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China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on April 21, 2026, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
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A soldier stands guard outside Canela Radio on January 10, 2024, in Quito, Ecuador. (Photo by Franklin Jacome/Getty Images)
Ecuador, once among the most peaceful countries in Latin America, faces an existential threat from an array of criminal groups. These organizations have committed unprecedented violence, infiltrated political structures, and challenged the government’s authority. Meanwhile, the country is going through an economic contraction and an energy crisis triggered by severe drought.
In a repeat of snap presidential elections held in 2023, Ecuadorians will vote on April 13 in a runoff pitting incumbent Daniel Noboa against Luisa Gonzalez, a protégé of former leftist president Rafael Correa.
Former United States Ambassador to Ecuador Mike Fitzpatrick, Atlantic Council scholar Isabel Chiriboga, and US Naval Academy Professor John Polga-Hecimovich will join Hudson’s Daniel Batlle to examine Ecuador’s fight against organized crime and how the election results will shape the country’s security strategy.
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In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Adapting to the Modern Media Landscape: A Conversation with Hugh Hewitt
Join Hudson Institute Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher for a fireside chat with radio host and commentator Hugh Hewitt, whose career in media and politics has spanned more than four decades.
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19
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To examine this emerging challenge, Senior Fellow Dr. Michael Doran will convene a conversation with Research Fellow Zineb Riboua, Professor Brenda Shaffer—Research Faculty Member at the US Naval Postgraduate School and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council—and Sam Cooper, an award-winning investigative journalist focusing on China-Canada relations.
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20
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A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers
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20
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A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers
Please join the Hudson Institute for a conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers and Hudson Research Fellow Zineb Riboua on how the United States is adapting its public diplomacy tools to advance its interests abroad, counter censorship, promote free speech, and leverage artificial intelligence to deliver more effective, targeted messaging.
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06
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A Conversation with Former METI Minister Nishimura on Prime Minister Takaichi’s Policy Outlook and Solutions
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A Conversation with Former METI Minister Nishimura on Prime Minister Takaichi’s Policy Outlook and Solutions
On May 6, Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein will welcome Yasutoshi Nishimura, former head of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to Hudson.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives a speech at Coin Street Community Centre on May 11, 2026, in London, England. (Getty Images)