discussing U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela, focusing on the mass migration crisis and the efforts to support Venezuelan refugees in neighboring countries like Colombia and Brazil. He emphasizes the importance of building democratic institutions and the challenges faced by the Venezuelan opposition in their struggle against the Maduro regime.TakeawaysMas
A More Profitable Dictatorship: Venezuela After Maduro with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela
The conversation explores the complexities of U.S. diplomacy with Venezuela, focusing on the recent oil deal and the political landscape following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Ambassador James Story shares insights from his tenure, emphasizing the need for a democratic transition and the rebuilding of Venezuelan institutions. The conversation delves into the complexities of U.S. diplomacy in Ven
Recommended
100 Greatest Old Time Detective Stories
Fantasy Flex
Classic Radio Theater with Wyatt Cox
Take Back Your Health®
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
Old Time Radio - Gunsmoke
ESPN SportsCenter Update
Back to the 80s Radio
Heaven’s Gate Academy
Deadline: White House
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
TED Business
