Why the U.S. Can't Ignore Latin America's Security Challenges

I have just published a new article, "Why the U.S. Can't Ignore Latin America's Security Challenges," with my Colombian Co-author Dr. Roman Ortiz, in the journal World Politics Review.

The article examines the security challenges currently facing Latin America and the Caribbean, and finds a surprisingly large number of areas where a combination of political, criminal, and other dynamics could present significant challenges for policymakers from the U.S. and the region in the coming months. 

As the Trump administration continues to put its Latin America policy team in place, including the naming of the Assistant Secretary of State and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the region, to compliment incoming National Security Council Director for the Western Hemisphere Dr. Richard Waddell, there will be a range of issues that demand the team's attention sooner rather than later.  Indeed, these possible challenges serve as a reminder that there is arguably no other region of the world whose geographic proximity, economic and human ties more directly affects U.S. security and prosperity, than does Latin America and the Caribbean.

The article is available at http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/21672/why-the-u-s-can-t-igno....