Americas

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.

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.

Since Fidel Castro rose to power six decades ago, US-Cuba relations have been characterized by persistent distrust. A brief period of reprieve, which saw restrictions levied against Cuba relaxed, dissipated as criticism of Cuba’s human rights record and its ties to Nicaragua and Venezuela reemerged. The island nation situated ninety miles south of Florida is poised to remain a critical challenge for the region.

Mexico is the United States’ number one trading partner in 2019. 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 in Central America has brought renewed US and international attention on the Northern Triangle countries – Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. 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.