The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a central pillar of the global internet governance ecosystem. In the latter half of 2025, consultations were held with the Latin American and Caribbean region on the strategic plan ICANN hopes to implement in the region for the period 2026 to 2030. Rodrigo de la Parra, ICANN’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean and Managing Director of the LAC Regional Office, joins us to discuss, among other things: ICANN’s strategic plan for Latin America and the Caribbean and some of the considerations underpinning the proposed plan; the differences in how Latin America and how the Caribbean region approach Internet Governance-related issues and engage with ICANN; the recently held “ICANN Near You” event in Guyana; and how someone interested in getting more involved with ICANN could do so.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Although largely invisible to everyday users, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is one of the most critical institutions underpinning the functioning of the global internet. It performs essential coordination roles that allow the internet to operate as a single, interoperable, global network rather than a fragmented collection of national or corporate systems. These include domain names (such as .com, .int and .org, and country-code domains such as .ai, .jm and .bb), Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and protocol parameters. This work ensures that when someone types a web address or sends an email, the request reliably reaches the intended destination.

Additionally, at the heart of ICANN’s approach is its multistakeholder model, which brings together governments, businesses, technical experts, civil society, and individual users from around the world in an open and participatory policy development process. These diverse groups collaboratively shape the rules and standards for the global Domain Name System (DNS), and this inclusive structure has become a cornerstone of modern internet governance, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility.

Within the broader internet governance community—which includes institutions such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), regional internet registries, standards bodies, and national regulators—ICANN plays a uniquely operational role. Its decisions directly influence the stability, security, and resilience of the global internet. In an era marked by cyber threats, geopolitical tensions, and debates over digital sovereignty, ICANN’s stewardship of the DNS is more critical than ever.

In this podcast episode, we will be discussing ICANN in the Caribbean region.

 

Introducing our guest

A leading voice and advocate for the multistakeholder Internet governance model in Latin America and the Caribbean, Rodrigo de la Parra is a Regional Vice President for ICANN. Based in Mexico City but frequently travelling throughout the region, Rodrigo is responsible for outreach, support and engagement with user groups, governments, the private sector and civil society. In his role, he works closely with the Latin American technical community to continue to build a robust Internet infrastructure in the region. Under his leadership, ICANN has opened an engagement centre in Montevideo, Uruguay, in the House of the Internet.

With more than 20 years of experience as a multicultural executive, Rodrigo served as Director General of Prospective Regulation and Director General for International Cooperation of Mexico’s Federal Commission of Telecommunications (Cofetel) before joining ICANN in 2011. While at Cofetel, he leveraged his diplomacy skills and deep knowledge of Internet governance structures and ICT to develop public policy and regulation recommendations for new technologies. He was involved with various ICT groups of international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Organization of American States, and the World Trade Organization, among others.

He also represented Mexico on ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee, which gives governments a voice in the organisation’s policy formation. He was a member of the Consultative Committee of NIC. MX, the non-profit operator of Mexico’s country-code Top-Level Domain and the registry that manages allocation of Internet Protocol address space to Mexican Internet Service Providers.

Rodrigo has a Master’s degree in Political Economy and International Relations from the University of Essex in the UK. He has been a lecturer of International Organizations and Economic Negotiations and a consultant to the Latin American Cooperation for Advanced Networks. He speaks Spanish, English and French fluently.

 

Insights into our conversation

For the Caribbean region, participation in ICANN is both a strategic necessity and a development opportunity. The region’s economies are increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure for tourism, financial services, e-commerce, education, and remote work, for example. Hence, any policy decisions that affect internet stability, cybersecurity, domain name management, or digital inclusion have direct implications for Caribbean growth and resilience.

Moreover, small and developing regions risk being marginalised in global digital policy debates if they do not participate consistently. However, in ICANN offering structured pathways through its constituencies, supporting organisations, and fellowship programmes, including a specific session for Small Island Developing States at the upcoming ICANN85 Community Forum in Mumbai, India (7—12 March 2026), as Rodrigo shared, Caribbean voices can be heard, and regional priorities can be advanced.

  1. To start us off, please share with us some of your background and your journey to becoming part of the ICANN machinery.
  2. In being based in Mexico and having oversight of the entire LAC region, what are some of the differences between how Latin America and how the Caribbean region approach Internet Governance-related issues and engage with ICANN?
  3. In early February (3—5), there was an “ICANN Near You” initiative held in Guyana, and from what I understand, it is supposed to be a new engagement model. What does that mean, and what did the initiative entail?
  4. Since late 2025, there have been active discussions on ICANN’s strategic plan for Latin America and the Caribbean for the period 2026—2030. What were some of the considerations that shaped the draft strategic plan?
  5. What are the main strategic objectives that the plan proposes to address?
  6. What would you recommend to someone who might be interested in getting more involved with ICANN, but is feeling overwhelmed by the learning curve before they might be in a position to meaningfully contribute?
  7. Going forward, what are ICANN activities that Caribbean countries can look forward to over the next year or so? Are there any specific activities scheduled to occur within the Caribbean region?

 

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Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or might otherwise be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  ICANN;  Freepik;  ICANN; Freepik

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez