Rio Times · Analysis
Key Facts
—A record number of Latin American conflicts The Council on Foreign Relations’ 2026 Conflict Risk Assessment includes a record number of Latin American contingencies, reflecting the Trump administration’s renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere.
—Venezuela escalation tops the list The most prominent new contingency is a potential US–Venezuela confrontation; the US has already conducted at least 64 strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since September.
—Cartels enter US strategic doctrine US national security strategy now explicitly treats the fight against transnational organised crime and mass migration as top-tier priorities, reframing cartels as national-security threats rather than law-enforcement problems.
