Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Since the turn of the century, reforms in Brazil have lifted nearly thirty million citizens out of poverty and targeted social inequality. A champion of regional growth and an influential actor in world politics, Brazil’s future is tied to continued efforts to revitalize its economy and its role on the global stage.

The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center’s Caribbean Initiative seeks to accelerate the region’s strategic importance as a key partner for the United States. Announced in September 2020, this initiative brings increased recognition to the importance of the Caribbean amid vast hemispheric and global challenges. Establishment of the Caribbean program comes at an historic, defining moment for the region as it battles the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Colombia and the United States have consolidated a close and mutually-beneficial partnership over the past twenty years. Plan Colombia, a bipartisan foreign policy success, laid the foundation for a strategic alliance that has widened to include sustainable development, trade, hemispheric security, and human rights. Today, Colombia is positioning itself as a leader in the region and the world.

Mexico is one of the United States’ top trading partners. The relationship is special. Although ties between the two countries are solid, our partnership today faces important challenges, including rapidly changing political landscapes, shifting economic winds, shared security threats, and a migration crisis extending from Central America.

An unprecedented wave of irregular migration has brought renewed US and international attention to Central America. Rampant corruption, violence, and lack of economic opportunities have forced thousands to flee in search of a better future. As a new political landscape emerges in the region, the challenge remains: improving the living conditions for citizens. US support is critical to address that challenge.

Once a thriving democracy, Venezuela today is in one of its darkest times in history. Years of economic mismanagement, cronyism, and democratic erosion, further fueled by hyperinflation, power cuts, and shortages of food and medicine, have triggered a humanitarian and migration crisis with reverberations across Latin America and beyond. A peaceful democratic transition will remain as the top priority – and the first step – toward a more prosperous future for Venezuelans and the hemisphere.

A conversation on the future of US-Colombia ties with President Iván Duque, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Roy Blunt, and members of the US-Colombia Task Force.

A conversation on Brazil’s democratic institutions and electoral system ahead of the 2022 elections with members of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and experts on democracy.

A conversation on democracy and governance ahead of the Ninth Summit of the Americas. How can democracies provide essential goods and services? What safeguards can be put in place to protect democratic institutions?

Amid increasing regional challenges, the United States should find new ways to reinvigorate its relationships with partners and allies to promote hemispheric stability and prosperity.

What are the current electoral conditions in Venezuela? How should the international community respond to the elections and what are the implications of that response? And what are the main risks and opportunities for Venezuelan democratic forces around the regional elections?

A conversation on the implications – for Nicaragua, Central America, and the United States – of the upcoming electoral process and the increasing risks around the Ortega administration in 2022 and beyond.