Marek Kong

Marek Kong is a researcher of international relations and development in Latin America. His work examines how economic and environmental policies intersect with governance, security, and regional integration. Kong has conducted field research in the Brazilian Amazon and studied in Brazil, where he developed deep familiarity with the country’s political and economic landscape. His professional background includes program coordination, stakeholder engagement, and grant management, as well as organizing high-level meetings with policymakers and analyzing government spending and international funding flows. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he leverages his language skills to carry out field research and assess regional trends.

Washington’s New Terrorist Designations Risks Derailing US-Brazil Relations

Situation Reports - Jun 04, 2026

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma crew members conduct interdiction operations in the Gulf of America, May 8, 2026. Tahoma’s crew, alongside a deployed Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew, stopped three suspected smuggling vessels carrying narcotics during a maritime patrol approximately 90 miles off Cartagena, Colombia. (U.S. Coast Guard photo), modified, https://media.defense.gov/2026/May/14/2003930672/-1/-1/0/260508-G-G0107-1002.JPG

A US terrorist designation of two major Brazilian organized crime outfits is not a matter of law enforcement - it’s a geopolitical weapon, speak nothing of a compliance nightmare for regional banks, and it will reverberate across US-Brazilian relations for years to come.