Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a news conference after their meeting in Moscow in April 2021. Mexico agreed at the meeting to begin bottling and packaging the Russian vaccine. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS UNITED KINGDOM MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Russia is deliberately targeting Mexico with information operations (IO) since the Ukraine invasion with the goal of sowing distrust toward NATO states and influencing Mexicans to support Russia’s actions. The campaign cannot generally be considered successful so far. Most Mexicans blame Russia, and Mexico usually supports Ukraine in the United Nations. However, Russia is becoming…
The Watch
Then-Prime Minister Perry Gladstone Christie of the Bahamas, left, is greeted by Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting in January 2015 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DR. ANTHONY CLAYTON The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has vastly increased its presence in the Bahamas over the last two decades. The regime has been steadily investing in the nation – acquiring infrastructure, land and assets – with increased emphasis on investments, notably in fisheries. The PRC also is developing political influence with deep and sometimes ethically controversial engagement of local politicians and…
U.S. Marines exit a Mexican military helicopter during Exercise Phoenix/Aztec Alligator in July 2023. The exercise demonstrates the increasing interoperability between the Mexican and U.S. militaries. CPL. WILLOW MARSHALL/U.S. MARINE CORPS CAMRYN HOELLE/U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND The Mexican Armed Forces and United States military participated in the seventh Bilateral Military Cooperation Roundtable in August 2023 to fine-tune their strategic vision and enhance cooperation between the militaries. Lt. Gen. A.C. Roper and Rear Adm. Scott Robertson of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) hosted two delegations of members of the Mexican Armed Forces in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the executive session. The roundtable is…
U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Victor Cooper gives members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force a tour of the USS Wasp when it visited Nassau in June 2023. PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS ERIC MOSER/U.S. NAVY JOEL PEDERSEN/U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND Cooperation between the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Bahamas supports the development of maritime security throughout the Bahamas’ archipelago of 700 islands and cays and 466,000 square kilometers of ocean. The strategic goal is for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) to become interoperable with the U.S. military and capable of sharing information and intelligence on security threats to protect…
A member of the Canadian Naval Tactical Operations Group demonstrates techniques on how to secure a ship’s perimeter to Dominican Navy personnel during Exercise Tradewinds 19. CANADIAN ARMED FORCES CANADIAN JOINT OPERATIONS COMMAND The defense of Canada and the rest of North America are the top priorities of the Canadian government and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). As a geographical approach to the continent and home to numerous allies and partners, the Caribbean is a region of particular importance. It is one with both opportunities and challenges in security, commerce, immigration, tourism, investment and strategic competition. We continue to see…
U.S. Marines assigned to the Female Engagement Team with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, escort an evacuated Afghan woman at Fort Pickett, Virgina, on September 24, 2021. Comprised of female volunteers, the Female Engagement Team helped build trust with the displaced Afghan guests to see to their needs. CPL. COREY A. MATHEWS/U.S. MARINE CORPS DR. HOLLY PEIRCE/U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND TIFFANI PHILLIPS/U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND U.S. President Joe Biden’s 2022 National Security Strategy states, “the challenges of our age, from strategic competition to climate change, require us to make investments that sharpen our competitive edge and bolster our resilience.” The Women, Peace,…
A class engages in discussion during the Perry Center’s inaugural Climate Change and Implications for Defense and Security course in May 2023. The William J. Perry Center DR. PAUL J. ANGELO Threats to hemispheric security are myriad: trafficking in people, weapons and drugs; illegal fishing and mining; climate change and environmental fallout; corruption; cybercrimes and digital disinformation; predatory violence and extortion; and targeted challenges to international law, including human rights violations. Countering the threat networks responsible for this alarming panorama requires a strong network of dedicated security and defense practitioners working collaboratively across the Americas to uphold the rule of…
WHINSEC has become an integral part of security collaboration to counter threats such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling and money laundering. MILTON MARIANI RODRIGUEZ/WHINSEC ADELA GARCIA DUNCAN/WHINSEC PUBLIC AFFAIRS The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) has emerged as a premier security cooperation tool that delivers information-sharing techniques, joint training exercises and intelligence cooperation to counter a multitude of shared challenges. A U.S. Department of Defense institute with the Secretary of the Army designated as the executive agent, the institute helps identify and promptly address emerging security threats. WHINSEC, based in Fort Moore, Georgia, facilitates capacity building and professional…
A Mexican Blackhawk helicopter flies over a military parade for the 198th anniversary of Mexico’s independence at Zocalo Square in Mexico City on September 16, 2008. The Blackhawk is among several U.S.-supplied aircraft procured by the Mexican Armed Forces. AFP/GETTY IMAGES DR. INIGO GUEVARA MOYANO/JANES STRATEGIC SERVICES Mexico and the United States share much more than a 3,219-kilometer border and a complex history. Both nations share mutual problems and threats, but more importantly, they now share a common will on how to implement bilateral solutions. While the militaries of both nations have traditionally had significantly different roles and missions, both…
Mexican military personnel participate in courses at the Mexican Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations. DIÁLOGO AMÉRICAS SECRETARIAT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE Mexico for decades has voiced its commitment to multilateral institutions that work to ensure international security and peace. Mexican military personnel participated in some of the first United Nations peacekeeping operations by contributing four military observers to the Balkans from 1947-1950 and six officers to operations in Kashmir in 1949. Although internal politics made Mexico reluctant to participate in foreign conflicts after that, the U.N. announced on September 24, 2014, that Mexico would officially resume its contributions to U.N.…