This seminar series “U.S. Policy Toward Latin America from a National Security Perspective” explores the complex dynamics of U.S. national security interests in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing the interplay between regional and global factors such as great power competition with China and Russia, as well as the region's place in the Global South. Participants will engage with historical and contemporary security challenges, U.S. foreign policy strategies, and the roles of external actors within a global context. In addition, the series will explore the historical context of U.S. national security interests in Latin America and the Caribbean; analyze key security issues facing the region, including political instability, organized crime, and transnational threats; assess the impact of globalization and great power competition on U.S.-Latin American relations; evaluate the role of multilateral organizations and regional partnerships in addressing security concerns; and explore case studies that illustrate the complexities of U.S. engagement in the region.
In this third session, participants will examine Haiti and Venezuela as critical tests of U.S. policy in advancing national security interests in the Western Hemisphere. Both countries illustrate the intersection of democracy promotion, counternarcotics, and immigration policy, offering lessons on balancing humanitarian concerns with strategic priorities.
Featuring
Juan S. Gonzalez is a resident fellow at the Georgetown Americas Institute. He previously served in senior positions in the Obama and Biden Administrations at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation as senior advisor to the CEO, at the Department of State as deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, and at the White House as special assistant to the president and National Security Council senior director for the Western Hemisphere. Gonzalez has an M.A. (with distinction) from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.