On May 29, 2025, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies welcomed twelve members of the Senior Military Course No. 20 from the Ecuadorian Army’s Education and Military Doctrine Command. The delegation was received by Perry Center Director Dr. Paul J. Angelo and Professor Celina Realuyo.

“You are not just studying institutional change. You embody it,” said Dr. Angelo, recognizing the commission’s commitment to professional development and strategic leadership in defense.

The visit provided an opportunity to reflect on institutional transformation and the role of military education in addressing shared security challenges across the Americas. Professor Realuyo delivered a presentation titled “The United States’s Approach to Resolving Security and Defense Challenges in Latin America,” which explored how governments throughout the region are confronting threats such as transnational crime, political instability, hybrid threats, and cyberattacks, with the goal of generating critical thinking, strategic vision, and regional cooperation.

Dr. Angelo also reaffirmed the Perry Center’s strong ties with Ecuadorian institutions and shared that he plans to travel to Ecuador to formally present the Perry Award to the University of the Armed Forces-ESPE next month, in recognition of its longstanding excellence in military education and its contributions to hemispheric cooperation.

The visit underscored the Perry Center’s commitment to fostering critical thinking, mutual understanding, and enduring partnerships throughout the Western Hemisphere.