Online
On Thursday, October 8 at 2:00 p.m. ET, William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies Assistant Professor Dr. Fabiana Perera provided a virtual talk on “US-Venezuela Defense Relations.” A recording of the event can be found at this link. If you have any questions, please email the START events team at start-events@umd.edu.
Venezuela is the only country in Latin America that was ever able to purchase F-16s from the United States. The purchase of the aircraft is a clear indicator of the strength of the defense relationship between the two countries in 1980's and 1990's. Since then the relationship has deteriorated considerably, allowing space for extraregional actors to play increasingly important roles in the security and defense sector of one of the region's largest oil producers. This talk will examine the defense relationship between the United States and Venezuela in the period from the Cold War to the present. It will highlight key inflection points in this relationship and challenges to be addressed in the event of a transition to democracy.
Fabiana Sofia Perera is an Assistant Professor at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. Prior to joining the Perry Center, Fabiana was a Rosenthal Fellow at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary for Policy, Western Hemisphere Affairs. Fabiana has experience working in the public and private sectors including at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and USAID. Fabiana holds an MA in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University and earned a PhD in Political Science from The George Washington University. For her doctorate, Fabiana completed fieldwork in Venezuela and Ecuador. Her research and analysis have appeared in numerous publications including The Washington Post, CNN.com, and War on the Rocks.