Our Committees

General Assemblies (GAs) are the committees which most closely resemble the actual UN committee structure at YMUN Latin America. This year's GAs cover a broad range of real-world topics, requiring delegates to conduct thorough research, advocate for their ideas, and work effectively with many other delegates.

General Assembly

  • Director: Constantine Semka
    Assistant Directors: Abraham Santiago Bañuelos Avalos & Ximena Pérez Gómez

    Tema 1: Espionaje y Seguridad Internacional

    Las acciones encubiertas son operaciones secretas de un país para debilitar o derrocar a otro gobierno sin emplear abiertamente la fuerza militar. Estas pueden incluir espionaje, propaganda, ciberataques o apoyo a grupos de oposición. Los delegados debatirán cómo estas acciones afectan la seguridad internacional, la estabilidad política y los derechos de los países involucrados, así como las maneras de abordar y prevenir dichas intervenciones.

    Tema 2: Prevención de la Proliferación de Tecnología de Misiles

    La prevención de la proliferación de tecnología de misiles busca frenar la expansión y el uso de misiles capaces de transportar cargas convencionales o armas de destrucción masiva. Esta problemática es especialmente peligrosa porque los misiles reducen la barrera de entrada al conflicto: no exponen directamente a soldados, pueden lanzarse desde grandes distancias y su uso es altamente impredecible. Además, muchas veces no es posible saber si un misil porta una carga nuclear o convencional, lo que aumenta el riesgo de errores de cálculo y escaladas innecesarias que podrían provocar daños masivos. Al mismo tiempo, los misiles siguen siendo herramientas militares muy efectivas y estratégicamente importantes, lo que vuelve extremadamente difícil limitar su desarrollo y control. En este contexto, los delegados deberán debatir si la tecnología debería recibir un nivel de atención similar al de la proliferación de armas nucleares, qué medidas concretas pueden implementarse para regular y reducir su uso, y cómo evitar un desequilibrio de poder internacional similar al que se generó durante la carrera nuclear.

  • Director: Reyna Diamond
    Assistant Directors: Abril Valdés Calva & Luciana Maydon Keller

    Topic 1: Establishing International Mechanisms for Cultural Artifact

    Many colonizing countries still hold art made by artists from the country they  previously colonized, with varying levels of acknowledgement of their origins. The art is sometimes hidden away by governments,  other pieces are placed in museums, and some are owned by individuals. In the past, the colonizing and colonized countries have negotiated amongst themselves about the art, but this committee will bring countries around the world together to discuss the future of this art and of relations between colonized and colonizing nations.

    Topic 2: Evaluating Permanent Olympic Host Nations

    For years the Summer and Winter Olympics have rotated host countries, with only a small subsection of countries that compete having hosted the Olympics. Hosting the Olympics brings millions of tourists and a large boost to a country’s GDP, but often comes at the environmental harm of having to construct the Olympic village and standardize the competition areas. This committee will discuss the tourism, geopolitical, and climate implications of rotating the host country of the Olympics and establishing two permanent hosts.

  • Director: Samantha Alvarez
    Assistant Directors: Antonella Ardila Grillo & Jesús Emiliano Retama López

    Topic 1: Re-evaluating the 1951 Refugee Convention in the Modern Era

    The 1951 Refugee Convention defines who qualifies as a refugee and establishes international protections, but it does not fully address modern forms of displacement caused by climate change, the interconnectedness of poverty, gang violence, and state corruption, and other emerging crises. Delegates will explore how international law can be updated to expand the strict and rigid legal definition of a refugee, strengthen protections, and improve cooperation among states and the United Nations. This topic stimulates discussion on balancing state sovereignty with the responsibility to protect marginalized communities in a rapidly changing world.

    Topic 2: Developing International Frameworks to Combat Gender-Based Violence

    Globally, the number of femicides and other forms of gender-based violence are rising–especially in countries in Latin America and the Carribean–, highlighting gaps in legal protections and enforcement of women’s rights, protection, and safety. Delegates will examine how international law, treaties, and United Nations mechanisms can support member states in preventing gender-based violence, protecting women’s rights, and improving cross-border cooperation. This topic encourages discussion on practical and legal strategies that the international community can adopt to hold states accountable and strengthen protections for women and young girls.

