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.

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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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Why Are Latin American Dictators Seeking Membership in BRICS+?

CSIS Americas Program experts unpack the recent BRICS+ Summit and how rising interest among authoritarian and semi-authoritarian governments in the Western Hemisphere puts current member Brazil in a bind.

Critical Questions by Ryan C. Berg, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Rubi Bledsoe, and Henry Ziemer — October 28, 2024

Why Ecuador’s Security Crisis Demands Global Action

Drawing on extensive fieldwork, CSIS Americas Program director Ryan C. Berg and Rubi Bledsoe identify key domestic reforms and areas of international cooperation needed to improve Ecuador's internal security.

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Rubi Bledsoe — July 1, 2024

What Are the Implications of Peru Joining the Artemis Accords?

Peru became the 41st country—​and the seventh from Latin America—to sign on to the Artemis Accords. In this Critical Questions, CSIS visiting fellow Laura Delgado López explains why Peru may have taken this step and why this is significant from a regional standpoint.

Critical Questions by Laura Delgado López — June 6, 2024

This Could Be the Last Shot to Restore Democracy in Venezuela

CSIS Americas director Ryan C. Berg and Alexandra Winkler argue that the U.S. strategic objective in Venezuela should be to make it as difficult as possible for Maduro to steal the 2024 presidential election by supporting the opposition efforts of Maria Corina Machado.

Commentary by Ryan C. Berg and Alexandra Winkler — April 4, 2024