CSIS Americas Program

#ICYMI: Rafael de la Cruz, Director of the Office of Maria Corina Machado in the United States discusses Venezuela's potential as an oil country and the future of alternative energy in the country with Ryan Berg, PhD. Watch his full remarks here: https://lnkd.in/eKECqXeU

In a new episode of #MexicoMatters, Americas Senior Associate Mariana Campero sits down with Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at The Brookings Institution. Together, they discuss the role of transnational criminal organizations in fueling the fentanyl epidemic and explore actions the Mexican government could take to reclaim the territory controlled by organized crime groups. Listen now to the episode wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eR_ZgRS2

Initially, GL41 was meant to incentivize the Maduro regime to come to the negotiating table and allow for a democratic process towards a free and fair election. What worked and did not work about the Biden administration’s approach? Join the conversation #tomorrow at 10:00am. Keynote remarks by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Register for in person participation: https://lnkd.in/eKECqXeU

Next #Tuesday, join the CSIS Americas Program for a conversation with Jose Ignacio Hernandez Gonzalez and Rafael de la Cruz discussing the role of U.S. oil licenses and sanctions in the wake of Maduro’s stolen election in Venezuela, with keynote remarks from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Moderated by Ryan Berg, PhD. Registration for in-person participation is required. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eKECqXeU

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is the cornerstone of North American trade. In the four years since USMCA entered into force, the agreement has demonstrated resilience in the face of disagreements in the automotive, energy, and agricultural sectors. Despite these ongoing disputes, the USMCA continues to play a critical role in catalyzing prosperity, integration, and cooperation among the three countries. For this reason, the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is proud to announce the launch of the USMCA Strategic Initiative. The USMCA Strategic Initiative’s activities will be anchored by a series of invitation-only roundtables, which will convene government officials, trade experts, private sector leaders, academics and think tank scholars from all three countries to discuss challenges and opportunities ahead of the mandatory 2026 USMCA review process. Learn more about the work here: https://lnkd.in/e6Q9ciht

NEW REPORT: "Under the Gun: Firearms Trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean" Arms trafficking goes well beyond a law enforcement challenge; the proliferation of semi- and fully automatic rifles, grenade launchers, and various high-caliber weapons are increasingly used by TCOs to hold at risk the very sovereignty of LAC governments. Leveraging new data sources, this report examines the prevalence and patterns of arms trafficking within and between the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, and provides recommendations for all subregions to pursue. You can download the report by Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Henry Suckow Ziemer and Aylin Azucena Duarte here: https://lnkd.in/e4jn4KcJ

China only has 5% of the world’s copper reserves, but has access to much of LAC's copper. How did they develop their advantage in the supply chain? Read CSIS Americas Program's latest digital report here: https://lnkd.in/eYKJTzfm

#TOMORROW: Join the CSIS Americas Program for the launch of a new report analyzing the dynamics, methods, and consequences of illicit firearms trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. Stream live here: https://lnkd.in/eAJYvjzB

Generic drugs comprise over 90% of the U.S. market and 47% of those medications are imported from India. Senior Associate Andrew Rudman argues that India depends on China for almost two-thirds of its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) required to produce those medications. Reliance on a single supplier for the vast majority of its critical inputs and components would be considered a serious risk. In a #new commentary, CSIS Americas Program Senior Associate Andrew I. Rudman analyzes the potential for closer cooperation between the United States and Mexico on strengthening pharmaceutical supply chains. Read the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/eb5EHHjt

Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean consistently top international rankings as some of the most violent locales outside of active conflict zones. Behind this insecurity are powerful and deeply-entrenched transnational criminal organizations trafficking drugs and other illegal commodities, who in turn rely on a seemingly endless flow of illicit firearms to carry out their campaigns of violence and intimidation on the Western Hemisphere’s people. #Tomorrow, join Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Andrei Serbin Pont and Henry Suckow Ziemer as they discuss the dynamics, methods, and consequences of illicit firearms trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sign up to watch here: https://lnkd.in/eAJYvjzB