A Stronger Western Hemisphere Is Good for America
As Americans, we should welcome cooperation that strengthens our security, expands economic opportunity, and makes essential supplies more reliable. Those goals do not belong exclusively to Republicans or Democrats. They are national interests. A significant recent announcement deserves a conversation.
What would a stronger Western Hemisphere partnership mean for America—and what would make it work for our neighbors?
Bring that question to a Civiltalk Circle. Invite friends, family, or colleagues with different perspectives. Share this article beforehand, then discuss the opportunities, risks, and results you would expect.
What Is New—and Why It Matters
On September 22, 2026, the United States and 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries issued a Joint Statement on Defending Hemispheric Sovereignty during United Nations General Assembly week in New York. They announced a framework connecting economic cooperation, security, and regional diplomacy—and a first joint action against transnational criminal organizations. (content.govdelivery.com)
The Shield of the Americas coalition began in March. The September announcement established three explicit pillars and identified actions the governments intend to take together.
Economic Cooperation: Secure critical supply chains, protect investments, and promote economic growth.
Security Cooperation: Combat drug cartels, organized crime, and narco-terrorism through coordinated enforcement and intelligence sharing.
Multilateral Coordination: Strengthen regional cooperation, protect national sovereignty, and coordinate international action.
The participants are the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. (dpi.gov.gy)
Their proposed cooperation includes:
Strengthening reliable critical-mineral supply chains.
Exploring investment screening and greater transparency around incoming capital.
Promoting trusted digital infrastructure.
Sharing intelligence, security capabilities, training, and law-enforcement practices.
Coordinating positions in regional and international institutions.
Their first joint action targets 24 named criminal and armed organizations through proposed asset freezes, immigration and visa restrictions, and penalties for knowingly providing material support, subject to each country’s laws. They also proposed consultations through the Organization of American States under the existing Rio Treaty. (publicnow.com)
This is significant because the governments are treating economic development and security as connected. Criminal networks cross borders. Investment, energy, minerals, and digital infrastructure do too. Cooperation can make legitimate commerce more dependable while making criminal activity harder.
The declaration establishes intentions rather than a completed enforcement system. But there has already been follow-through: on September 28, the State Department announced a new visa restriction policy targeting people who undermine democratically elected governments through corruption or narcotrafficking, with initial actions supporting Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. (publicnow.com)
The Political Landscape Is Changing
There are 33 independent countries across South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean: 12 South American countries, seven Central American countries, Mexico, and 13 Caribbean island nations. This count excludes the United States, Canada, and dependent territories. (everycrsreport.com)
The region experienced waves of left-leaning governments beginning in the late 1990s and again in the early 2020s. More recently, right-leaning candidates have won important elections, frequently amid frustration over crime, economic conditions, and incumbent performance. (americasquarterly.org, reuters.com)
That movement matters, but political labels do not fully explain cooperation with America. Left-led Guyana participates in the coalition. Left-led Mexico is advancing substantial bilateral cooperation outside it.
The better question is what governments are willing to accomplish together.
Countries That Explain the Stakes
Mexico: Manufacturing, Trade, and Border Security
Mexico is essential to North American production. U.S.–Mexico goods trade totaled approximately $872 billion in 2025.
Its government is working with Washington on manufacturing, supply chains, economic security, migration, and law enforcement. Their July joint statement specifically emphasized stronger North American manufacturing and addressing free-riding by countries outside the trading partnership. (ustr.gov, ustr.gov, gob.mx)
For Americans, this relationship affects production costs, export opportunities, supply reliability, and border security. Mexico’s domestic ideology does not diminish the value of practical cooperation.
Brazil: The Largest Potential Addition
Brazil has approximately 213 million people and is Latin America’s largest economy. Its agricultural, industrial, energy, and mineral resources give it enormous regional weight. (statisticstimes.com, worldometers.info, iea.org)
Flávio Bolsonaro led the October 4 presidential first round, alongside major conservative gains in legislative and governor elections. The October 25 runoff remains undecided. A government pursuing closer U.S. alignment could substantially expand regional cooperation. Brazil is outside the September coalition. (tse.jus.br, theguardian.com, www1.folha.uol.com.br)
Venezuela: Energy and an Unfinished Transition
Venezuela’s oil resources give it strategic importance beyond its current economic output. Its interim government has strengthened relations with Washington and agreed to preferential U.S. access to oil fields.
That is a substantial change in relations, but democratic transition remains unfinished. Elections and opposition participation are unresolved. Venezuela is outside the September coalition. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk, reuters.com)
For America, greater energy cooperation offers potential benefits. Durable progress also requires dependable institutions and political stability.
