From April 7 to 11, 2025, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies participated in this year’s Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC) in Panama City, Panama. Co-hosted by Commander of US Southern Command Admiral Alvin Holsey and Minister of Public Security of Panama Frank Alexis Ábrego (a Perry Center alumnus), this year’s conference centered on “Defending the Hemisphere Through Combined Operations and Cybersecurity.”

Perry Center leadership in attendance included Director Paul Angelo, Dean of Academic Affairs William Godnick, Associate Director of Security Cooperation Patrick Mathes, and Professor Boris Saavedra.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered keynote remarks emphasizing the importance of regional collaboration, joint training and education, and shared strategic priorities. He reaffirmed the United States’s enduring commitment to working alongside partners across the Americas to address common threats to peace and stability. Minister of Public Security Frank Alexis Ábrego followed with opening remarks, highlighting Panama’s commitment to advancing regional approaches to defend critical infrastructure and bolster partnerships.

Dr. William Godnick moderated two plenary sessions, “Combined Operations & Disaster Response” and “Cyber Defense & Critical Infrastructure,” drawing out the experiences of partner forces in Central America to identify best practices and inform future policy. These discussions reflect the Perry Center’s ongoing commitment to address evolving security challenges through academic engagement and regional expertise.

The participation of Perry Center alumni—including Minister of State Oscar Mira (Belize) and Chief of the Army Staff Vice Admiral Exón Oswaldo Ascencio Albeño (El Salvador)—highlighted the Center’s enduring role in fostering regional defense leadership.

The Perry Center also participated in high-level bilateral meetings with officials from Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, and Panama—reiterating the Center’s resolve to support partner defense colleges and universities and, thus, underscoring its commitment to enhancing strategic decision-making across the Americas.

Additional image: Secretary Hegseth delivers opening remarks