File:Katherine Tai (cropped).jpg

English: Latin America has increasingly figured in the headlines with the commencement of the 116th US Congress in January on the horizon. Among these stories are key developments for the energy sector: the newly minted USMCA free trade agreement, new governments in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, continued debate over Venezuela, and the role of US energy exports to the region, particularly natural gas and LNG. Meanwhile, President Trump and his administration have ratcheted up the rhetoric with respect to the region in recent weeks, the Democrats have regained control in the House of Representatives, and new committee chairs will attempt to reshape the agenda in both chambers. With many questions on the table, Latin America’s evolving role in US trade and foreign policy and the resulting shifts in hemispheric energy relations demand further analysis. The Inter-American Dialogue and the Institute of the Americas held an important discussion on the USMCA trade agreement and other implications of the new Congress for US-Latin America energy relations.