The general elections held on February 1, 2026, reaffirmed the strength of Costa Rica’s electoral institutions while signaling a meaningful political realignment.
More must be done if near-shoring is to reach its potential to become a new glue of inter-American relations. Both the Latin American and Caribbean governments grouped in APEP, and the United States, must marshal the political will and financial resources to seize this moment of opportunity in regional development.
Panama stands ready to work with our main strategic partner to invest in strengthening the very institutions and social safety nets that we rely on as the foundation of regional security and stability. This is why it is essential that the United States support initiatives like the Alliance for Development in Democracy.
On Monday, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, member states of the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States to advance the U.S.-ADD Consultative Dialogue on Supply Chains and Economic Growth.
In their effort to assuage reluctant partners in the region, U.S. officials risk ignoring Latin American and Caribbean governments that have consistently supported U.S. interests and values.
Last Sunday, Costa Rica held general elections to choose its next president and 57 members of the unicameral Legislative Assembly.
In 2022, the United States will find that after a few initial signs of hope, the hemisphere to which it is intimately bound by ties of geography, commerce, and family is more dangerous, less democratic, less stable, less willing to cooperate, and more engaged than ever with its extra-regional rivals.
Media coverage of the December 8-10 Summit for Democracy has largely focused on President Joe Biden’s remarks, coupled with critical reactions from China, Russia, and skeptical U.S. pundits. Few U.S. commentators seem to have bothered to listen to the three days of often thoughtful remarks by other world leaders and the many intelligent, emotionally engaging panelists representing a broad swath of civil society, business, and academia.
Global Americans convened a panel of regional experts and analysts to weigh in on the implications of Blinken’s visit to Central America, seeking to answer the following questions: What can Costa Rica teach its Central American neighbors with respect to economic stability and transparent governance? How should the U.S. balance its hemispheric national security priorities with the thorny quandary of calling out democratic vulnerabilities and shortcomings? And, generally, which way forward for U.S.-Central American relations once Secretary Blinken has departed San José?
A recent publication by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)) highlighted the need for the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to “stay abreast of emerging S&T (Science and Technology) around the world, leverage others’ investments and seek out collaborations in areas where researchers need to remain at the leading edge.” The report makes clear that, in order to confront the challenge posed by revisionist powers (RPs) in Latin America, a far larger S&T engagement strategy that encompasses a “whole-of-government” approach must be undertaken.
