On April 3, 2025, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies participated in the 7th Annual Security Challenges in Latin America Forum, Securing the Next Quarter Century: 25 Years of Transformation in Latin America’s Security and Defense, held at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC. The forum was co-hosted by Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Inter-American Defense College (IADC), bringing together approximately 150 participants from across government, academia, and international organizations.

Laura Delgado López takes a question from the audience

The day-long event featured three panels exploring key trends shaping the region’s security environment. Perry Center Professor Celina Realuyo moderated the opening panel, Invisible Frontlines: Navigating Hybrid and Asymmetric Threats in Latin America, which addressed how cyberattacks, disinformation, and non-state actors are challenging traditional security frameworks—and how countries across the region can adapt their defense strategies to confront these evolving threats.

Perry Center Space Policy Fellow Laura Delgado López spoke on the third panel, From Drones to Space: Harnessing Innovation to Transform Security Operations, which examined how emerging technologies—such as drones, satellite surveillance, and artificial intelligence—can enhance the responsiveness and capabilities of security forces in the Americas.