This article was originally published in the Center for Strategic and International Studies on October 31, 2023. From September 24 to 28, the author traveled to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, as a guest of Funglode, one of the country’s leading think tanks, to speak about security challenges in the Caribbean. While there, he interacted with experts on a range of topics, including how the country’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has evolved. Few of the high-profile Chinese infrastructure projects, investments and access to the PRC market promised when the previous government of Danilo Medina abandoned Taiwan [ … ]

The presence of the People’s Republic of China in Latin America is extremely dangerous for transparency and democratic institutional structure in the countries of the region due to China’s affinity with dictators and its willingness to make corrupt deals with politicians in Latin America, said Matt Schrader, International Republican Institute (IRI) advisor on Chinese affairs, in an interview with Expediente Público. Schrader was one of the topical experts at a forum on Chinese influence and interests in the world, coordinated by the International Republican Institute’s Center for Global Impact and held in Washington D.C. “I think the reason you need to [ … ]

In recent decades, the geopolitical scenario in Latin America has undergone significant changes, particularly in the area of military training and arms trade. While the region has historically maintained close relations with NATO powers, the growing involvement of China and Russia signals a change in the security and defense landscape. Institutions such as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) have played an important role in collaborating and strengthening relations between the Armed Forces of friendly nations and NATO countries, contributing to a more unified hemispheric environment. Starting from an exploration of the historical evolution of military training in [ … ]

This article was originally published in The Diplomat on October 21, 2023.   On October 12-13, 2023, the Jack D. Gordon Institute of Florida International University (FIU) hosted an event bringing together Africa and Latin America scholars, to comparatively examine engagement with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) across both regions. The discussions highlighted substantial commonalities in PRC engagement between the two regions, as well as differences that provide insights into how PRC-based entities make, and adapt, policies. PRC public engagement in the two regions is shaped by its globally-oriented policy documents, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and [ … ]