Chatham House: Russia's Quest for Global Influence in Latin America
Date: May 6th, 2021 at 15:00 CET / 09:00 EST Platform: Cisco Webex Events
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Abstract
Chatham House delivered the first of a three-part series: Russia's Quest for Global Influence.
This workshop examined Russia’s interests in Latin American countries and how they fit into Moscow’s broader foreign policy strategy. The event discussed how Russia is perceived by the governments and societies in the region, analyzed how much influence Moscow has acquired through diplomacy, trade, and soft power, and explored the security implications for the US and its allies.
Agenda
Session One: Overview
- 15:00 – 15:15: How does Russia view Latin America? - Vladimir Rouvinski, Icesi University, Colombia
- 15:15 – 15:30: How influential is Russia in Latin America? - Jessica Ludwig, National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
- 15:30 – 16:30: Moderated Q&A - Duncan Allan, Chatham House
Session Two: Mechanics
- 16:40 – 16:50: Diplomacy/military - Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College
- 16:50 – 17:00: Trade/investment - Elena Lazarou, European Parliament, Brazil and Chatham House
- 17:00 – 17:10: Soft power (media, NGOs, cultural/scientific ties) - Juan Pablo Cardenal, CADAL, Argentina
- 17:10 – 18:10: Moderated Q&A - Christopher Sabatini, Chatham House
Biographies
Speaker: Jessica Ludwig
Title: Senior Program Officer Affiliation: International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Jessica Ludwig is a senior program officer at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, focusing on authoritarian sharp power influence in emerging democracies, particularly in Latin America. She is coeditor of the NED report Sharp Power: Rising Authoritarian Influence (2017). She holds an MA in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies from George Washington University.
Speaker: Vladimir Rouvinski
Title: Director, Laboratory of Politics and International Relations (PoInt) Affiliation: Icesi University, Colombia
Vladimir Rouvinski is Director of the Laboratory of Politics and International Relations (PoInt) at Icesi University. His expertise includes Russian and Asian countries' relations with Latin America. He holds a PhD in International Development and Cooperation from Hiroshima University.
Speaker: Elena Lazarou
Title: Associate Fellow Affiliation: US and the Americas Programme, Chatham House
Dr. Elena Lazarou is an associate fellow at Chatham House, focusing on EU relations with Brazil and Latin America. She is currently acting head of external policies at the European Parliament’s Research Service. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
Speaker: Evan Ellis
Title: Research Professor of Latin American Studies Affiliation: U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute
Dr. Evan Ellis specializes in Latin America’s relationships with China and other non-Western actors, transnational organized crime, and populism. He has published over 280 works, including China in Latin America: The Whats and Wherefores (2009) and Transnational Organized Crime in Latin America and the Caribbean (2018).
Speaker: Juan Pablo Cardenal
Title: Associate Researcher Affiliation: Center for the Opening and Development of Latin America’s Advisory Council (CADAL)
Juan Pablo Cardenal is an associated researcher at CADAL and a journalist specializing in China’s global reach. He has coauthored three books on China’s overseas influence, including China’s Silent Army (2011). He is currently monitoring Russian and Chinese state media disinformation in Latin America.
Moderator: Christopher Sabatini
Title: Senior Fellow for Latin America Affiliation: Chatham House
Dr. Christopher Sabatini is senior fellow for Latin America at Chatham House. He has testified before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and is the founder of Global Americas. He holds a PhD in Government from the University of Virginia.
Moderator: Duncan Allan
Title: Associate Fellow Affiliation: Chatham House Russia and Eurasia Programme
Duncan Allan is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and director of Octant Research & Analysis Ltd. He has worked extensively on Russia and Ukraine during his 28-year career at the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office.