Voters concerned with crime have propelled a wave of right-wing presidential victories across Latin America, including Chile’s Kast. So why did signing on to the Shield of the Americas, a U.S.-led regional security initiative, cause such a stir among Chileans? The latest #LatAmFocus episode with @diesazo of @athenalaborg covers the debate and looks at how the Shield has evolved beyond its initial security focus. “One of the most effective ways to struggle against transnational organized crime is international cooperation,” Sazo tells @CarinZissis, but cautions that, in a region of regular electoral swings, “political cycles normally condition the outcome of these efforts.”

When the government of Chilean President José Antonio Kast announced it was signing on to the Shield of the Americas last month, the decision sparked a domestic divide. In the latest #LatAmFocus episode, @diesazo of @AthenaLabOrg speaks with @CarinZissis about the multilayered goals of the regional security coalition, why it’s been so contentious in Chile, and the initiative’s prospects to outlast swings in the region’s electoral pendulums. ow.ly/8fRc50ZZnec