Home : Regional Issues : South & Latin America
South & Latin America
Toward a More Effective DoD Contribution to Strategic Competition in the Western Hemisphere | R. Evan Ellis
Toward a More Effective DoD Contribution to Strategic Competition in the Western Hemisphere
Read More
The Impact of China on US Interests in Latin America | R. Evan Ellis
The Impact of China on US Interests in Latin America
Read More
Ecuador’s Security Challenges and the Government’s Response | R. Evan Ellis
Ecuador’s Security Challenges and the Government’s Response
Read More
2025: Possibilities for the Year to Come | Dr. R. Evan Ellis
2025: Possibilities for the Year to Come
Read More
Ecuador’s Evolving Engagement with the PRC | Dr. R. Evan Ellis
Ecuador’s Evolving Engagement with the PRC
Read More
Security Implications for the United States from Iranian and Hezbollah Activities in Latin America | R. Evan Ellis WEBINAR
Security Implications for the United States from Iranian and Hezbollah Activities in Latin America
Read More
Making the Case for Democratic, Limited Government and Economic Liberty in the Americas | R. Evan Ellis
Making the Case for Democratic, Limited Government and Economic Liberty in the Americas
Read More
Challenges and Opportunities for US-Mexico Security Cooperation | R. Evan Ellis
Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation
Read More
Security Challenges in the Dutch Caribbean | R. Evan Ellis
Security Challenges in the Dutch Caribbean
Read More
Strategic Implication of the Chinese-Operated Port of Chancay | R. Evan Ellis for La Red China y América Latina
Strategic Implication of the Chinese-Operated Port of Chancay
Read More
Venezuela: The Path Forward | R. Evan Ellis
Venezuela: The Path Forward
Read More
Paraguay’s Security Challenges and the Government Response
Paraguay’s Security Challenges and the Government Response
Read More
From the Archives
Toward a More Effective DoD Contribution to Strategic Competition in the Western Hemisphere
Toward a More Effective DoD Contribution to Strategic Competition in the Western Hemisphere | R. Evan Ellis Combination of images: 3-D Rendering of Earth from Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/3d-rendering-planet-earth_44957909.htm); digital overlay of “Cloud Computing” from Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/illustration-social-media-concept_2806750.htm); a mockup image of the Chinese space station from Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_Tiangong_Space_Station.jpg); overlaid on a background of deep space created with generative AI in Adobe Photoshop.
Feb. 21, 2025 - Innovative new thinking is needed on the security challenges the People’s Republic of China poses in Latin America and the Department of Defense’s role in the US response, including (1) enhanced security cooperation that...
The Impact of China on US Interests in Latin America
The Impact of China on US Interests in Latin America | R. Evan Ellis President Trump’s statements regarding the influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over the Panama Canal, and the focus on the issue as part of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s February 2025 trip to Central America and the Caribbean ... Image of worldmap from Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/infographic-with-colored-world-map_796291.htm)
Feb. 21, 2025 - President Trump’s statements regarding the influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over the Panama Canal, and the focus on the issue as part of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s February 2025 trip to Central America...
Ecuador’s Security Challenges and the Government’s Response
Ecuador’s Security Challenges and the Government’s Response | R. Evan Ellis Background image from article: https://gordoninstitute.fiu.edu/news-events/the-policy-spotlight/2025/ecuadors-security-challenges-and-the-governments-response.html
Feb. 11, 2025 - In January 2024, following a series of dramatic public security incidents, including the escape from prison of Adolfo Macias (“Fito”), the leader of the violent Ecuadoran gang Los Choneros, and the takeover of an Ecuadoran...
2025: Possibilities for the Year to Come
2025: Possibilities for the Year to Come | Dr. R. Evan Ellis in Indrastra
Dec. 27, 2024 - 2025 is likely to be a transformative year for Latin America and the Caribbean, and its relationships with the United States, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other actors. Although it is impossible to predict with...
Ecuador’s Evolving Engagement with the PRC
Ecuador’s Evolving Engagement with the PRC | Dr. R. Evan Ellis | Published by The Diplomat
Dec. 24, 2024 - Under the current Ecuadorian government of Daniel Noboa, major infrastructure, financial, and security cooperation with China has been restrained, but political expediency may change that.In September 2024, Ecuadorian Economy...
Security Implications for the United States from Iranian and Hezbollah Activities in Latin America
Security Implications for the United States from Iranian and Hezbollah Activities in Latin America | R. Evan Ellis WEBINAR with Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC) https://youtu.be/tCh_k7zYgiQ
Dec. 18, 2024 - This presentation will examine engagement with Latin America by Iran, its government agents, and surrogate groups such as Hezbollah, including terrorist finance, terrorism, and other activities and their evolution in recent...
Making the Case for Democratic, Limited Government and Economic Liberty in the Americas
Making the Case for Democratic, Limited Government and Economic Liberty in the Americas | R. Evan Ellis Background image of worldmap overlaid on a city, from Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/world-map-continent-global-support-graphic_17117708.htm) US Army War College Press
Dec. 17, 2024 - This work is derived from an address given by the author to the InterAmerican Institute for Democracy on December 4, 2024, in Miami, Florida.In discussing the status of political and economic freedom in Latin America, my...
Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation
Challenges and Opportunities for US-Mexico Security Cooperation | R. Evan Ellis
Nov. 26, 2024 - While policy clashes between the elected governments of Mexico and the United States in the coming years appear likely, the degree to which those tensions degrade the commercial relationship and security cooperation that is...
Security Challenges in the Dutch Caribbean
Security Challenges in the Dutch Caribbean | R. Evan Ellis This work examines security challenges facing the Dutch Caribbean, including narcotrafficking and other forms of organized crime, money laundering, Venezuelan and other refugee flows, and the little-understood activities of criminal groups operating within the region’s Chinese minority communities. It also examines the successes and challenges in coordination between law enforcement and other government entities in the Dutch Caribbean, and between the Dutch Caribbean and the European Netherlands, with the French, English and Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and with the range of other states and actors in the region. This work recommends that both the U.S. and Dutch government pay more attention to the challenges of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and more fully take advantage of opportunities to work together more closely in addressing those challenges, and also in leveraging the lessons of good governance in the region, as they wrestle with difficulties elsewhere in the Caribbean. Keywords: Dutch Caribbean, Netherlands, narcotrafficking, Venezuela, money laundering, organized crime. Image from article: https://ceeep.mil.pe/2024/11/07/desafios-de-seguridad-en-el-caribe-holandes/?lang=en
Nov. 12, 2024 - This work examines security challenges facing the Dutch Caribbean, including narcotrafficking and other forms of organized crime, money laundering, Venezuelan and other refugee flows, and the little-understood activities of...
More