‘The General and the Ambassador’ focus on Latin America

In the December 2022 episode of the podcast “The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation,” host Ambassador (Ret.) Deborah McCarthy is joined by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Erikson and Ambassador Luis Arreaga. Together, the three discuss U.S. military and diplomatic engagement with the western hemisphere, with a focus on Latin America. They also discussed the value of U.S. regional engagement in training, disaster response, climate change, and cybersecurity, as well as the region’s views China.

As the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere at the U.S. Department of Defense, Erikson serves in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is responsible for U.S. defense and security policy for the thirty-four nation region that encompasses Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. In 2017, he received the State Department’s Superior Honor Award for his diplomatic contributions to U.S.-Latin American relations.

Ambassador Arreaga served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Guatemala from October 2017 until October 2020. Prior to this appointment, Arreaga served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from November 2013 to September 2017. In 2018, Ambassador Arreaga’s contributions were recognized with a Presidential Rank Award.

Podcast producer and host Ambassador (retired) Deborah McCarthy currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the CGSC Foundation and was the 2018 DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. The DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy Program is conducted in partnership with the Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, Inc. (DACOR) organization located in Washington D.C., and the Command and General Staff College Foundation. Several times a year retired senior officials, usually Ambassadors with extensive diplomatic experience, visit Fort Leavenworth to interact with U.S. Army Command and General Staff College students and faculty, and provide a Department of State and Chief of Mission perspective to the curriculum. During their visit the DACOR Visiting Professors of Diplomacy also interact with area universities and civic organizations discussing policy, regional, and political expertise, as well as speaking about careers in the Foreign Service.

“The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation” podcast promotes interagency cooperation and is produced by the American Academy of Diplomacy.

To learn more and listen to the podcast, please follow the link below.
U.S. Security Priorities in Latin America, The General and the Ambassador