Drawing on original research, fieldwork, and policy experience, Leland Lazarus examines China’s efforts to establish “strategic support points” across Latin America and the Caribbean in his new book, Dragon in the Americas: China’s Power, Presence, and Regional Influence. The book explains how Beijing increasingly blends economic engagement with strategic ambition, even as countries in the region exercise their own agency, balancing relations with China and the United States. The result is a nuanced, data-driven framework for understanding power, dependency, and sovereignty in a rapidly evolving region.
In an interview conducted on October 13, 2026, Dr. Leland Lazarus joins Natalia Cote-Muñoz to discuss Latin America’s role within the future of U.S.-China relations.
