Minister for Latin America and Caribbean speech at RUSI Latin American Security Conference 2025

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean, Baroness Chapman of Darlington, gave a speech at the RUSI Latin American Security Conference 2025.

"Thank you, Malcolm. I was just saying to Malcolm before that the last time I was here was to hear Douglas Alexander speak. This was at a time before Brexit, before COVID.

We had a coalition government – he was the Shadow Foreign Secretary then, and much in the world has changed since.

And it's been far too long – that was, I think 2014, so 11 years ago. And I hope that I'll be back here – well let's see if I'm invited back here after this morning!

Anyway, thank you Malcolm for that warm introduction.

And good morning, everyone – bom dÍa, buenos dias a todos y todas.

If you are joining us from Latin America, as I believe some people are online. Thank you for getting up so early – muchismas gracias.

My Spanish is atrocious, but I am getting some lessons, so hopefully that will be improving soon. And as the Brazilian Ambassador reminded me yesterday, a little bit of Portuguese wouldn't go amiss either, so I'll be working on that.

Before I say anything else, I want to thank RUSI for bringing us together for the third Latin American Security Conference – and to all of your for making this a priority.

I have a passion for Latin America, and it is great when you get the opportunity to be in a room full of other people that share that view.

When I meet with Latin American leaders, they tell me that they do feel that they have an important role to play alongside the UK.

Nobody has told me that they feel ignored by the UK – which is good – but they have all said that they have the desire to be more included in the future.

The geopolitics that we all spend our time trying to understand and to shape, drives and shapes the prospects for many of the people in Latin America – whether that's climate change, economic growth and security, in every sense, they are priorities there exactly as they are priorities for us here.

The war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, the role of China, US elections - all influence the politics of Latin America.

Throw in the descent of Venezuela into autocracy, and our as-yet un-ending tragedy that is Haiti – and we have got a lot to talk about together.

As we approach 200 years of bilateral relations with Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, we should consider how far we've come, but also what needs to come next.

Speaking recently to the next generation of officer cadets at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, some 200 years since the days when John Illingworth and Admiral Lord Cochrane supported growing independence across the region, our defence and security co-operation is strong. In Latin America there is pride in our past relationships, and a strong sense that we should do more, not less, together in the future.

Combatting serious organised crime to protect communities here as well as there, including the heinous trade in human misery that is illegal migration; getting urgent humanitarian relief to those bearing the brunt of natural disasters across the region; pursuing Antarctic science and wider marine protection.

Perhaps the fact that the UK has positive relationships in Latin America, the fact that it is a relatively safe, peaceful, democratic region, means the spotlight doesn't rest on it all that often from here in the UK.

But I see an open, growing, industrious region of the world, without which this government will find it that much harder to achieve our missions of growth, security and climate action.

Looking across Latin America, the lesson is clear. Without security, you can't have growth. And without growth, climate action is impossible.

As we've all said hundreds of times – the first responsibility of every government, the bedrock on which the economy sits, and the ultimate guarantor of everything we hold dear, is security.

While the focus of our attention is rightly on the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Latin America has led the news twice in recent days here in the UK.

Extraordinary as that is – and I know because I've spoken to them, that Colombia and Panama do not always welcome the reason for this attention – there is a place for Latin American countries in geopolitics now that is changing.

With attention, I think, being positive, comes opportunity.

Panama – no longer on the financial services grey list; stable, democratic, and inviting infrastructure investment from the UK. We're seen as a respectful, trusted partner, and they want to do business with us.

Latin American countries really do want to work with the UK. They see the long-term value in the tailored offer from the investment and security space. We can be proud of it, but we need to make it easier for countries in Latin America to do business with us.

And I would like to thank Ecuador particularly at the moment, for their term on the Security Council.

Because we have so much in common with them as independent nations – we must all stand firm in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, particularly as Russia turns its sights on Latin America as a key target for disinformation, because we know the truth.

This illegal and unprovoked war by a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It makes us all, wherever we are, less safe.

And with so much strong support for Ukraine from across Latin America. I know you will all be looking forward to hearing from Yaroslav Brisiuck from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later today – on deepening dialogue and cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean.

We are not the only country who sees Latin America's strategic relevance and weight.

