The alarm goes off at 6 a.m. He wakes up and begins a typical military morning routine, with a good shave and a shower. Following a full breakfast, he starts what he sees as one the most gratifying part of the mission: giving smiles and hugs not only to his [ … ]
Special Report
How China and Russia Will Continue to Exploit Weak Democratic Institutions Across the Hemisphere
From the economic downturn forecasted by economists to the ongoing migration crisis of Venezuelan refugees and the wave of protests as citizens react to electoral fraud, grand corruption, and crippling austerity measures, the trends currently underway across our hemisphere indicate a period of challenges for democracies ahead. Recent polls from [ … ]
The Importance of International Cooperation in the Fight Against Narcotrafficking
On July 10, 2020, during a visit to U.S. Southern Command, U.S. President Donald J. Trump emphasized the importance of interagency coordination and international cooperation in the fight against narcotrafficking in the Caribbean and Latin America. Although this problem is not exclusive to the region, Latin America suffers numerous consequences [ … ]
Do Latin American Waters Continue to Fall Prey to China’s Fishing?
On October 13, I presented work on foreign deepwater fishing fleets in Latin America, to a virtual event held by the highly respected World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL). The event was held as 340 fishing vessels, mostly Chinese, moved from the Galápagos Islands, where they were believed to have illegally fished in a United Nations World [ … ]
Framing the Debate of Russian Military Policy in LATAM
The Russian Federation considers the Latin American (LATAM) region one of the main areas of its ongoing global outreach. Despite a relatively light footprint in terms of manpower and materiel, Russia has managed to maintain and strengthen its military-security relationship with three key states: Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Moscow is [ … ]
China’s Global Military Posture: Places, not Bases
On the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), August 1, 2017, China opened its first overseas naval base in the eastern African country of Djibouti. Questions regarding China’s future intentions quickly ensued: Would China open another such facility? If so, where and how soon? Though [ … ]
What is the Impact of China’s ‘Predatory’ Loans to Latin America?
Over the last 10 years, China has flooded Latin America with money, with more than $117 billion in loans, making the region one of the world’s most indebted to the Chinese government. The conditions of these loans, which some politicians have described as predatory, worry economists. Latin America, along with [ … ]
Hezbollah Presence Means Venezuela Is a Global Problem
When federal prosecutors in New York unsealed an indictment against a former Venezuelan lawmaker in May 2020, it included the stunning charge that the accused, Adel El Zabayar, was part of conspiracy by the Nicolás Maduro regime to assist Middle Eastern terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas to commit attacks against [ … ]
The Venezuelan Migration and the Maduro Regime
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an agency with the mandate to protect refugees, more than 4.5 million Venezuelans have left their country, escaping difficult economic, social, and political conditions over a period of seven years. The exodus can be divided into two waves. The first [ … ]
There Goes the Neighborhood: US Hegemony in the Hemisphere in an Era of Great Power Competition
At the 2018 United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Donald Trump boasted, “It has been the formal policy of our country since President [James] Monroe that we reject the interference of foreign nations in this hemisphere.” In 1823, Monroe was referring principally to Western European powers whose imperial designs knew [ … ]
Disrupting the Illicit Economy that Sustains the Maduro Regime
Nicolás Maduro and his cronies remain in control in Venezuela despite intense diplomatic pressure to move to a democratic transition, economic sanctions, and international recognition of Juan Guaidó as the acting president of Venezuela since January 23, 2019. The Maduro regime oppresses the population, destroyed the legitimate economy, engages in [ … ]
Hemispheric Security Conference Discusses Women, Peace, and Security
Ambassador Jean Manes, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) civilian deputy to the commander and foreign policy adviser, led a discussion on “Women, Peace, and Security in the Hemisphere" during Florida International University’s (FIU) fifth annual Hemispheric Security Conference (HSC) on May 19. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Cristina Rodriguez-Acosta, assistant director for Institutional [ … ]