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Soldiers and Prisons: Reflections on Military Interventions in the Latin American and Caribbean Prison System

Authors William Godnick and Iñaki Aguerreche assembled a thorough investigation and analysis on the occurrence of military interventions in the prison system in Latin America and the Caribbean. This insightful portrayal of the reality of prisons in many countries is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding this problem in the region.

This Occasional Paper is an english-language translation of Godnick’s and Aguerreche’s research which originally appeared in Fuerza pública en América Latina: Sus retos y buenas prácticas a la luz de la democracia y los derechos humanos (Public Forces in Latin America: Challenges and Good Practices in the Light of Democracy and Human Rights), published by the University of Guadalajara Press in 2022.

Perry Center Research Associate Chase Boone worked on the English translation.

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US and Australian Defense and National Security Foresight Tools and their Applicability to the Latin American Context

The outdated capabilities of the armed forces of many Latin American countries, as well as divided loyalties to their preferred security partners (think China and the United States), force them to be prepared for future scenarios. The author presents the strategic foresight initiatives that the United States and Australia have designed to address their own scenarios of future defense needs, and details the relevance and applicability they may have for different scenarios in other countries in the hemisphere. Dr. Godnick offers an analysis of these foresight tools as an instrument for assessing and improving the region's security and defense in the coming years.
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Converging Digital Technology Outlook for the Next Decade (2023-2033) and its Global and Regional Impact

Dr. Boris Saavedra of the William J. Perry Center has published an important research paper with a timely and thorough analysis on how artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies are transforming (and will continue to transform) our lives. It raises awareness of the challenges humanity faces with a technology that is outpacing regulation and what Latin American and Caribbean governments should expect in the future. The political and strategic disruptions AI may cause in the next few years will represent tough challenges for all countries in the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Saavedra’s analysis identifies the risks and the strategic actions required to mitigate and prepare for these future challenges.
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The Peruvian Armed Forces vs Environmental Crimes: An Analysis

Latin American armed forces have a wide array of missions, from defense and security to humanitarian asistance/disaster relief (HA/DR), to United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKOs). However, there is one mission that has gained importance in recent years: environmental protection. The heightened risks of climate change have made governments in the Americas more aware of environmental protection and have assigned many Latin American militaries to the mission. This article examines the activities of the Peruvian armed forces to protect the environment of the Andean and Amazonian nation.
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An Unseen Force: Indigenous Soldiers in the Ecuadorian Armed Forces

This article focuses on the role of indigenous personnel in the Ecuadorian armed forces from a sociological perspective. Indigenous representatives of the armed forces is a unique feature of the Ecuadorian Army and perhaps a model for other Latin American and Caribbean nations who can benefit from the special skills and perspectives these individuals bring to the security environment, particularly in remote areas of Latin American countries that have a small presence of government representatives.
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Vaccination Against COVID-19 Among the Armed Forces of the Western Hemisphere

This paper focuses on vaccination practices among the Western Hemisphere's armed forces. The paper will look at three issues: (1) the institutional and normative sources of vaccine requirements and mandates; (2) the alternatives provided to service members who choose not to be vaccinated; and (3) incentives and penalties for non-compliance. The analysis is broken down by sub-regions of the Western Hemisphere: North America, the Caribbean (non-Spanish speaking), Central America and the Dominican Republic, and South America.
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Freedom of Expression in Cyberspace: Hate Speech, Religion and Politics, Fake News and Post Truth

Today, social networks are the cause of a kind of social disease. A significant group of people believe that social networks have a disproportionate influence on important social and political decisions. In this report, the author examines the elements of freedom of expression with a focus on censorship, hate speech, fake news, and other factors.
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The 21st Century Latin American Military: Climate Change and the Future of HA/DR Operations

In Latin America, it is expected that climate change will exacerbate extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, a consequence of extremely dry conditions. The armed forces of Latin America have a long history of participating in Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations when natural disasters events occur. To be prepared for the next disaster, regional armed forces constantly train via local and multinational exercises, while defense budgets are aimed at acquiring HA/DR equipment.
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Illicit Networks and the New World Order Post-Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the post-World War II political, economic, social and international order with many questioning whether our current democratic and economic institutions are suitable for and capable of recovering from this profound health, economic and governance crisis. While democracies and open economies were hard hit by the pandemic, illicit networks including transnational criminal groups, terrorist organizations and their facilitators have proven more resilient, expanding their activities and influence in the Americas. This article will examine the impact COVID-19 has had on the health, economy, democracy, security of the region and on illicit networks. The article will conclude with recommendations on how nations incorporate strategic foresight and anticipatory governance to safeguard their sovereignty and counter to the growing threats from corruption and illicit networks in the new world order.
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The Colombia Coca Bloom, the Mexican Heroin Surge, and the Fentanyl Crisis

Revenue from illegal drugs is the principal source of income for transnational organized crime groups in the Americas. Cocaine is the biggest revenue generator. Heroin and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, have recently surged in Mexico. This report examines the surge in cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from the Americas. Data are draw from the US Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)'s National Drug Control Strategy Data Supplement from 2020 and from the ONDCP Drug Dashboard.
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  • William J. Perry Center
    for Hemispheric Defense Studies

    National Defense University
    Abraham Lincoln Hall
    260 5th Avenue, Building 64
    Washington, DC  20319-5066
  • William J. Perry Center
    for Hemispheric Defense Studies

    National Defense University
    Abraham Lincoln Hall
    260 5th Avenue, Building 64
    Washington, DC  20319-5066