We know our allies in the US are considering their approach as well. The fact that Secretary Rubio's first foreign trip is to the region, and that he spoke in his confirmation hearing about the positive relationships as well as the challenges that the US faces there demonstrates the centrality of Latin America for US foreign Policy.

This is no bad thing. And whilst we will not always agree on the specifics every day of this approach or that, we believe that we must continue to be in close dialogue with the region and the US, to work towards common goals.

When it comes to China's engagement in the region, we must understand why so many Latin American countries pursue partnerships with China on development, investment and trade.

But our job – where we can – is to provide Latin America with a choice. An alternative that many say that they want. Maybe not always cheaper, but better.

From now on, our approach to China will be consistent – cooperating where we can, competing where we have different interests, and challenging where we must.

But the most important thing about this, is consistency.

The schizophrenic posturing doesn't work.

It's about calm, straightforward diplomacy, never ignoring issues where we fundamentally disagree, such as the detention of Jimmy Lai.

But cooperating where it's in our interests, especially on climate and growth.

But we know that sustainable growth can't happen without security.

Criminal gangs are multinational. Their power to feed off misery while making billions feeds of weak state institutions, drives corruption, deforestation, drug deaths and sex trafficking.

They pursue profit at any cost, with little cost to themselves, through the production and trafficking of cocaine and other illegal drugs,  destroying lives, communities, and ecosystems in the process.

Where organised crime gangs are in competition with the state – this is why our role in supporting the peace process in Colombia… this shows us why, it is so vital.

Illegal mining, deforestation, and the loss of species, human rights abuses, organised immigration crime, channelling of illicit finance, modern slavery, I could go on.

The impact is being felt now in Latin America, and on the streets of Britain,
Most of the world's cocaine produced in Latin America.  

It transits through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, before being trafficked via increasingly complex, global routes, entering the UK via European ports.

But let's be honest with ourselves about this.

It is cocaine demand in this country that is fuelling so much misery and insecurity across Latin America.

A kilo of cocaine was valued at approximately £1,600 – at the start of its journey in Latin America.

But by the time it reaches the UK, its value leaps by more than 1600% to more than £28,000. And that is one hell of a margin. That's why this trade is so pervasive.

We are with working France and the Netherlands and European partners, on joint approaches to tackle maritime cocaine trafficking from Latin America into the UK. And we are working with our partners across the region on this as well.

This includes £19 million from the UK across six Latin American countries over five years. This is not just about seizures.

We're backing our partners' efforts, following the money, building stronger regional links,  and tackling the flow of illicit finance.

In Ecuador – we are working with our partners to make sure fewer vulnerable people fall prey to transnational drugs cartels, whether as victims and perpetrators of Serious Organised Crime, as well as working alongside US law enforcement, to conduct regular counternarcotic and other illicit trafficking operations in the Caribbean Sea.

Talking face to face with the brave, specialist law enforcement teams in Ecuador, Colombia and the Caribbean, it is clear to me just how much they value UK expertise and support. And how much value we can add to their operations, because we listen to their needs, respect their expertise and are partners with them for the long term.

In Peru, Brazil, Brazil, and Ecuador – we are working together to make financial investigations into mining and logging crimes more effective.

In Colombia – working with state institutions to improve the enforcement of environmental law is at the heart of our work for forest protection.

Because we can't protect a single stick of rainforest. It is regional governments that do that. But we can help them with the tools they need to do the job.

Access to satellite imagery, intelligence and security co-operation, support with judicial processes, police kit, registration of vehicles. Where we can help, we must.

The Home Office is working with the courageous Colombian police in Bogotá – as part of their work developing key partnerships to identify and disrupt threats to the UK Border, from illegal migration and the trafficking of drugs.

Together, we are now using advanced technical equipment, enhanced analytical and detection techniques, and improved intelligence flows – to strengthen border security and our collective ability to detect and prevent the movement of cocaine to the UK and Europe, especially in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.

I have also made it my priority in my early months in the job to improve our departmental cooperation with the Home Office, The MoD and the NCA. The new Joint Home Office/FCDO Migration Unit will strengthen the cooperation in Whitehall and our efforts on the Ground.

The Latin America that hundreds of thousands of UK citizens a year visit today is 660 million people strong and counting – with a combined GDP of nearly $6 trillion.

And happily, in all my visits to the region as well as our conversations in the UK, our partners across Latin America have made it clear that they share this government's ambition – to achieve long-term, resilient growth, and bring opportunity to people across our countries.

This is something we are working together to achieve across a vast range of work.

In Chile, during my visit at the start of the year, I saw how Anglo-American are introducing innovative, safer, and more responsible mining techniques.

Extraordinary, as someone who comes from the North East of England, married to the son of Welsh miners, to see a remotely operated mine. Without mining obviously there is no decarbonisation, but this is mining that has been done from the centre of Santiago, out in a mine with nobody underground, nobody's life at risk. It is really something to behold.

When I travelled to President Sheinbaum's inauguration, in Mexico we signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Mexican Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development – which will boost trade, advance sustainable agriculture, and renew our partnership.

And at the end of last year,  the UK became the first European nation to accede to the growing Indo-Pacific trade bloc, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or ‘CPTPP', joining Chile, Mexico, and Peru.

This makes our collective GDP £12 trillion, means zero tariffs for more than 90% of exports between members, and opens up market opportunities across three continents.

And building on the four agreements with the region we already have – this does represent a huge opportunity for businesses.

Of course, none of this is possible if the bigger picture is not in place – which bring me to peace and democracy.

Latin America is now home to many stable democracies – we share so many values.

And we are working together to uphold human rights, and the rule of law, across the region and at the UN.

When it comes to the Falkland Islands, our position is steadfast, and our commitment to defending the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination will not waiver.

Only the Falkland Islanders can and should decide their own future.

This approach underpins the South Atlantic cooperation agreement with Argentina - announced by the Foreign Secretary and former Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, last September.

We are grateful for our work in partnership and our dialogue on these issues with Argentina.

When it comes to Colombia, this government will  advocate for implementation of the 2016 peace  agreement, as a priority.

We have learned ourselves, through Northern Ireland, that no piece of paper achieves peace. It's that consistent work of decades by political and community leaders that keeps peace. Peace is hard, requires constant vigilance, but the UK is with Colombia, for the long term, of this journey.

But the impact of Venezuela's catastrophic leadership is being felt across the region.

That is why the UK sanctioned 15 new members of Nicolas Maduro's regime, who are responsible for undermining democracy, and committing serious human rights abuses – on 10 January, the same day he asserted power illegitimately in Venezuela once again.

And at a time where we know that you're all worried about the wider impacts of the abhorrent violence in Haiti, as well as providing £28 million a year to the multilateral institutions still operating on the ground to support the population,  we are providing £5 million to the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission – working to bring about the stability that is so desperately needed, to pave the way for free and fair elections.

However far away that prospect feels today, we must never give up hope.

No country can do right by its citizens, or play its part in the world, when people live in fear and without hope.

Our determination to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss binds us together. The region is home to so many of the natural assets on which our global prosperity depends.

A quarter of the world's tropical rainforest, including the mighty Amazon, and massive deposits of the metals and minerals we all need to make a leap to clean energy.

The government welcomes the strong leadership we're seeing from within the region. Building on generations of care led by indigenous people, and decades of pioneering innovation.

We're working together with Brazil, to make the next big climate summit in Belém a success, and I'm delighted that Brazil and Chile are working with us through the finance mission of the new Global Clean Power Alliance that the Prime Minister launched at the G20 in Rio with President Lula last year.

When it comes to minerals that are critical to the transition away from fossil fuels, and toward clean energy, including two thirds of the world's lithium, the reserves that we need for batteries, Latin America has the resources, and the UK holds the markets and the institutions.

So we're working together – across government in the UK and with businesses, and with partners across the region - to take a strategic approach to deliver more diversified and secure supply chains, while raising standards, and mining more responsibly.

So to close I just want to thank RUSI for making it a priority to bring us together to discuss how the UK, Latin America and our wider partners and allies can work together even more effectively for our shared security and prosperity.

I've sensed a real appetite for this from our partners across the region, but I want all of us here in the UK to be ambitious about what is possible when we work with Latin America.

And I want us all to recognise the importance of Latin American leadership in changing what is possible at a global level as well, on the challenges and opportunities we face.

Sure - this government here can improve our economy, we can do better on our security, and our borders, we can do our bit to reduce carbon emissions and support work against climate change.

We can do that without changing our approach to Latin America. But how much better, and how much more successful, and how much more secure any gains we make will be if we work alongside our partners, our allies in Latin America, now and in the years ahead.

Thank you."