Americas Program

A leading source of ideas defining the future of national security, analyzing geopolitical trends, and addressing key political, economic, and social challenges facing the region

The Program was established with the clear, forward-looking mission to elevate the policy discussion on the Western Hemisphere. The program aims to influence through timely, practical, and insightful analysis and policy recommendations for partners in the United States and the region.

The Americas Program focuses on six thematic priorities:

  1. The authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba as well as democratic backsliding in other countries as a driver of regional instability.
  2. Economic development, strengthening supply chains, forging closer trade linkages between the United States and the region, and nearshoring critical industries.
  3. The long-term impact of China’s rise, the continued relevance of Russia and other extra-hemispheric powers, in a region shaped by strategic rivalry.
  4. Security, especially transnational criminal organizations and illicit economies, particularly in Mexico, the Northern Triangle, and Colombia.
  5. Governance challenges and their effects, including weak rule of law, endemic corruption, migration, inequality, and human rights violations.
  6. Civil-military relations and defense cooperation.

Contact Information

Projects

Featured Analysis

Photo:SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Photo:SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

USMCA Review 2026

CSIS Americas experts evaluate key challenges and opportunities ahead of the 2026 joint review of the USMCA free trade agreement.

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Brief by Diego Marroquín Bitar, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, and Earl Anthony Wayne — August 18, 2025

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Featured Event

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When Crime Becomes Terror: Rethinking the FTO Designation

CSIS Americas Research Associate Rubi Bledsoe analyzes the recent designations of criminal organizations as FTOs by the Trump administration and discusses key similarities and differences between the groups.

Commentary by Rubi Bledsoe — October 21, 2025

The Truth of the Matter

Trump’s Panama Canal Policy

CSIS’s Ryan Berg joins the podcast to discuss the U.S. strategic interests in the Panama Canal, competition with China and potential outcomes.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Ryan C. Berg — April 29, 2025

CSIS the truth of the matter

Advancing U.S.-Panama Security Cooperation

CSIS Americas Program Director Ryan C. Berg analyzes the outcomes from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s recent visit to Panama and implications for the future of U.S.-Panama relations.

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg — April 16, 2025

Assessing Guatemala as a Nearshoring Destination

CSIS Americas Deputy Director and Senior Fellow Christopher Hernandez-Roy examines the business landscape in Guatemala and how the country can bolster its nearshoring attractiveness.

Report by Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Andrea Casique, and Natalia Hidalgo — April 1, 2025

Chinese Ports in Panama Come Under New Management

CSIS Americas Program director Ryan C. Berg, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Juliana Rubio, Henry Ziemer, and Rubi Bledsoe examine the significant of a recent deal for BlackRock to acquire ports along the Panama Canal.

Critical Questions by Ryan C. Berg, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Juliana Rubio, Henry Ziemer, and Rubi Bledsoe — March 6, 2025

China-owned Chancay Port Set to Become Latin America’s Third Largest

The latest capacity projections for the Chancay Port reflect China's expanding influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Chinese port ownership could create strategic vulnerabilities and gain leverage over hemispheric commerce.

Analysis by Ryan C. Berg, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, and Henry Ziemer — February 25, 2025