policy paper 29 Programa de Cooperación en Seguridad Regional United States Policy and Security Interests in Latin America Joseph S. Tulchin ! Executive Summary n This policy paper describes the security interests of the United States in Latin America and explores the range of possible responses to these U.S. interests by the nations of Latin America. n The desire of the Obama administration to move away from the unilateralism of the Bush administration and to adopt a more collegial approach to the hemisphere presents an opportunity for the nations in the region to take a more protagonistic approach to hemispheric affairs. n This is an opportunity for the nations of Latin America to achieve a greater degree of autonomy in their international affairs than at any time in the past. n However, this also presents a challenge to the nations in the region because they are unaccustomed to operating in an autonomous fashion in the international community. n A series of proposals as to how the nations in the region might act either individually or as a group to maximize their new autonomy concludes the policy paper. July 2010