President Trump has nothing to offer Latin America
As Greg Weeks noted today, the Trump administration threatened Ecuador with punitive trade measures and the loss of military assistance if it did not drop or revise its United Nations resolution on...breastfeeding. In doing so, the Trump administration alienated a potential ally in Ecuador with Lenin Moreno and empowered Russia. Russia successfully stepped in to sponsor the resolution when several smaller countries backed down under US pressure. After criticizing President Obama for turning a blind-eye to Russian activities in the Western Hemisphere, Trump and Republican policies are going out of their way to empower Russia I guess.
By no measure is this the first time that the US has sought to strong arm Latin America into doing its will. Greg uses the Bush administration's threats against Chile and Mexico during the lead up to the Iraq war in his classes. Decertification as a result of the war on drugs is another example. President Trump threatened to decertify Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs last year. When the caravan of Hondurans fleeing violence traveled through Mexico to seek asylum in the United States, President Trump threatened to cut off assistance to Honduras because the country was doing nothing to stop its people from leaving for the United States. With Mexico, Trump has threatened the country over and over again for their failure to pursue US-preferred policies on immigration, trade, and illegal drugs. In Cuba, the Trump administration has walked-back the progress that had begun under the Obama administration. Nicaragua and Venezuela - continued threats and economic sanctions, mostly justified.
With so many issues on which to cooperate (immigration, trade and economic development, climate change, energy, tourism, human rights and democracy promotion, and security), President Trump has nothing to offer Latin America. That doesn't mean that at some point in the next two-plus years that the Trump administration won't find its way in the region, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely.
By no measure is this the first time that the US has sought to strong arm Latin America into doing its will. Greg uses the Bush administration's threats against Chile and Mexico during the lead up to the Iraq war in his classes. Decertification as a result of the war on drugs is another example. President Trump threatened to decertify Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs last year. When the caravan of Hondurans fleeing violence traveled through Mexico to seek asylum in the United States, President Trump threatened to cut off assistance to Honduras because the country was doing nothing to stop its people from leaving for the United States. With Mexico, Trump has threatened the country over and over again for their failure to pursue US-preferred policies on immigration, trade, and illegal drugs. In Cuba, the Trump administration has walked-back the progress that had begun under the Obama administration. Nicaragua and Venezuela - continued threats and economic sanctions, mostly justified.
With so many issues on which to cooperate (immigration, trade and economic development, climate change, energy, tourism, human rights and democracy promotion, and security), President Trump has nothing to offer Latin America. That doesn't mean that at some point in the next two-plus years that the Trump administration won't find its way in the region, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely.
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