Americas Program
A leading source of ideas defining the future of national security, analyzing geopolitical trends, and addressing key political, economic, and social challenges facing the region
The Program was established with the clear, forward-looking mission to elevate the policy discussion on the Western Hemisphere. The program aims to influence through timely, practical, and insightful analysis and policy recommendations for partners in the United States and the region.
The Americas Program focuses on six thematic priorities:
- The authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba as well as democratic backsliding in other countries as a driver of regional instability.
- Economic development, strengthening supply chains, forging closer trade linkages between the United States and the region, and nearshoring critical industries.
- The long-term impact of China’s rise, the continued relevance of Russia and other extra-hemispheric powers, in a region shaped by strategic rivalry.
- Security, especially transnational criminal organizations and illicit economies, particularly in Mexico, the Northern Triangle, and Colombia.
- Governance challenges and their effects, including weak rule of law, endemic corruption, migration, inequality, and human rights violations.
- Civil-military relations and defense cooperation.
Contact Information
- Henry Ziemer
- Associate Fellow, Americas Program
- 202.775.3244
- HZiemer@csis.org
Featured Analysis

Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
Effects of the Trump Administration’s Tariff Threats Against Canada and Mexico
Commentary by Christopher Hernandez-Roy — March 31, 2025
Featured Event
Cultivating Competitiveness: Positioning North America as a Strategic Agricultural Bloc
In the News 8 of 550 results
Fentanyl in international shipments: Investigative cooperation essential, says U.S. expert
Christopher Hernandez-Roy cited in Nikkei — July 12, 2025
With Stryker deal, Argentina tightens US defense ties
Ryan C. Berg cited in Breaking Defense — July 10, 2025
Explainer: Iran's Relationship with Latin America
Ryan C. Berg cited in AS/COA — June 24, 2025
Carney weighs paying for Trump’s Golden Dome amid US-Canada trade talks
Christopher Hernandez-Roy cited in Washington Examiner — June 17, 2025
At the G7, the trade war will be everywhere but on the agenda
Christopher Hernandez-Roy cited in The Globe and Mail — June 13, 2025
What Will China Do Next in Latin America?
Ryan C. Berg published in Foreign Policy — June 5, 2025
Maduro Is Using Local Elections to Cement His Grip on Venezuela
Ryan C. Berg cited in Bloomberg — May 22, 2025
Xi Woos Latin America With Promises of Cooperation on Technology
Ryan C. Berg cited in The New York Times — May 13, 2025
All Americas Program Content
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Is Nearshoring Dead? Mexico in an Age of Tariffs and Reindustrialization
Event — July 17, 2025
What Are Brazil’s Strategic Options in Response to U.S. Tariffs?
Critical Questions by Thiago de Aragão — July 11, 2025
What Are Brazil’s Strategic Options in Response to U.S. Tariffs?
Podcast Episode by Thiago de Aragão — July 11, 2025

Bringing the Fight to Organized Crime in Argentina
Podcast Episode by Ryan C. Berg — July 10, 2025

No Checks on Power? The Effects of Mexico’s Judicial Reform on Foreign Investment and the USMCA
Podcast Episode by Ryan C. Berg and Natalia Hidalgo — July 9, 2025

No Checks on Power? The Effects of Mexico’s Judicial Reform on Foreign Investment and the USMCA
Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Natalia Hidalgo — July 9, 2025

Brazil’s Split Worlds: Navigating Between the Global South and the United States
Report by Lauri Tähtinen — July 3, 2025

No Safe Harbor: Evaluating the Risk of China's Port Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean
Digital Report by Henry Ziemer, Jaehyun Han, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — June 25, 2025