Caption
China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on April 21, 2026, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
Caption
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.
Related Events
19
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Zineb Riboua
Brenda Shaffer
Sam Cooper
19
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition
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.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Zineb Riboua
Brenda Shaffer
Sam Cooper
20
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers
Featured Speakers:
Sarah B. Rogers
Zineb Riboua
20
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
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.
Featured Speakers:
Sarah B. Rogers
Zineb Riboua
11
May 2026
Past Event
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China
Featured Speakers:
Eyck Freymann
Jason Hsu
11
May 2026
Past Event
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China
With Jason Hsu, Freymann will discuss how the United States and its partners can adapt to China’s evolving strategy and develop a coherent plan to prevent conflict while safeguarding Taiwan’s future.
Featured Speakers:
Eyck Freymann
Jason Hsu
08
May 2026
Past Event
Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury
Featured Speakers:
Zineb Riboua
Mariam Memarsadeghi
Samira Gharaee
08
May 2026
Past Event
Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury
Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will discuss how the war is reshaping Iranian society with Mariam Memarsadeghi, who researches civil society, democratic movements, and civic education inside Iran and Samira Gharaei, who reports on political developments and public sentiment across Iranian media.
Featured Speakers:
Zineb Riboua
Mariam Memarsadeghi
Samira Gharaee
Related Research
Caption
Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln (Mr. & Mrs. Lincoln) by Edward Percy Moran, oil on canvas. (Wikimedia Commons)
Caption
Incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar greets supporters outside the Hungarian Parliament on May 9, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary. (Getty Images)
Caption
(What Really Matters Logo)
