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:

  • Regional security, particularly in Mexico, the Northern Triangle, Colombia, and the impact of the Venezuelan crisis on the region.
  • The long-term impact of China’s rise and great-power rivalry in the Americas.
  • Democratic backsliding and the rise of autocracies.
  • The resurgence of transnational criminal organizations, growing illicit economies, and the existence of criminal regimes.
  • Weak rule of law, endemic corruption, and human rights violations.
  • The emergence of significant regional powers, such as Brazil, in an increasingly multipolar world.

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Featured Analysis

Photo by ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images

This Time, Try Supporting Honduran Democracy

CSIS Americas senior adviser Mark L. Schneider and Aaron Schneider evaluate critiques of the Zones for Employment and Economic Development in Honduras and argue the country should move away from the zones as a potential model for economic growth.

 

Commentary by Mark L. Schneider and Aaron Schneider — January 26, 2023

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Mining, Climate Risks, and the Western Hemisphere

Presented by Americas Program
January 25, 2023 • 10:00 – 11:00 am EST

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The Truth of the Matter

Colombia’s Chavismo?

CSIS’s Ryan Berg joins the podcast to discuss the Colombian election and its implications for the region.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Ryan C. Berg — July 1, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter

How to Break the Stalemate in Haiti

Americas Program senior associate Georges Fauriol and coauthors, Peter Hakim, Enrique Ter Horst, and Keith Mines outline the need for a national dialogue in Haiti to address deteriorating political, economic, and security crises.

Commentary by Georges A. Fauriol , Peter Hakim , Enrique ter Horst , and Keith Mines — June 30, 2022

Photo: VALERIE BAERISWYL/AFP/Getty Images

Maduro’s Fortune: Petro in Colombia and a Left-Leaning Latin America

CSIS Americas senior fellow Ryan C. Berg and senior associate Alexandra Winkler assess what the election of Gustavo Petro in Colombia means for U.S.-Venezuela policy and the new obstacles that may undermine the Venezuelan opposition and empower Maduro's government.

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Alexandra Winkler — June 27, 2022

Photo: DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP/Getty Images

The Geopolitics of Honduras’s Special Economic Zones

CSIS Americas Program experts Ryan C. Berg and Evan Ellis examine the significance of special economic zones in Honduras amid rising geopolitical competition between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, as well as the United States' push to nearshore key industries.

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Evan Ellis — June 9, 2022

Photo: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images
35 West

The Geopolitics of Special Economic Zones in the Americas

In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Greg Huger, Executive Director of the HUGE Business and Investment Council. Together, they discuss the factors that make an SEZ successful not just for attracting and promoting private enterprise, but engaging local communities and national governments.

Podcast Episode by Ryan C. Berg — June 9, 2022

CSIS 35 West
The Truth of the Matter

National Security North

CSIS Senior Adviser Vincent Rigby and Professor Thomas Juneau join the podcast to talk about their report which calls for Canada to rethink its national security strategy.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Vincent Rigby — June 8, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter