South & Latin America

The resource rich, land-locked South American nation of Bolivia has traditionally received limited attention from Washington. The country, historically mired in poverty, corruption, and cycles of political conflict is one of the hemisphere’s major sources for coca and illegally mined gold, as well as a transit country for both. Bolivia’s leftist populist Movement for Socialism (MAS) governments of Evo Morales and Luis Arce have made the country an important point of entry into the hemisphere for extra-hemispheric U.S. rivals including the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Iran.In recent weeks, a power struggle has emerged for control of the MAS between current President Luis Arce and former President Evo Morales. This has implications for the stability of the country as it plays out in the context of crosscutting political rivalries, economic difficulties, and a significant criminal economy with competing interests. This work examines the deteriorating situation in Bolivia and the potential implications for the region.Image adapted from:https://theglobalamericans.org/2023/11/bolivias-descent-into-deep-chaos-and-the-implications-for-the-region/

Bolivia’s Descent into Deep Chaos and the Implications for the Region

Evan Ellis - Implications of the Hamas Terror Attacks and the Israeli Response on Latin America and the Global Strategic Environment
(for IndraStra at https://www.indrastra.com/2023/10/implications-of-hamas-terror-attacks.html)

Implications of the Hamas Terror Attacks and the Israeli Response on Latin America and the Global Strategic Environment
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R. Evan Ellis
This work uses the comparative method, complemented by quantitative data, to examine engagement by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Latin America as a function of government type, across a range of activities, including trade, investment, infrastructure projects, security relations, and technical architectures over the past two decades. The findings indicate that the PRC establishes distinct and often broader forms of engagement with populist, anti-US governments, although this does not necessarily translate into a higher volume of PRC investment or overall trade with those governments. This is the first major work in the growing China–Latin America literature to explicitly analyze the dynamics of PRC engagement across regime type. It contributes to strategic analysis of the PRC challenge in the region by the operational force, including the identification of risks, and the formulation of responses, including credible messaging, in support of a coordinated whole-of-government response to the PRC challenge.

Read now: The Impact of the Turn to the Left on the Advance of the People’s Republic of China in Latin

Image adapted from FreePik (https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/coronavirus-map_7456298.htm)

The Impact of the Turn to the Left on the Advance of the People’s Republic of China in Latin
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Fernando Villavicencio and the Self-Destructive Collaboration between China and Populist Regimes
R. Evan Ellis

Fernando Villavicencio and the Self-Destructive Collaboration between China and Populist Regimes
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Mexico’s Engagement with China and Choices for its Future
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PRC Engagement in The Bahamas
R. Evan Ellis
China, South & Latin America, SSI Worldwide

PRC Engagement in The Bahamas
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PacNet #49 – China’s military engagements with Cuba: Implications of a strategic advance in Latin America
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Security Challenges in the Caribbean: Threats, Migration, and International Cooperation, R. Evan Ellis, SSI Worldwide

Security Challenges in the Caribbean: Threats, Migration, and International Cooperation
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Brazil and the Illiberal Anti-U.S. Alliance
Jun 20, 2023 | China, R. Evan Ellis, South & Latin America, SSI Worldwide

Brazil and the Illiberal Anti-U.S. Alliance
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The Advance of China and Authoritarian Populism in Honduras
R. Evan Ellis

The Advance of China and Authoritarian Populism in Honduras
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The Trouble with China’s Global Civilization Initiative (on The Diplomat)
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Panama’s Popular Discontent Is Still Simmering
R. Evan Ellis

Panama’s Popular Discontent Is Still Simmering
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PRC Engagement in Costa Rica (on CEEP)
R. Evan Ellis

PRC Engagement in Costa Rica (on CEEP)
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Lessons from Russia’s Latin America engagement over Ukraine
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Cover for The Russian Military in Contemporary Perspective

The Russian Military in Contemporary Perspective
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Cover for Strategic Insights: The Strategic Relevance of Latin America in the U.S. National Security Strategy

Strategic Insights: The Strategic Relevance of Latin America in the U.S. National Security Strategy
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Cover for Strategic Insights: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL) and Trinidad and Tobago: Establishing a Dangerous Presence in the Western Hemisphere

Strategic Insights: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL) and Trinidad and Tobago: Establishing a Dangerous Presence in the Western Hemisphere
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Cover for Strategic Insights: The Strategic Relevance of Latin America for the United States

Strategic Insights: The Strategic Relevance of Latin America for the United States
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