LATIN AMERICA: INTERNAL TRANSFORMATIONS AND GLOBAL ASPIRATIONS

A Political-Economic Conflict Seminar

October 18-20, 2011

Capitol Hill Club
Washington, DC

With Europe and the United States still struggling with the aftermath of the “Great Recession” and the staggering weight of debt and unfunded entitlements, Asia has become the principal engine for global economic growth. At the same time, in Latin America a major global economic player is emerging in Brazil and connections are being forged between many of the Latin American states and Asia. Yet many of the inequalities, quarrels, political dysfunctions, and perverse ambitions of the past remain. If the global balance of power is in transition, so Latin America is itself in uncertain transition.

Broad sections of Latin American society are being transformed and emerging as major players on the global economic stage. There are also large numbers of groups and states, such as the landless movements and the Chavez and Morales regimes in Venezuela and Bolivia that are resisting this historical transformation. Motivated by diverse fears and ambitions, it remains to be seen whether or not these societies can change themselves into liberal democratic and free market economies. Their incorporation into the global economy as responsible partners is central to American foreign policy.

Failure to achieve these ends could lead to such internal instability as to increase immigration pressures on the United States, breed terrorism, and provide the opportunities for external influences from countries such as Russia, China, and Iran, with aspirations not necessarily compatible with U.S. interests.

This Alan L. Freed Associates seminar will explore the diverse pressures, ambitions, and fears playing on America's hemispheric neighbors and their implications for U.S. policies and strategies with regional experts, foreign policy specialists, and political and economic commentators.

SEMINAR TOPICS*

• Perceptions and Misconceptions in U.S.-Mexico Relation
• Key Challenges for U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America
• Hemispheric Cooperation or Noncooperation: An American Interest in the Region
• Latin America in Transition
• Economic Prosperity and Global Trade: Conflicted Choices in Latin America
• Hemispheric Security: Internal and External Threats
• Cuba and the Caribbean: Post-Castro Prospects
• The Curse of Natural Resources: Health, Welfare and the Implications of Poor Governance in Latin America
• Iran and China in Latin America: Calculations of Greed and Influence
• Brazil—Power and Potential: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
• Mexico: Political-Military Developments, External Relations, and Narcotics
• Foreign Direct Investment, Development, and Globalization in Latin America
• The Obama Administration and Latin America: Hopes and Challenges
• The Emerging Criminal-Terror Nexus in Latin America
• The Politics and Ideology of Latin America: Left or Right?
• Columbia and Venezuela: A Tale of Two “Cities” and the Future of Latin America

*The above topics are taken from previous seminars and may change to address current events at the time of the seminar.

FEE

$1,985 per person

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The seminar will be held in a private meeting room at the Capitol Hill Club, located at 300 First Street, SE, Washington, DC. The Club is directly across the street from the Capitol South Metro Station (Blue and Orange Lines). Reporting information concerning registration time and workshop start and end times will be sent to all participants approximately 2 weeks prior to the start of each program. This is a senior-level seminar and is designed for those who are professionally involved in the region, have a need-to-know, or an interest in the subject matter.

Generally, registration will begin around 7:45 am and seminars will be conducted from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on the first two days and from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on the last day (subject to agenda and scheduling). Business attire for participants is required. Military uniform is optional.

No video, power point or audio-visual aids are utilized in the presentations. These programs are informal and strictly "off-the-record."

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