Román David Ortiz
Román David Ortiz
Professorial Lecturer
Part-time Faculty
Contact:
Dr. Roman D. Ortiz has over 25 years of experience as scholar and senior consultant on Latin American geopolitics and security, including issues such as Russian and Chinese activities in the region as well as low-level threats such as insurgencies, terrorist groups and criminal organizations.
As a part of this academic career, he has taught and researched in academic institutions in the U.S. (The Catholic University of America, Joint Special Operations University, The William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies), Spain (Hesperides University, Rey Juan Carlos University, General Gutierrez Mellado Institute) and Colombia (Los Andes University).
Dr. Ortiz has been a consultant for CNA Corporation, working on projects evaluating U.S. security assistance to Central America and studying Russian and Chinese penetration in Latin America. He has also led analytical projects on stabilization for USAID and advised the legislative work of the Paraguayan Congress for police reform. More recently, he worked as senior consultant for the U.S. Institute of Peace to elaborate a report on Russian influence in Latin America.
Between 2008 and 2014, Dr. Ortiz served as senior adviser to the Colombian Minister of Defense. During this period, he advised the planning, execution and evaluation of the military campaign. In addition, he participated in planning process to adapt the Colombian security apparatus to the emerging post-conflict scenario after the peace accord in 2016.
Previously, he was the Coordinator of the Security and Defense Studies Area of Ideas para la Paz Foundation (Bogotá) and Director of the Observatory of Latin American Defense and Security at the Ortega y Gasset University Institute (Madrid).
- Latin American geopolitics
- Russia, China and Iran's relations with Latin America
- Latin American defense and armed forces
- Terrorism and political violence in Latin American
- Organized crime and drug trafficking in Latin America
- Russian and Chinese security and defense activities in Latin America
- The development of intelligence capabilities by the Latin American countries
Dr. Ortiz earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the Complutense University (Madrid) and has an MBA from the Pontifical University of Comillas (Madrid).
IAFF 3187// 6358.83 Cuba in the Global Arena
- Román D. Ortiz, “Money Alone is Not Enough: The future of China-Argentina Relations”, China Brief, Jamestown Foundation, Washington DC, 2023 https://jamestown.org/program/when-money-is-not-enough-the-future-of-the-china-argentina-relationship/
- Douglas Farah and Román D. Ortiz, Russian Influence Campaigns in Latin America, United States Institute of Peace- Special Report no. 525, Washington DC, 2023 https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/10/russian-influence-campaigns-latin-america
- Román D. Ortiz, "Brasil: La potencia incompleta" in Centro Superior de Estudios de la Defensa Nacional (CESEDEN), Estrategias de Seguridad Nacional: La competencia entre grandes potencias, Documento de Investigación 02/2023, Madrid, 2023
- Román D. Ortiz, “Arms Transfers and Major Power Competition in Latin America” in Paul Eduardo Vera (Coord.), Challenges and Threats to Security in Latin America, Institute for Strategic Studies - US Army War College, William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies- National Defense University, Peruvian Army Center for Strategic Studies, 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023, from https://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/2023/pubs/monograph/ellis-challenges-and-threats-to-security-in-latin-america/
- Román D. Ortiz, “Mexico, China & the US: A Changing Dynamic”, Americas Quarterly, January 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2022, from https://americasquarterly.org/article/mexico-china-the-us-a-changing-dynamic/
- Román D. Ortiz, “Terrorism, Insurgency, and Criminal Insurgency in Latin America”, in Michael A. Sheehan, Erich Marquardt, Liam Collins (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of U.S. Counterterrorism and Irregular Warfare Operations”, Routledge, New York, 2021. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003164500-14/terrorism-insurgency-criminal-insurgency-latin-america-rom%C3%A1n-ortiz?context=ubx&refId=682a9e8d-917b-43fd-8b9a-4f1156db28ec
- Román D. Ortiz and R Evan Ellis, “Why the U.S. Can’t Ignore Latin America’s Security Challenges” in World Politics Review, March 2017.
- Román D. Ortiz and Janneth Vargas, “Sixty Years of Counterinsurgency in Colombia: From “La Violencia” to the Sword of Honor Plan” in James J. F. Forest (Ed.), Essentials of Counterterrorism, Praeger Security International, New York, 2015
- Román D. Ortiz, “Guerrillas, terrorists or criminals? The new face of anti-State violence in Latin America" in David R. Mares and Arie M. Kacowicz (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Security, Routledge, New York, 2015