Foreign Policy & U.S./Latin America Relations Archives

Foreign Policy & U.S./Latin America Relations

If President Trump skips the Summit of the Americas, the United States loses

By William Naylor / wm_naylor / April 10, 2018

Rumors have circulated that President Trump may not attend the 8th Summit of the Americas when it meets in Lima this April. If true, it will be more evidence of a careless (or willful) ceding of goodwill and leadership in our neighborhood.

On Trump’s Latin America Team: John Bolton and Mike Pompeo’s past with Latin America

March 27, 2018

Trump’s Latin American team continues to expand as Carlos Trujillo has been confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States. This is the latest addition after Donald Trump selected former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton to be the new National Security Advisor and former CIA Director Mike Pompeo as the new Secretary of State.

Why bureaucracy matters: We still don’t know what happened in the Kushner-Videgaray meeting

By Christopher Sabatini / chrissabatini / March 13, 2018

In yet another break with standard diplomatic practice, there have been no press releases or briefings since Jared Kushner’s return from Mexico. This is not the way diplomacy in a democracy is, or should be, conducted.

The month of the Americas: What was all the attention about?

By Victoria Gaytan / VickyGO / March 2, 2018

With three visits by high-ranking officials from the U.S. government, February was the busiest month for Latin America in the Trump administration.

Global responses to Rex Tillerson’s trip to Latin America

By Greg Weeks / GregWeeksUNCC / February 21, 2018

Secretary Tillerson’s Latin America trip triggered a wave of criticisms and repudiations from regional leaders and global powers alike.

The flawed logic of the Trump administration’s cuts to exchange programs

By Christopher Sabatini / chrissabatini / February 21, 2018

The Trump administration’s proposal to cut the State Department’s budget for educational and cultural exchange by 75% is bad. Its justification is even worse.

Tillerson’s Attempt to Mend Ties in Latin America

By Christopher Sabatini / chrissabatini / February 12, 2018

While the secretary of state may have secured support for tighter sanctions on Venezuela, it was a narrow victory.

Chile, the Trans Pacific Partnership’s unlikely savior

By Anders Beal and Benjamin N. Gedan / February 5, 2018

The Andean country, a proponent of free trade but often a reluctant diplomatic leader, has taken a surprising outsized role in furthering economic integration between Latin America and the Asia Pacific region.

Violence in Central America: Do no harm, Mr. Trump

By Kevin Casas-Zamora / January 31, 2018

Crime and violence in the Northern Triangle is a regional issue that requires a collective response to the structural factors driving it: weak state capacity, corruption within police forces and the judiciary, and insufficient data. Deporting refugees back to the region doesn’t help.

Brazil: Between cooperation and deterrence

By Evan Ellis / REvanEllis / December 18, 2017

Brazil faces more challenges protecting its borders than almost any other country in the world. As the country seeks to assert itself as a regional power, measured military collaboration with the U.S. is important for domestic and regional stability.