Juan Gonzalez | The Americas at an Inflection Point: Power, Democracy, and US Strategy

The Moynihan Institute's Practice of Global Politics seminar series presents Juan S. Gonzalez, resident fellow at Georgetown Americas Institute.

The Western Hemisphere is often treated as a secondary theater in U.S. foreign policy. That is a mistake. From migration and energy to supply chains, climate, and strategic competition with China, the Americas sit at the center of U.S. interests. This talk examines how the region is being reshaped by democratic backsliding, economic fragmentation and geopolitical rivalry—and what that means for the next generation of policymakers.

Drawing on firsthand experience in government and recent analysis of Venezuela and regional trends, Juan Gonzalez argues that effective U.S. strategy must align values with interests, pairing democratic governance with credible economic engagement. He will outline what works, what doesn’t, and where policy debates are headed next. The core question is not whether the United States will lead in the hemisphere, but how—and whether it can do so in a way that delivers stability, legitimacy, and shared prosperity.

Juan S. Gonzalez is a former senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council, where he helped shape U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean from 2021 to 2024. He previously served at the U.S. Department of State and as a senior advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, working on issues including regional security, migration and democratic governance.

Gonzalez has written extensively on U.S. strategy in the Americas, with publications in Foreign Affairs and other outlets examining Venezuela, great-power competition and the future of hemispheric policy. His work emphasizes the intersection of values and interests, arguing that durable U.S. leadership requires both. He is currently a senior fellow and advisor on international affairs, and a frequent commentator on U.S.–Latin America relations.