  • Director: Darren Paredes
    Assistant Directors: Regina Espínola Limón & Ana Lucía Reyes Casaopriego

    Topic 1: Combating the Global Trade of Counterfeit Goods

    Counterfeit goods, unlicensed product replications of trusted brands, is a major source of revenue for transnational criminal organizations. Counterfeit goods damage original brands both financially—reduced sales as a cheaper alternative is introduced—and in consumer confidence—brands become associated with lower quality production. In certain products, the lack of government oversight can even harm the health of consumers. This committee will encourage delegates to consider the importance of transnational intellectual property, trade regulation, and consumer protection while balancing the sovereign interests of member-states and economies. 

    Topic 2: Addressing the Global Threats Posed by Deepfake Technology

    Advances in AI have accelerated the creation of deepfakes, hyper-realistic, fake videos of world leaders and private citizens acting in a way they otherwise would not. These videos, produced at ever-quicking speeds, spread disinformation, influence elections, and have the ability to derail lives, especially in cases of fake sexually explicit images and videos. As a relatively new problem, this committee will be required to guide national policy while sticking within the confines of the UNODC. Ultimately, delegates will address issues of digital privacy, surveillance, information integrity, and global cooperation in the regulation of emerging technologies.

  • Director: Edmundo Chavez Ramirez
    Assistant Directors: Valeria Castillo Hernández & Eduardo Lacerda Prates

    Topic 1: Strengthening Global Preparedness for Future Pandemics

    The COVID-19 pandemic revealed major weaknesses in global disease detection, international coordination, and emergency response capacity. Strengthening preparedness includes developing faster early-warning systems, investing in genomic surveillance, and ensuring transparent data-sharing between governments and private health institutions. Delegates may explore strategies such as expanding the WHO International Health Regulations, increasing funding for vaccine research hubs in low-income states, and improving global stockpiles of PPE and antivirals. The committee will consider how to balance national sovereignty with collective responsibility while designing the foundations that enable rapid containment, equitable treatment distribution, and stronger global resilience against future outbreaks.

    Topic 2: Regulating the Application of Biotechnology in Medicine

    Biotechnology continues to evolve rapidly, with CRISPR, mRNA therapies, xenotransplantation, and other genetic engineering tools offering revolutionary medical possibilities. However, regulation struggles to keep pace with innovation, raising concerns about patient safety, genetic privacy, bioethics, and dual-use applications. Delegates will discuss how the WHO should develop universal safety guidelines, promote informed consent standards, and prevent misuse of gene-editing for enhancement. The main difficulty is supporting advancements that could cure genetic diseases, cancer, and organ failure, yet still enforcing responsible oversight, equitable access, and international regulatory alignment across countries with uneven technological development.

Economic and Social Councils

Economic and Social Councils (ECOSOCs)  are committees that offer a slightly more specific lens on a global problem in comparison to GAs. YMUN Latin America will feature several of these committees representing a broad range of economic and social topics, where delegates will advocate for their own nation while collaborating to resolve issues of global importance. The conference will also have a regional committee, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will focus on Latin American issues.

  • Director: Julia Clauson
    Assistant Directors: Mary Fernanda Tavares Galarza & Nayura Echeverria Rojas

    Topic 1: Promoting Gender Equality in Sustainable Development

    Global gender inequality continues to limit access to education, healthcare, and economic and civic participation for millions of women and girls. It is crucial to recognize how excluding women in sustainable development strategies can lead to economic instability, social unrest, and increased militarism. Inequality inhibits regional and national growth, and international development efforts must recognize the necessity of women. This topic invites delegates to consider how gender equality can be included in all varieties of developmental projects. The debate centers on why gender equality must be included as a component of sustainable development, and the best strategies for supporting this effort.

