Council of Councils
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Social Issues
Drug Policy
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Silberstein Lecture: Immigration Policy and the U.S. EconomyPanelists discuss the impact of recent refugee and immigration policy developments on the U.S. economy. The Silberstein Family Annual Lecture on Refugee and Migration Policy was established in 2019 through a generous gift from Alan M. Silberstein and the Silberstein family. The lecture provides CFR with an annual forum to explore emerging challenges in refugee and migration policy in the United States and around the world. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register.
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Mapping the U.S. Military Buildup Near VenezuelaThe United States has significantly increased its military presence near Venezuela, carrying out strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and threatening Nicolás Maduro’s regime with the possibility of invasion.
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How Does Fentanyl Reach the United States?President Trump has imposed punitive measures on several countries in the name of curbing what he characterizes as high fentanyl flows into the United States. In reality, supplies of the drug—and related deaths—have sharply declined, though they are still at worrying levels.
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Open to Debate: Should the United States Militarize the War on Drugs?In a collaboration between CFR and Open to Debate, panelists debate the legal, moral, operational, and diplomatic trade-offs of the Trump administration's recently authorized military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and its designation of certain cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Supporters argue this is a necessary deterrent and part of a broader strategy to treat narcotrafficking as a national security threat. Critics claim it violates domestic and international law, undermines sovereignty, risks civilian harm, and may provoke dangerous escalation. Under what circumstances, if any, is military force justified in combating drug trafficking networks? Open to Debate is the nation’s only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. Please note there is no virtual component to this meeting. The recording of this debate will be posted on the CFR and Open to Debate websites and broadcast on NPR stations nationwide.
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Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid EpidemicOpioid addiction has become one of the United States’ biggest killers, endangering public health, the economy, and national security. But closing the floodgates on fentanyl poses a significant foreign policy challenge.
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U.S.-Colombia RelationsOver the two centuries since Colombia’s independence, the relationship between Washington and Bogotá has evolved into a close economic and security partnership. But it has at times been strained by U.S. intervention, Cold War geopolitics, and the war on drugs.
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Why Trump Should Reset Relations With Colombia, Not Abandon ThemCutting off assistance to Colombia completely won’t change Gustavo Petro, but it will make the United States less safe.
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In Colombia, Is the Clock Turning Back on Security?Colombia and the region are paying the price for slow implementation of the 2016 peace accord, but a turnaround is still possible.
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Duterte Arrested and Appears at the ICC—His Aura is BrokenGiven his previously untouchable status, the arrest and potential prosecution of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a surprising development.
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Mexico’s Long War: Drugs, Crime, and the CartelsViolence continues to rage some two decades after the Mexican government launched a war against drug cartels.
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Fentanyl Supply Chains in China: Chinese Fentanyl Makers and Domestic CirculationChina’s industrial policies may boost its number of small-scale chemical intermediate producers, increasing the risk that certain opportunistic firms may venture into supplying various precursors for synthetic drugs such as fentanyl.
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CFR Fellows' Book Launch Series: From Peril to Partnership by Paul J. AngeloIn From Peril to Partnership, using case studies of Colombia and Mexico, Paul Angelo evaluates the efficacy of U.S. security assistance and the necessary conditions and stakeholders in partner nations that facilitate success. The book answers why Plan Colombia achieved its objectives and why the Mérida Initiative underdelivered in Mexico. It goes beyond drug war theatrics and the “one-size-fits-all” approach to U.S.-led stabilization. The CFR Fellows’ Book Launch series highlights new books by CFR fellows.
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Can Ecuador Avoid Becoming a Narco-State?Criminal groups have captured parts of the state. A broad political coalition must fight corruption and root them out.
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These Eight Charts Show Why Fentanyl Is a Huge Foreign Policy ProblemOverdoses involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the leading cause of death among young Americans and a threat to U.S. public health, the economy, and national security. Combating the epidemic requires addressing China’s and Mexico’s roles in the global fentanyl supply chain.
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America’s Fentanyl Epidemic: The China ConnectionOver the past few years, a new threat has emerged as a leading cause of death in the United States: fentanyl. Yet even as the drug wreaks havoc on Americans lives, preventing its flow into the United States is complicated, partially because of the supply’s overseas origins, which is often China. What is China’s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis?