(Latin Pulse: May 5, 2008) Rising gas prices and the threat of oil shortages around the world are nothing new. What is surprising are the claims by one of the United States' main suppliers that it's already running out. Mexico is one of the main suppliers of crude oil to the United States, but recently that country has experienced a reduction in oil production. That concerns not only the oil industry but also Mexican citizens. Are we closer to the flash point than we thought, or is this just a political ploy to put pressure on the United States? Are other nations leaving the U.S. behind in the race to adopt new energy technologies, and will our oil addiction create a drag on the economy? En Español: La adicción al petróleo y alternativas de combustibles. El aumento en los precios del barril y la amenaza de escasez de petróleo alrededor del mundo no es nada nuevo. Lo que sorprende son las declaraciones de uno de los mayores surtidores para los Estados Unidos, de que los yacimientos de petróleo se están agotando. México es uno de los importantes surtidores de crudo para los EEUU, recientemente el país ha sufrido una reducción en la producción petrolera. Este hecho preocupa no solamente a la industria pero también a los ciudadanos de ese país. ¿Estamos acercándonos al punto culminante de escasez o es solamente una perspectiva política para presionar a los EEUU? ¿Están otras naciones dejando atrás a los estados Unidos en la competencia para adaptar nuevas tecnologías al uso de combustibles, y estará creando nuestra adicción al petróleo una fricción en la economía? GUESTS: Paul Paz y Miño - Managing Director, Amazon Watch: www.amazonwatch.org Barbara Kotschwar - Research Associate at the Peterson, Institute for International Economics Barbara Kotschwar, research associate at the Institute, was formerly the chief of the Foreign Trade Information System (2000-2007) and senior trade specialist (1996-2007) at the Organization of American States; was a research assistant at the Institute (1995-96) and at the North American Studies Project at Johns Hopkins University Foreign Policy Institute (1994-95). She has been an adjunct professor of Latin American Studies and Economics at Georgetown University since 1998. She was coeditor of "Trade Rules in the Making: Multilateral and Regional Trade Arrangements" (Brookings Institution Press/Organization of American States, 1999) and "The Andean Community and the United States: Trade and Investment Relations in the 1990s" (Organization of American States, 1998) and has written numerous papers on trade issues, particularly focusing on the Americas. Jorge R. Piñón - Energy Fellow, University of Miami, Center for Hemispheric Policy Jorge R. Piñón began his professional career nearly thirty years ago in the energy sector when he joined Shell Oil Company. In 1991 Amoco Corporation recruited him as President of Amoco Corporate Development Company Latin America, where he led the business development efforts in the region and participated in a number of important joint ventures between Amoco and state oil companies. In 1994 he was transferred to the downstream oil sector and to Mexico City to serve as president of Amoco Oil de México and president of Amoco Oil Latin America. In 1997, as vice-president and member of the board of directors of the AM-CHAM México, he received the "Yiacatecutli" award, for distinguished service in the promotion of US-México business relations. After the 1999 merger between Amoco and BP, Jorge was transferred to Madrid, Spain to run BP Europe's western European supply and logistics operations. Jorge retired from BP in 2003 and is currently an international energy consultant as well as an Energy Fellow with the University of Miami's Center for Hemispheric Policy where he focuses on energy and alternative fuels. He is also a frequent guest energy analyst on CNN En Español, CNN International, Bloomberg Financial News Services and other news organizations. Jorge Piñón's international experience in emerging markets and network of senior energy contacts in Latin America allow him to contribute objective analysis on Cuba's energy and economic challenges as well as the politics of oil and natural gas in Latin America, and the international oil markets. Jorge is a graduate from the University of Florida in International Economics and Latin American Studies.