Tag: Latin America

Argentina to ‘Leave Behind’ U.S. Dependency Amid Russia Talks; State Department Voices Concern

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia – On Feb. 15, the second installment of Beechcraft TC-12B Huron military aircraft arrived in Argentina from the United States as part of a joint defense initiative between the countries. The timing proved awkward, however, due to tensions with the U.S. triggered by Argentine President Alberto Fernández’s remarks to Russian President Vladimir…


Latin America’s Renewable Energy Gambit Aggravates Drought and Pollution

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia–Only a year after the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted in 2015, Latin American countries quickly gained recognition for boosting existing “green energy” initiatives and paving the way for new ones to follow. Yet, over the past six years, negative environmental consequences from projects like hydroelectric dams and mining operations to supply the manufacturing side…


The Great (Belt and Road) Wall in Washington’s Backyard

News Analysis In a time when the United States is giving an inordinate amount of attention to deterring Russia in Eastern Ukraine, China continues to firm up its position in America’s own backyard. Argentina officially became the 141st country to join the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as “One Belt, One Road”)…


El Salvador Seeks Stronger Relations with China as U.S. Influence Wanes

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia – During the final days of 2021, the populist president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, began reaching out to China as an economic life raft while foreign policy in the small Central American nation underwent a subtle, but important shift. Primary among those changes was a noticeable cooling trend developing with the…


Chilean Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Migration Crisis

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia—Chile’s foreign minister Andres Allamand stepped down from office on Feb. 6,  amid accusations of abandoning his post as a migration crisis continues unfolding at the nation’s northern border. Allamand hosted a meeting in Madrid on Feb. 3 as the Ibero-American secretary general, which was a red flag for Chilean officials. Back in…


Socialist President of Honduras Offers Free Electricity to 1 Million Families

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia—At her inauguration ceremony on Jan. 27, socialist President Xiomara Castro unveiled a plan to give free electricity to 1 million Honduran families. Castro said she intends to raise the electric bills of less economically disadvantaged residents to finance the measure. During her speech the nation’s first female president said, “More than a…


The US Needs a New Doctrine Against China and Russia’s Meddling in Latin America

News Analysis China and its allies are making more inroads in Latin America, where the United States used to forbid foreign powers to meddle. The 19th century was a different time entirely, and much of what Washington did then was no better than the European imperialism that it opposed. Times are different now, with the…


Why Latin America is Suffering Critical Water Shortages

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia—Nearly 31 percent of the world’s fresh water supply is in Latin America, which endures perilous scarcity in some areas due to decades of mismanagement, rapid population growth, privatization, and negligent agricultural practices. There is enough water to meet the needs of the world’s population, yet its distribution is unequal. Also, much has…


Is China Buying Control in Latin America?

Is Latin America about to find itself the setting for a second Cold War? That’s the looming question as Chinese influence spreads across the region. At stake is national security in America—and Taiwan on the global stage—as a new president enters office in Honduras. The small country now lies at the center of a tug-of-war…


’90 Miles From the US Coast, There’s Chinese Military’: Graceffo on CCP Influence in Latin America

In this special episode, we sat down with China economic analyst Antonio Graceffo and Paz Gómez, a researcher at Impunity Observer. They talk about the first female president in Hondurus, how that could change diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and how the Chinese regime’s economic stake in Latin America ripples over into the United States. Graceffo…