    Topic 2: Measures to Improve Youth Employment Opportunities

    Young people across the international community face high unemployment rates and limited vocational opportunities, which undermines social stability and long-term economic growth. Successful sustainable development strategies must carefully consider how youth can be included in the workforce. Access to career and trade opportunities are capable of providing financial security, social mobility, and increased access to education and healthcare. This topic challenges delegates to consider how UNDP can design, support, and strengthen programs that empower youth through education, entrepreneurship, training, and leadership development. The debate will focus on short-term and long-term strategies for youth employment in sustainable development projects.

  • Director: Gabriella Tejada
    Assistant Directors: Leo Flores Osnaya & Jubin Kim

    Topic 1: Safeguarding and Restoring Natural Habitats

    Decades of urbanization, industrial development, and expanding tourism have caused significant harm to local ecosystems. Today, thousands of plant and animal species face endangerment from destructive human activities, which threaten biodiversity. This degradation also jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of vital resources for local communities, as healthy ecosystems provide clean water, fertile soil for agriculture, and conditions necessary for livestock. Biodiversity also strengthens local economies by sustaining industries such as farming, fishing, and ecotourism. As environmental decline intensifies food insecurity and undermines economic well-being, this committee urges delegates to consider effective strategies to balance environmental protection with national development priorities.

    Topic 2: Mitigating Disaster Risks in Vulnerable Regions

    Within the past few decades, climate change has exacerbated the severity and scale of natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, heatwaves, and droughts. Millions of lives are in jeopardy, and billions of dollars in infrastructure damage occur from these climate impacts. From destroyed houses to food sources, their aftermath causes long-term disruption. Vulnerable groups, including minority populations and underdeveloped communities, are often disproportionately affected. As these disasters threaten national stability on social, economic, and political fronts, this committee urges delegates to examine the natural hazards facing their nations and to develop innovative strategies to strengthen disaster preparedness, resilience, and risk management.

  • Director: Matthew Chen
    Assistant Directors: Francisco Hernández Vargas & Frida Camila Lucio Jimenez

    Topic 1: Promoting Digital Connectivity in Rural Regions

    Digital exclusion continues to hinder development across rural regions, where millions still lack access to reliable internet, devices, and digital infrastructure. This connectivity gap prevents communities from fully participating in education, healthcare systems, financial institutions, and political processes. For geographically isolated populations, the lack of access deepens existing inequalities and slows regional growth. Delegates will explore how to identify key barriers to rural connectivity across different national contexts, support public-private partnerships, promote inclusive digital literacy initiatives tailored to marginalized populations, and develop global standards for equitable and rights-based digital governance that prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and long-term sustainability.

    Topic 2: Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Public Governance

    The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into public governance—in law enforcement, education, healthcare, or social welfare—creates urgent ethical dilemmas. Across the world, governments face growing pressure to regulate algorithmic systems that are often opaque, biased, or misaligned with democratic values. In regions with limited institutional oversight or technical expertise, the use of AI can exacerbate surveillance, and discrimination. Delegates will consider how the CSTD can guide ethical AI development by setting international principles for accountability in public sector AI use; supporting technical capacity-building in lower-resourced countries; facilitating global cooperation on regulatory best practices; and centering the voices of communities most impacted by emerging technologies.

  • Director: Andy Tan
    Assistant Directors: Antonella Bautista Aguilar & Abril Cornejo

    Topic 1: Improving Sustainable Tourism Practices

    International tourism rose by 5% in early 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Tools like Tourism Satellite Accounts track the positive impacts of tourism through GDP, employment, and expenditure, which informs regulatory policies. However, the influence of tourism extends beyond monetary impacts. The cost of tourism comes from increased pressure on social, cultural, and environmental infrastructures such as waste management, congestion, housing, emergency services, and quality of life. In this committee, delegates will discuss how countries can economically benefit from tourism while reducing its cost to local communities. They will consider the differences between established and emerging tourist destinations and how these comparisons can guide more sustainable practices.

