FEE’s work from its inception has focused substantially on North America, but its message is eternally universal: liberty, sound economics, respect for the individual, strong personal character, rule of law, private property, free markets.
One of the beautiful things about those principles is that they apply everywhere. There’s not a culture or a corner of the planet that wouldn’t be enriched by their widespread practice.
Moreover, when these principles are put in place anywhere, it’s a victory for all of us. Plant a flag for liberty in one spot, and it conveys example and encouragement the world over. Never underestimate the ripple effects of a good idea!
A Continuing Legacy
FEE’s ties to Latin America go back decades; our late founder Leonard Read was (and remains) well known to lovers of liberty from Mexico to Guatemala to Argentina and Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Since the 1950s, we’ve sponsored or co-sponsored many events in the region and worked with dozens of local partner organizations to communicate the values we share.
So the launch of FEE en Español represents not so much a new venture as it does a dramatic and organized effort to expand our audience. As I personally witnessed recently at conferences in Mexico, Ecuador, and Brazil, there is a growing hunger for ideas that work and policies that defend freedom. Some of the most gratifying of my experiences as FEE president from 2008 to 2019 involved meeting and working with wonderful young people in Latin America who are eager to liberate their fellow citizens. We want FEE en Español to be a powerful tool in their hands to accomplish precisely that.
Under the superb leadership of Javi Perez, FEE en Español will work with our Latin partners to win the future for liberty.
In Mexico City in February 2019, one of our FEE campus ambassadors in Mexico said to me, “Thank you, Mr. Reed, for the inspiration that FEE gives us to work for liberty here.” That expression of gratitude moved me greatly. To that friend, and to all lovers of liberty in Latin America, I offer a uniquely-American response: “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Under the superb leadership of Javi Perez, FEE en Español will work with our Latin partners to win the future for liberty. FEE’s content will be more easily shareable to Spanish-speaking peoples; we will work with our Latin partners to magnify the impact of their good work, as well. I will personally do all that I can as FEE’s president emeritus to assist. I have no doubt that this initiative will succeed and be a model for similar, future ones in other parts of the world.
La libertad es el futuro. ¡Únete a la causa!
FEE en español will launch Thursday, May 9 at 5 pm Eastern.
Lawrence W. Reed
Lawrence W. Reed is FEE's Interim President, having previously served for nearly 11 years as FEE’s president (2008-2019).
