FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on Russian Activities in the Western Hemisphere

Original title: RUSSIAN ENGAGEMENT IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

January 1, 2015

foreign policy Russia Western Hemisphere national security international relations

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing provides a public record of Congressional oversight regarding foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere, which informs U.S. diplomatic and security policy in the region.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

U.S. Department of State

The agency's regional prioritization and intelligence capabilities were subject to committee review.

Latin American and Caribbean nations

These nations are the subjects of the diplomatic and military engagement discussed in the hearing.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2015.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2015 House hearing examining Russia's diplomatic, military, and economic engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean. The hearing featured testimony from four policy experts regarding Russia's regional influence following the Cold War.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on October 22, 2015, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
This was the third in a series of hearings regarding foreign presence in the Western Hemisphere, following previous sessions on Iran/Hezbollah and China.
The subcommittee examined Russian military exercises in the Caribbean and port calls in Cuba and Nicaragua.
The hearing reviewed diplomatic outreach between Russia and leaders from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
The committee discussed the historical context of Russian engagement, specifically citing the 2008 crisis in Georgia and the 2014 invasion of Ukraine.
Four expert witnesses provided prepared statements for the record.
The hearing is documented as Serial No. 114-110.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The met to examine the extent and nature of Russia's diplomatic, military, and economic engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Who testified at the hearing?

The witnesses included Doug Farah (IBI Consultants), Vladimir Rouvinski (Universidad Icesi), Constantino Urcuyo (Centro de Investigacion y Adiestramiento Politico Administrativo), and Diana Villiers Negroponte (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars).

Why It Matters

The hearing provides a public record of Congressional oversight regarding foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere, which informs U.S. diplomatic and security policy in the region.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Regional Engagement Strategy

The hearing highlights a shift in U.S. oversight focus from Iran and China to Russia within the same calendar year.

House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Connected Entities

personConstantino Urcuyo“Witness, Academic Director at Centro de Investigacion y Adiestramiento Politico ”Map →

organizationHouse Committee on Foreign Affairs“Congressional committee overseeing the hearing”Map →

personDiana Villiers Negroponte“Witness, Public Policy Scholar at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Schola”Map →

personDoug Farah“Witness, President of IBI Consultants”Map →

personVladimir Rouvinski“Witness, Director of the CIES Interdisciplinary Research Center”Map →

personJeff Duncan“Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz5
Current news / social attention level

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