    Topic 2: Equitable Access to Digital Markets

    The free market encourages competition, which promotes small businesses and protects consumers. However, digital markets are reshaping how businesses interact with people, posing new challenges for competition and fairness. Many countries now have laws that regulate major search engines to prevent them from using their market power to disadvantage smaller competitors. However, these laws vary between countries, creating an inconsistent regulatory environment. In this committee, delegates will consider the future of the free market and how countries may react to pressure placed onto them by firms and consumers.

Specialized and crisis committees provide students with the opportunity to discuss topics in an engaging, imaginative, spontaneous, and intellectually-stimulating atmosphere. Their distinct topics lead to very lively debates, which encourage delegates to react quickly and engage deeply with the topics being discussed. The committees cover a wide range of time periods and regions, and might include both hypothetical and real-life topics.

Specialized and Crisis Committees

  • Director: Hannah Engel
    Assistant Directors: Xaviera Nazare Diez Canseco Chavez & Tami Natalia Hiromoto Marin

    Topic 1: Resource Distribution: Creating an Equitable Moon Community

    Resource Generation and Allocation: Delegates must deliberate on how to best harness the moon‘s resources to become a self-sustaining colony. Furthermore, they must decide how these resources will be allocated across all members of the colony to avoid internal conflict and inequality. Delegates must deliberate on how to best harness the moon‘s resources to become a self-sustaining colony. Furthermore, they must decide how these resources will be allocated across all members of the colony to avoid internal conflict and inequality.1

    Topic 2: Alien Contact & Colony Safety: Crafting Protocols for Extraterrestrial Risk

    Alien Terrorism: Delegates must develop safety measures and top-notch security systems to protect the colony from harm caused by extraterrestrials. At the beginning of the committee, only a few signs will point to alien terrorism, but as the timeline progresses this will become a matter of urgency. Delegates must develop safety measures and top-notch security systems to protect the colony from harm caused by extraterrestrials. At the beginning of the committee, only a few signs will point to alien terrorism, but as the timeline progresses this will become a matter of urgency.

  • Director: Leonardo Ladeira

    Assistant Directors: Isabela Lima Wiedemann & Vitor Samartini Souza do Carmo

    Topic 1: Blackouts, Rationing, and Political Stability

    Severe droughts and overburdened infrastructure have caused the region to experience cascading blackouts that threaten essential services across South America. Delegates determined implementation details for rationing, the protection of critical infrastructure, and strategies to prevent disinformation and political instability in urban centers.

    Topic 2: Energy Diplomacy and Geopolitical Conflicts

    As the crisis intensifies, power becomes concentrated within the energy sector: export restrictions, gas disputes, and external pressures jeopardize regional cooperation. Delegations negotiated agreements on security and energy cooperation, countermeasures against theft and sabotage, and coordinated responses to prevent an electricity crisis from escalating into a diplomatic or armed conflict.

  • Director: Paige Mahoney
    Assistant Directors: Lucas Canfran Vaz & Melany Fayed Cervantes Espinoza

    Topic 1: The 1964 Brazilian Coup d'Etat

    In 1964, Brazil's president was overthrown in a coup, ushering in a period of military dictatorship that lasted until 1985. This regime change had massive implications for the region and world as a whole—many saw it as an endorsement of right-wing authoritarianism that could spread to Brazil’s neighbors. Delegates representing Latin American countries and members of the UN Security Council will consider how to respond to the coup, considering global debates over communism, capitalism, and interventionist policies, as well as the desire for regional stability.

    Topic 2: The Cuban Missile Crisis

    This committee will take place during the 13 days between October 16th and 28th, 1962, as Cold War tensions come to a head over Soviet missile sites in Cuba. Again, delegates will represent Security Council member states and Latin American nations, this time with the goal of crafting a resolution that will diffuse tensions between the US and USSR. In addition to stopping the outbreak of an armed conflict between two nuclear powers, delegates will navigate conflicting ideas on satellite states and regional sovereignty in Latin America.