Linking Domestic and Regional Affairs

Foreign policy starts at home! If U.S. policy makers are serious about improving U.S. engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, they must get the U.S. public interested in the region. Unfortunately, the general public does not engage regularly in foreign policy discussions nor are they aware of the complexities of far-off countries. This is even more troubling when it comes to Latin America and the Caribbean which rarely make headlines—with the exception of conversations surrounding immigration. However, this was not always the case and there are important lessons that can be drawn on how to better engage the general public on Inter-American affairs.

​

Drawing on historic examples of strengthening public interest in the Americas, Ratzlaff’s efforts to engage domestic audiences on foreign policy have included giving public presentations to audiences beyond the traditional DC-New York circle and writing on the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean for local affairs in locally focused publications and presentations, including in Louisiana and Florida.