Argentina: Energy, Lithium, and Investment
Argentina is the region’s third-largest economy. Its oil, natural gas, and lithium resources create opportunities for diversified supplies and investment. Its coalition participation connects closer political alignment with an explicit cooperation framework. (worldometers.info, iea.org, dpi.gov.gy)
Colombia: Security and Economic Scale
Colombia combines approximately 53 million people with substantial economic and energy resources. Its participation matters to efforts against transnational crime and to regional investment and stability. (statisticstimes.com, iea.org, dpi.gov.gy)
Chile and Peru: Essential Mineral Partners
Chile and Peru are major copper producers, and Chile is an important lithium producer. Both participate in the coalition.
Reliable mineral supplies—and investment in processing—could support electricity infrastructure, manufacturing, and battery production throughout the hemisphere. (iea.org, dpi.gov.gy)
Panama: A Critical Trade Route
Panama’s importance exceeds its population. The United States was the Panama Canal’s largest cargo origin-and-destination market in its 2025 annual report.
Reliable canal operations benefit American commerce and global shipping. Cooperation should protect that reliability while respecting Panamanian sovereignty. (pancanal.com)
Dominican Republic: Caribbean Economic Weight
The Dominican Republic brings a substantial Caribbean economy into the coalition. Its centrist leadership demonstrates that partnership with Washington can cross domestic political categories. (worldometers.info, acento.com.do, dpi.gov.gy)
Guyana: Growing Energy Importance
Guyana has fewer than one million people, but expanding oil production gives it growing strategic significance. Its left-led government is a founding coalition participant and has explicitly prioritized stronger security ties with the United States. (statisticstimes.com, iea.org, dpi.gov.gy)
Cuba: A Significant Unresolved Relationship
Cuba’s strategic importance lies in its proximity to the United States and its military and intelligence relationships. Washington has sanctioned Cuban military officials associated with Russia and China. Independent satellite analysis has also examined possible Chinese-linked intelligence facilities, while acknowledging uncertainty about their status and operations. (investing.com, csis.org)
There are signs of economic movement. Reforms approved in June expand private businesses’ ability to hire workers, import and export directly, and participate in financial and currency markets. These are meaningful openings, although Havana says it is retaining its socialist system. (apnews.com)
Late-September statements from Havana and Washington indicated interest in dialogue. However, no comprehensive agreement has been announced, and U.S. sanctions tightened on September 30. Cuba remains outside the regional coalition. (reuters.com, govinfo.gov, publicnow.com)
From an American national-interest perspective, progress would mean fewer security threats, greater economic freedom, respect for political rights, and practical cooperation. Those outcomes could benefit Americans and ordinary Cubans.
Cuba belongs in this discussion as an unresolved opportunity. Diplomatic signals must become verifiable commitments before it can be counted as part of the emerging partnership.
Weighting Cooperation by Size
Counting each country equally gives a small island nation the same weight as Brazil or Mexico. Population and economic output provide another perspective.
Using approximate 2025 data for the same 33 independent countries:
• The 14 regional coalition partners represent approximately 35% of the region’s population and economic output.
• Adding Mexico’s documented bilateral cooperation brings that footprint to approximately 55% of the population and 60% of economic output.
• If Brazil subsequently pursues closer U.S. alignment, those countries together would represent approximately 87% of the population and 91% of economic output.
These figures measure the countries’ size, not public approval of Washington. Mexico and Brazil are not members of the September declaration, and Brazil’s future alignment remains a scenario. Venezuela and Cuba are not included in these cooperation totals. (statisticstimes.com, worldometers.info)
An American Interest That Can Cross Party Lines
A more secure, prosperous hemisphere can give America stronger trading partners, dependable suppliers, and better cooperation against threats that cross borders.
It can also give our neighbors investment, jobs, technology, and access to markets. Those shared benefits—and respect for sovereignty—are what make partnerships durable.
The September announcement is a positive step from an American national-interest perspective. Its ultimate value should be judged by results: safer communities, productive investment, reliable supplies, and greater opportunity.
Host the Conversation - CivilTalk Circle
What would a stronger Western Hemisphere partnership mean for America—and what would make it work for our neighbors?
Bring that question to a Civiltalk Circle. Invite friends, family, or colleagues with different perspectives. Share this article beforehand, then discuss the opportunities, risks, and results you would expect.
Use the Civiltalk Circles Playbook to guide your conversation.
Get started and create your Civiltalk account, then include Clarion—with participants’ consent—to help you review the positions expressed, areas of agreement and disagreement, and how your group communicated.
Learn more: Civiltalk Circles.
Choose a date. Invite your group. Host a conversation that turns headlines into deeper understanding.
Better Conversations → Stronger Relationships → Better Outcomes