Antonio Garrastazu

Senior Director, Latin America and the Caribbean

Antonio “Tony” Garrastazu is the Senior Director for Latin America and the Caribbean with over twenty years of international experience. In this role, he provides strategic guidance, leadership, and overall management to the Division. Prior to this position, he served as Director of the Center for Global Impact at IRI contributing to democratic development programing, leading global initiatives and cutting-edge approaches to emerging challenges and trends. From 2011-2018, Tony was based in the field as Country Director overseeing the Institute’s Central America, Haiti and Mexico programming where he focused anti-corruption, security, rule of law, open government, elections and local governance. 

Prior to joining IRI, Tony was the Director of Business and Government Relations at Globalvia Infrastructures where he was responsible for the implementation of public-private partnerships throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. He also served as Executive Director of the Spain-United States Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Program Director at the Dante B. Fascell North South Center promoting U.S.-Latin American relations. 

From 2002-2007, Tony was the Deputy Director for International Affairs at the Florida Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development where he oversaw the state’s international initiatives and advocacy programs and served as the Governor’s liaison to members of Florida’s Consular Corps. He also spent several months working on international development at the Paraguayan Foundation for Cooperation and Development. 

Garrastazu has published extensively, including his dissertation, Interest Groups and the Politics of Trade after the Cold War: The Case of the U.S.-Jordan, Singapore and Chile Free Trade Agreements. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from the University of Florida, as well as a Master’s and Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of Miami. 

Authored Content

Protagonist Societies

The role citizens play in transforming societies during significant, critical junctures, are analyzed, debated, and studied years later and accordingly,…

Cities, at Center Stage

Mayors are more than local officials – they are the connection point between governments and citizens across the globe. In…

Authored External Content

atlantic council

Democracy in Latin America is under threat. These two summits are a chance to fix it.

From authoritarian entrenchment and persistent corruption to widespread human-rights abuses, the democratic ecosystem throughout Latin America is fragile.

modern diplomacy

Using the Private Sector to Spark Investment for Change in Latin America

The Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and their neighbor Mexico are some of the most dangerous countries in the world.

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