AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
US protectionist trade policies are pushing Latin American countries towards China, driven by economic incentives and infrastructure investments the US hasn’t matched. Experts highlight a US strategy rooted in treating Latin America as its “backyard,” aiming to counter China’s influence through economic leverage and political alignment. However, fragmentation among Latin American nations weakens their ability to resist US pressure. While the US attempts to prove the superiority of its business and exert financial influence, a multipolar world is emerging, with countries diversifying partnerships and potentially benefiting from the US-China competition.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
- Protectionist US trade policies are pushing countries closer to China, says UK-based economist Rhys Jenkins
- Fragmentation among Latin American states weakens collective response to US pressure, says expert on US-Latin America relations Livia Peres Milani
ISTANBUL
“The idea that … the US can persuade Latin American and South American governments to … break off relations with China is … a total illusion,” said Rhys Jenkins, a professor at the UK’s University of East Anglia.
Doctrine reborn for a historic ‘backyard’
The new strategy is rooted in Latin America’s long-standing central role in US foreign policy.
Milani said the thinking reflects a realist view of international relations, in which a great power must first secure its regional sphere before projecting global influence. In this view, the Americas remain Washington’s strategic “backyard.”
Historic continuity, mechanism change
China’s role: Commercial giant or geopolitical foe?
Jenkins said China’s engagement in Latin America has been driven primarily by trade and investment interests, particularly in raw materials and infrastructure, though these ties also strengthen diplomatic relations.
Milani noted that even if a project is economically driven, “the US perceives … these kinds of issues as related to its strategic interests in the region.”
A controversial pillar of the new strategy is its hint of intent to interfere in domestic politics, vowing to “reward and encourage the region’s governments, political parties and movements broadly aligned with our principles.”
That approach was evident when Washington announced support for a $20 billion bailout for Argentina ahead of the country’s midterm elections. Trump later warned that the US generosity would end if far-right President Javier Milei lost power.
“Right-wing [and] far-right political forces in Latin America … are really connected … to their US counterparts,” Milani said.
China ties outweigh political orientation
The strategy itself acknowledges that many countries engage with rival powers because of economic incentives. It argues that Washington must demonstrate the pitfalls of “allegedly ‘low cost’ foreign assistance,” prove the “higher quality” of US business and use “leverage in finance and technology to induce countries to reject such assistance.”
Tale of two hemispheres
South of the Panama Canal, however, dynamics change sharply. In South America, Chinese state-backed investments in infrastructure have created relationships that the US has been unable to match.
Washington’s contradictions
Analysts also highlighted contradictions within US policy.
‘Last region’ to relinquish
She said as US “international hegemony” declines “this would be the last region” it would “relinquish.”
Milani noted that Latin American countries remain fragmented and lack a unified response to US pressure. Their future position, she said, will depend on whether they can coordinate common strategies.
Jenkins sees a gradual shift toward multipolarity, with countries seeking diversified partnerships to reduce dependence on “US hegemony.”
Despite US efforts, he added, the region is likely to continue seeking partnerships with both Washington and Beijing and “take advantage of the conflict.”
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