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:

  1. The authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba as well as democratic backsliding in other countries as a driver of regional instability.
  2. Economic development, strengthening supply chains, forging closer trade linkages between the United States and the region, and nearshoring critical industries.
  3. 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.
  4. Security, especially transnational criminal organizations and illicit economies, particularly in Mexico, the Northern Triangle, and Colombia.
  5. Governance challenges and their effects, including weak rule of law, endemic corruption, migration, inequality, and human rights violations.
  6. Civil-military relations and defense cooperation.

Contact Information

Projects

Featured Analysis

Photo: DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images

Under the Gun: Firearms Trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean

CSIS Americas deputy director and senior fellow Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Henry Ziemer, and Azucena Duarte unpack firearms trafficking dynamics throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Report by Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Henry Ziemer, and Azucena Duarte — November 19, 2024

See all analysis on Americas Program

Featured Event

Addressing Maduro’s Oil Lifeline in the Wake of a Stolen Election

Presented by Americas Program
December 3, 2024 • 10:00 – 11:00 am EST

In the News

All Americas Program Content

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35 West

Shoring up Port Security in the Americas

In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Douglas Farah, President of IBI Consultants. Together, they discuss the growing relevance of ports for criminal organizations to move illicit goods across oceans and national borders, as well as best practices for addressing these challenges. They also delve into China's growing role into the Western Hemisphere's port infrastructure and the potential vulnerabilities this may pose for the region. 

Podcast Episode by Christopher Hernandez-Roy — August 8, 2024

CSIS 35 West

Can Maduro Pull off the Mother of All Electoral Frauds?

CSIS Americas Program director Ryan C. Berg and deputy director and senior fellow Christopher Hernandez-Roy examine the aftermath of the Venezuelan elections and Maduro's efforts to remain in power. 

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy — August 1, 2024

Audio Briefs

Can Maduro Pull off the Mother of All Electoral Frauds?

An audio version of “Can Maduro Pull off the Mother of All Electoral Frauds?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy — August 1, 2024

Audio Briefs
35 West

A South-North Perspective on Space Policy

In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Laura Delgado López, a Visiting Fellow with the CSIS Americas Program to discuss the evolving and divergent space policies that can be found throughout Latin America

Podcast Episode by Ryan C. Berg and Laura Delgado López — July 25, 2024

CSIS 35 West
Mexico Matters

Impartiality, If You Can Keep It

Mariana speaks with Kenneth Smith Ramos, former Chief Negotiator of USMCA from the Mexican side and partner of AGON, about how the Constitutional Reforms proposed by President Lopez Obrador might weaken Mexico’s judiciary.

Podcast Episode by Mariana Campero — July 24, 2024

CSIS Mexico Matters

Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in Nicaragua

In their pursuit of absolute control, the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship has made every effort to close all civic space in Nicaragua, including through the persecution of religious leaders and limiting the opportunities for the faithful to exercise their religion.

Congressional Testimony by Christopher Hernandez-Roy — July 24, 2024