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Strategic Influence Created in 2004 to promote Chinese language instruction and cultural exchange, Confucius Institutes have become one of the most visible instruments of China’s soft power. In 2009, Li Changchun, then a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo, described them as “an important part of China's overseas propaganda apparatus.” In just over two decades, Confucius Institutes have expanded to…
Security & Cooperation As Venezuela transitions from the search and rescue phase to the long process of recovery following the devastating June earthquake, one of the greatest challenges is no longer delivering aid but coordinating the reconstruction effort effectively. The scale of the disaster underscores the magnitude of the task. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates direct physical damage at approximately $6.7…
Security & Cooperation Aircraft, crews, and support personnel from across the Americas are converging in northern Chile as Exercise Resolute Sentinel–Saltire 2026, a premier multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Chilean Air Force, kicked off June 28, 2026, at Cerro Moreno Air Base in Antofagasta, Chile. U.S. participation in the fifth iteration of Salitre is led by U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air…
Transnational Crime Maritime corridors in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have become one of the Western Hemisphere’s principal security frontiers. In addition to sustaining global trade and regional fishing industries, these routes now operate as logistical arteries for transnational organized crime involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, chemical precursor trafficking, and other illicit activities. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs…
Security & Cooperation The U.S. response to the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 represents one of Washington’s largest humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Led by the State Department’s Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response (DHR) and carried out in close coordination with the Department of War and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operation has combined search-and-rescue efforts, military logistics, and international…
Emerging Threats In recent years, commercially available drones have transformed capabilities once largely associated with advanced militaries into accessible tools reshaping security dynamics across Latin America. Lower costs, rapid technological diffusion, and growing weaponization of commercial drones by non-state actors have turned these platforms into an increasingly important factor in regional security and defense. According to the Florida International University (FIU) and…
Strategic Influence China’s global expansion of port infrastructure is widely regarded as part of a broader strategy to expand geopolitical influence, secure access to strategic supply chains, and strengthen its long-term positioning. According to the report, Anchoring Global Ambitions, published by AidData in partnership with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Beijing has spent the last two decades building an…
Strategic Influence China’s growing role in Peru’s strategic infrastructure is raising new questions about economic dependence, control of critical logistics networks, and Beijing’s expanding influence in South America. In early 2026, the Peruvian government awarded Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA) a $420 million engineering, procurement, and construction contract to develop a 120-kilometer railway line, connecting the Port of Chancay, on Peru’s…
Transnational Crime Cooperation between Honduras and the United States against transnational criminal organizations is increasingly focused on operational coordination, intelligence sharing, and maritime security as authorities confront evolving drug trafficking networks in Central America. Recent meetings and joint initiatives reflect a broader regional effort to strengthen the fight against organized crime, particularly as trafficking routes, criminal structures, and illicit economies continue to…
Security & Cooperation Air chiefs and senior military leaders representing air forces from 19 nations across the Western Hemisphere gathered in the Dominican Republic June 15-19 for the 66th annual Conference of the American Air Chiefs (CONJEFAMER), reinforcing a shared commitment to regional security, cooperation, and interoperability through the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA). The annual conference serves as…
Strategic Influence El Salvador has taken a significant step toward the development of renewable energy by signing a contract with the Chinese state-owned company PowerChina for the construction of a 30 MW photovoltaic project in the municipality of Conchagua, La Unión department. The agreement marks China’s official entry into El Salvador’s renewable energy sector, expanding Beijing’s presence into another strategic area of…
Strategic Influence The entry of Chinese automaker Xpeng Motors into Mexico is reinforcing the country’s role as a gateway for highly connected vehicles in Latin America. At the same time, the growing presence of these digital platforms is raising concerns related to data management, connectivity, and their potential impact on critical infrastructure and regional supply chains. In March, the manufacturer announced its…
