Is South America Reshaping The World Order? - Work Club 8 Chifley Square

Is South America Reshaping The World Order?

Great power politics in the Andean region (US, China, impact of events in Venezuela)

Florence Guild presents a timely live conversation examining the shifting balance of power in the Andean region and across the Western Hemisphere. As global influence from the United States and China intensifies, and political instability in Venezuela continues to shape regional dynamics, Latin America stands at a critical geopolitical crossroads.

This event brings together two highly experienced figures in diplomacy and international affairs to explore how recent developments are reshaping politics, security and international relationships from Colombia to Chile and beyond.

Event description

Join former Vice President of Colombia and former Ambassador to the United States Francisco Santos Calderón in conversation with Ben Hopwood, Director at Geopolitical Strategy and former Australian diplomat, for an in depth discussion on great power politics in the Andean region.

Drawing on Santos Calderón’s experience working with the Trump administration during its first term and his decades of political and diplomatic leadership, this live interview will explore Latin America’s political future at a moment of heightened regional and global tension.

The discussion will examine the impact of recent events in Venezuela, Colombia’s upcoming presidential election, and the growing influence of both the United States and China across the region. It will also consider how countries across the Western Hemisphere are responding to today’s geopolitical moment, and the complex links between narco trafficking, migration, and United States domestic and foreign policy.

The event will feature a 45 minute moderated interview followed by a 15 minute audience Q&A, offering a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of Latin America’s most influential political figures in an intimate live setting.

Discussion topics

• Hearing from a former Colombian Vice President and Ambassador to the United States who worked with President Trump during his first term.

• Latin American politics today following developments in Venezuela and a region on edge, including discussion of potential United States intervention in Colombia.

• Colombia’s upcoming presidential elections and whether Latin America will swing left or right.

• How the Western Hemisphere, from Greenland to Canada to Chile, is responding to today’s geopolitical climate.

• The links between narco trafficking, migration, and United States domestic politics and foreign policy.

Speaker bios

Francisco Santos Calderón

Francisco Santos Calderón is the former Vice President of Colombia and a leading voice on democracy, human rights and Latin American geopolitics. He served as Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States from 2018 to 2021, strengthening bilateral relations during a period of major regional and global change.

A former journalist and editor, Santos Calderón has spent decades analysing political and geopolitical issues across Latin America and is a regular opinion columnist for major regional publications. He is the founder of several organisations dedicated to defending democratic values and countering authoritarian influence in the region, and brings a rare combination of political leadership, diplomatic experience and media insight.

Ben Hopwood

Ben Hopwood is Director at Geopolitical Strategy and a former senior government executive, diplomat, trade negotiator and lawyer. He most recently served as Chargé d’Affaires at the Australian Embassy in Colombia, leading Australia’s engagement with Colombia and Venezuela.

Ben has held senior diplomatic roles in Qatar and Ethiopia, where he worked on peace negotiations in Afghanistan and led Australia’s engagement with the African Union and South Sudan. He was also one of Australia’s lead negotiators in the world’s largest free trade agreement by GDP. He began his career as a lawyer at Clayton Utz and holds degrees in Law and International Relations from the Australian National University.