U.S. Statecraft in Latin America: Power,

Overview This intensive two-day workshop examines how the United States exercises power in its own hemisphere, focusing on Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela, with suppor ng case studies on Colombia and El Salvador. Students will trace each rela onship from its historical origins through the first Trump administra on, when Secretary Pompeo directed the maximum pressure campaigns against Havana and Caracas, the USMCA renego a on, and the 2019 migra on agreement with Mexico, and into the drama c events of 2025-2026: the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the fuel blockade of Cuba, the designa on of cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organiza ons, and U.S. military opera ons against trafficking networks. A dedicated session examines how China, Russia, and Iran operate in the region and complicate every American policy choice. The course emphasizes the interconnected nature of hemispheric security issues, including energy, migra on, narco cs, and great power compe on, and culminates in a high-stakes Na onal Security Council crisis simula on in which mul ple regional crises unfold simultaneously.