RUSI hosted its fourth annual Latin American Security Conference, with keynote speeches delivered by Lord Coaker, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, and Mr José Múcio Monteiro, Brazilian Minister of Defence.
The conference brought together senior policymakers and experts from academia, industry and think tanks to examine the evolving security environment in Latin America through an analysis of transnational organised crime, climate-related pressures, technological disruption and renewed great-power competition. At a time when global security cooperation is under strain, discussions focused on opportunities for the UK and its Latin American partners to reimagine strategic engagement and identify pathways to promote sustainable governance in defence and security.
In his opening keynote speech Lord Coaker, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence remarked:
The UK's defence presence and partnerships in this region are not on a whim. They are hardwired in historically, constitutionally, and strategically. As the SDR says, NATO first, but not NATO only. We have deep and enduring interests in Latin America, built on a shared commitment to freedom, democracy and international law.
Brazil’s Minister of Defence José Múcio Monteiro, delivered the closing keynote address by emphasising the country’s recent investment, training, and planning for its armed forces.
We can easily see the great opportunity that a bilateral relationship between Brazil and the United Kingdom in the area of defence can generate in research high education, specialised training and industrialised partnerships. We are ready and willing to engage in this regard.
The conference celebrated the collaboration between RUSI and the think-tank AthenaLab on Latin American security and defence studies.
Richard Kouyoumdjian Inglis, Executive Vice Chairman of AthenaLab, said:
Bringing together policymakers, military leaders, and analyst from across the region and beyond, the conference reaffirmed the value of open dialogue, practical partnerships, and sustained engagement between Latin America, the UK, and the US. Initiatives like this are essential to strengthening security, enhancing defence cooperation, and building a more stable and resilient international order in times when it is much needed.
The panel sessions explored the future of UK–Latin American defence cooperation amid shifting global alignments, assessed regional responses to the Venezuelan crisis and the war in Ukraine and their implications for the international order, and highlighted opportunities for technological and industrial collaboration. The conference also examined prospects for security cooperation in the South Atlantic and Antarctic, the threats posed by organised crime, and Brazil’s defence posture and its role in shaping regional security frameworks.
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The fourth Latin American Security Conference brought together senior leaders and scholars, focusing on current and future security challenges in Latin America.
