Understanding Oligarchs

Understanding Oligarchs

Author: Pirate Wire Services September 4, 2026 Duration: 17:38

This week at Pirate Wire Radio, we speak with David Lingelbach and Valentina Rodríguez Guerra, from the Center of the Study of Oligarchs, about Oligarchy in the Americas. From the Char Clan, which helped put new Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ahead in recent elections, to the history of Oligarchs and Oligarchies more broadly across the region.

They are consolidating power across the hemisphere in terms of wealth, politics, and perhaps most influentially — defining the very parameters through which we view the world itself.

Lingelbach and Rodríguez are the authors of a new book on the subject, titled “Games Without Thrones,” which examines how oligarchs behave, and how they’re accumulating power in the modern world.

We talk about all of that, and more, especially in the context of Colombia, where oligarchs have always held considerable power.

Tune in!

As media is increasingly bought up by billionaires and huge corporations, and the world veers towards authoritarianism, please consider taking out a paid subscription to support independent media. PWS will never fear criticizing power

You can also donate a one-time gift via “Buy Me a Coffee”. It only takes a few moments, and you can do so here.

And if you can’t do any of that, please do help us by sharing the piece! We don’t have billionaire PR teams either.

Hasta pronto, piratas!



Get full access to Pirate Wire Services at www.piratewireservices.com/subscribe

Hosted by Joshua Collins, Pirate Wire Radio delivers original journalism focused on the complex realities of Latin America. This isn't a surface-level recap of headlines; it's a deep, narrative-driven exploration of the forces shaping the region. Each episode moves beyond the news cycle to connect political shifts and economic currents with the deeply human stories unfolding on the ground. You'll hear about crime, the drug trade, cultural movements, and societal changes, all presented through rigorous reporting and firsthand perspectives. The podcast aims to provide context often missing from mainstream coverage, weaving together analysis of current events with documentary-style storytelling. For anyone seeking to understand the true texture of life and power across Latin America, from boardrooms and government palaces to street corners and rural communities, this show offers an essential, unvarnished listen. Tune in for a compelling and nuanced portrait of a dynamic part of the world, delivered directly through your preferred podcast app.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 35

Pirate Wire Radio
Podcast Episodes
How Paraguay became a paradise for the global New Right [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:54
Paraguay often doesn’t get a lot of attention outside of South America, but that’s been changing in recent years — especially for members of the global “New Right.”How did this idyllic country in the Southern Cone become…
Is a penguin revolution in the cards in the Falklands? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:29
The Malvinas! The Falklands! The Malvinas! The Falklands! Argentinian President Javier Milei has been a tear lately over Argentinian ownership of the islands, which have been a source of controversy and contention for de…
Journalists in Colombia fear a return to right-wing persecution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:45
Colombia holds elections Sunday May 31. Ultra-right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has a history of supporting paramilitary forces as well as legal intimidation of journalists who do not give him flattering cove…
Mining in LATAM: Is it even possible to do ethically? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:26
With the US about to enter a mining sector in Venezuela dominated by criminal armed groups, and in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, many experts are focused on profits.But mining in Latin America has long been fraugh…
The US wants you to know they're coming after Petro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:34
The US Drug Enforcement Agency leaked ongoing investigations into Colombian President Gustavo Petro to the press this week alleging ties to drug trafficking in the country. The accusations come two months before Presiden…
Borders are meant to kill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:45
As the United States grapples with a surge of authoritarianism under Donald Trump, much of Europe is putting up new barriers to migrants. The two issues, xenophobia and rising autocracy, are deeply related. Our modern bo…
The borderland cocaine wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:12
With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the US will resume attacks on Venezuela if the government doesn’t cooperate with US security concerns. Chief among those concerns are Colombian armed groups who smuggle coca…