Latin America between USA and China

Peter Kopa, 19.2.2018 in Prague

The Monroe Doctrine

Until 1983, when the last US military intervention took place in Grenada, immediately condemned by the United Nations as a serious violation of International Law, North America valued the entire American continent as its zone of influence, where it did and did not do political things according to its own interests. This policy, based on the Monroe Doctrine, proclaimed in 1823, immediately after the process of independence of the Latin American nations from the Kingdom of Spain and Portugal, proclaimed the principle of ‘America for the Americans’, which was always understood to mean ‘for North Americans’. It was also to counteract interference from England and France, who then dominated the Caribbean with their ships. 

This hegemonic doctrine of the United States has a profound influence in the formation of many nations, especially those of the Caribbean, as is the case of Panama, which separated from Colombia after the Thousand Day War, under the sponsorship of the United States, to later build the Panama Canal, which is of vital importance to the interests of the United States. In total there had been 25 interventions by the Nordic country, overt or covert. The opposition to this country was not long in coming, accusing it of American imperialism, which caused it to turn its attention to Spain and Portugal, at a time when they were no longer in a position to provide them with effective aid.

No more ‘America for the Americans

Against this historical backdrop, US Foreign Minister Rex Tillerson proclaimed in February 2018 at a public meeting with students, before embarking on his first tour of Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica, that ‘Latin America no longer needs new imperial powers, seeking only their own interests. The USA is now different because we no longer seek short-term agreements with asymmetrical results, but rather we seek allies.

This pronouncement ran like wildfire throughout Latin America, to the point that few could give credit to what they read in the media, because it implied on the part of the US to put an end to the Monroe doctrine, at least at the level of intentions, and because it meant giving some satisfaction to Latin Americans for so many strong words uttered by President Trump against Mexico and some other nations.

The Chinese worry the U.S.

This new political strategy has to be seen against the background of China’s growing influence, which is constantly increasing its influence through all kinds of trade agreements and major investments in infrastructure and the use of natural resources.  While the Chinese insist on their good intentions to treat each country as an equal, based on reciprocal advantages, it is enough to look at the behavior of the Chinese communist government towards its neighboring countries and its citizens, guided by a materialistic vision in everything.  In this case, it is good to remember the wise advice that it is better to know evil than well to know good. We must not forget that China is a State Capitalism, which imposes very hard-working conditions on its territory. Moreover, in an extreme case, China would use force of arms more brutally than the United States, especially from the Pacific coast.

New alliance of both Americas

The best alternative for the good of the Americas is to forget the past completely and look at each other as equals. At this point in history, it makes no sense for each person to be looking at his or her own navel, taking stock of the wrongs that the other has done. It is not good to remember this, except in extreme cases such as the massive influx of drugs into the USA, because they are killing there every day about 160 people, not counting the people who have been alienated for their whole lives. Conversely, the US is introducing its products into the South in asymmetrical conditions etc. and this could be followed to the end of the world.  On the other hand, a new style of understanding, where both parties remain at the same level, could mean an uncountable series of advantages for both parties, above all at a human and cultural level, such as overcoming corruption, military cooperation in defense of common interests, the cancellation of protectionism and customs barriers, the opening towards investments in the less developed areas and a generous regulation of movement and residence of people in any country. Let us not forget that the immense American continent has a total population of almost a billion people and the most abundant and richest natural resources on the planet.

In addition, there is another fact that advocates for such an alliance: the geopolitical situation of the Americas, at a time when the USA is critically reviewing its ties with the countries of the other continents, based on the fact that the USA is a country that has a large number of natural resources.