The 11th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference was held in Miami,
the gateway to the Americas
Tuesday, May 5 through Friday, May 8, 2026
Click below to see the HSC 2026 Agenda, Speaker Bios and Visitor's Guide:
AGENDA
SPEAKER BIOS
VISITOR'S GUIDE
Led by FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, HSC is FIU and Miami’s flagship security event. Over the past decade, HSC has emerged as a premier platform for advancing high-level dialogue, collaboration, and actionable solutions on issues at the intersection of security, governance, and economic development.
The 2026 conference featured in-depth discussions on a wide range of critical topics, including:
🌍Cuba and Venezuela in Transition
🔑 National Security Challenges and Opportunities
💻 Cybersecurity and Financial Crimes
🤖 Emerging Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and Innovation
🏢 The Private Sector’s Role in Hemispheric Security
🌐 Organized and Transnational Crime
🏗️ Critical Infrastructure and Procurement and more!
This dynamic conference will convene:
National Presidents * Ambassadors * Ministers of Defense * Senior Government Officials * Military Leaders * CEOs * Policymakers * Scholars * Private-sector experts * and more from across the Americas.Participants will engage in strategic dialogue, share insights, and build partnerships aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and resilience. Don’t miss the opportunity to engage directly with the leaders shaping the future of the Americas.
Donate to the Jack D. Gordon Institute
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors, Partners and Collaborators!
Should you need an ADA accommodation to participate in a University event, program, or activity or need to request materials in an accessible format, please contact FIU’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) at 305-348-2785 or accommodations@fiu.edu. All requests for ADA accommodation or accessible materials for this event must be submitted to OCR at least seven (7) business days prior to the event or at the earliest possible opportunity.
Previous Years
Revisit highlights from previous conferences and dive into session recordings, speaker presentations, and key takeaways.
- 2024
View Pictures from HSC 2024 Here!
HSC 2024 Panel Videos:
Day 1
Introductory & Welcome Remarks YouTube
Fireside Chat with SOUTHCOM Commander and NSC Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs YouTube
Virtual Keynote Address and Q&A Session with President of Paraguay Santiago Peña Palacios YouTube
Fireside Chat with General Timothy Ray, USAF (Ret.) YouTube
Economic Security as National Security - The Role of the Private Sector YouTube
Fireside Chat with Ministers of Defense YouTube
The Role of Allies and Partners in Helping Boost LAC Security YouTube
The Internationalization of TCOs YouTube
Day 2
Introductory and Opening Remarks YouTube
Keynote Address - CEO & Founder of Infobae YouTube
Threats and Opportunities with Emerging Technologies YouTube
Haiti's Future YouTube
Environmental Challenges Impacting Hemispheric Security YouTube
Energy and Strategic Mining YouTube
Fireside Chat with the Former U.S. Representative to the World Bank YouTube
Extra Hemispheric Actors YouTube
Concluding Remarks YouTube
Thank You to our 2024 Partners!
- 2023
HSC 2023 Panel Videos
HSC2023 video series on YouTube
Opening Remarks YouTube
Welcome Remarks with DASD Daniel Erikson YouTube
Fireside Chat with Ambassador Paula Dobriansky YouTube
Remarks from Congressional Representative Mario Diaz-Balart YouTube
Protecting our People: Achievements in Citizen Security YouTube
Video Message: General Laura Richardson YouTube
Chat with Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey YouTube
Fireside Chat with Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director Juan Gonzalez YouTube
Fireside Chat with USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman YouTube
After COP27: Climate Change & Environmental Security YouTube
Fireside Chat with Ron Johnson, Former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador YouTube
In the Middle: Opportunities and Challenges in the Era of U.S.-China Strategic Competition YouTube
Day 2 Opening Remarks with Ana Gonzalez YouTube
Fireside Chat with Sébastien Carriére, Canadian Ambassador to Haiti YouTube
Securing Cyberspace YouTube
Keynote Address with Mario Montoto YouTube
What's Next in Tech and Security YouTube
- 2022
Hosted by FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC), the 7th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference (HSC) included 10 security-focused discussions from May 17-20. The sessions were streamed live and were available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Some of the notable speakers for HSC2022 included Juan S. Gonzalez, Special Assistant to President Biden and National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere, Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Special Advisor for the 2022 Summit of the Americas, and many more.
Panel Videos
HSC2022 video series on YouTube
Conference Welcome YouTube
Fireside Chat with Juan S. Gonzalez YouTube
Summit of the Americas Preview YouTube
The Impact of Cybersecurity on Western Hemisphere Security YouTube
Keynote Address by Daniel Erikson YouTube
The Future of the Armed Forces in Latin America YouTube
The Geopolitical Convergence in Venezuela YouTube
Keynote Address by Kerri S. Hannan YouTube
Disinformation, Democracy, and the Inter-American System YouTube
The Reexamination of the 2003 Declaration on Security in the Americas YouTube
Keynote Address by Matthew D. Steinhelfer YouTube
Examining Democracy in the Americas Through Case Studies YouTube
Supported by
- 2021
Hosted by FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC), the 6th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference (HSC) included 10 security-focused virtual discussions from May 17-21. The sessions were streamed live and were available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Some of the notable speakers for HSC2021 included Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical advisor to the president, Epsy Campbell Barr, Vice President of Costa Rica, Juan González, special assistant to the president and NSC senior director for the Western Hemisphere, and many more.
Panel Videos
HSC2021 video series on YouTube
Conference Welcome YouTube
A Conversation with Lt. General Andrew Croft YouTube
Security Landscape in the Western Hemisphere YouTube
The Impacts of Climate Change on Security in the Caribbean and Central America YouTube
Political and Security Challenges in Central America and the Caribbean YouTube
The Future of Military Institutions in the Americas YouTube
The Impact of COVID-19 on Security in the Americas YouTube
A Conversation with Dan Erikson, DASD Western Hemisphere YouTube
United States Southern Command COVID-19 Fireside Chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci YouTube
The Future of the Amazon: Strategic and Global Implications YouTube
- 2020
Nearly 1,800 people from 30 countries attended FIU’s 5th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference (HSC), breaking attendance records from previous years. For the past four years, the HSC was a daylong event at FIU but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s conference evolved into an online event with eight security-focused virtual discussions that took place May 18-22. Attendees tuned in live through Zoom and Facebook and watched in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The conference brought together former Latin American presidents Michelle Bachelet and Luis Guillermo Solis, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) officials and other thought leaders from across the hemisphere to discuss the region’s security challenges.
Panel Videos
HSC video series on Facebook | HSC video series on YouTube
Threats and Opportunities in the Americas: A Conversation with Admiral Craig S. Faller
Militaries in the Americas Facebook | YouTube
Evolving Security Landscape Facebook | YouTube
Women in Peace & Security: A Conversation with Ambassador Jean Manes Facebook | YouTube
Global Pandemics and the Citizen and National Implications Facebook | YouTube
Human Rights in the Americas: A Conversation with High Commissioner Bachelet Facebook | YouTube
Crisis in Venezuela Continues: Strategies for Ending the Humanitarian Crisis and Restoring Democracy Facebook | YouTube
Security Trends in the Caribbean and Central America Facebook | YouTube
- 2019
Fourth Annual Hemispheric Security Conference | May 22, 2019 | Miami, FL
Click here to view pictures from the 2019 HSC.
- 2018
