MEXICO CITY – American enemies within Latin America have expressed concerns about the incoming Trump administration, primarily due to expected shifts in U.S. foreign policy that could negatively impact their national interests.
Just last week, Trump’s tariff policies appeared to confuse Mexico’s socialist president, who appeared to offer the new administration an olive branch on tariffs and migration.
“The authoritarian axis of the region’s autocrats: Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia, who have an anti-American stance and whose foreign policies are closer to Russia, China and Iran, will certainly think twice before becoming more aggressive in the region.” Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News Digital.
“These countries have often provoked and destabilized their neighbors, created platforms for the growth of the criminal apparatus throughout Latin America (transnational crime and international terrorism) and pushed to bring the region closer to China. They will think twice about continuing to do much. that, because it won’t be as effective. They will respect the position of the United States. The United States will radiate strength so that adversaries and autocratic countries know that if they try to provoke conflict or war, war will break out. consequences,” he said.
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FILE – President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with the House GOP conference, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP, File)
Humire, who wrote an article titled “The Foreign Policy Foundations of Trumpism,” noted: “A return to nation-state sovereignty and burden sharing are key pillars of Trumpism. President Trump’s foreign policyknown as America First or ‘Trumpism.’ These pillars come together to support the vision that America must be strong at home to project power abroad. In many ways, it is a return to the basic principles of American foreign policy as established by the founding fathers.”
“The response to President Trump’s victory in Latin America has been overwhelmingly positive. I was recently at Mar-a-Lago and Argentine President Javier Milei was the first foreign leader to meet President Trump after his victory. It was very important that a president of Latin America was one of the first presidents to meet President Trump, because President Milei’s victory closed the distance for a new way for right-wing conservative-libertarian presidents in Latin America to surface come and achieve election victories.’
He predicted: ‘We’re going to see a new wave of a political class emerging in Latin America that’s connected to it President Bolsonaroto President Milei and hopefully there will be many elections in Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Perú. Many of these countries will be looking to these candidates as potential frontrunners for those elections. The brand of conservatives, libertarians and right-wing leaders is growing immediately. I think many of these leaders will be inspired to move their policies much closer to the US and they won’t face as many obstacles as those of the Biden-Harris administration.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses government loyalists who gathered at the presidential palace in support of his re-election, a month after presidential elections, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Given its extensive economic ties and shared border with the United States, Mexico is particularly concerned about potential changes in immigration and trade policies. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government is wary of tighter immigration controls and the possibility of renegotiating trade deals, which could impact Mexico’s economy and the well-being of its citizens.
The Colombian government is concerned about possible shifts in U.S. drug policy and security cooperation. President Gustavo Petro’s government fears that a more aggressive U.S. approach could complicate ongoing peace processes and efforts to combat drug trafficking in the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (center R) attends a meeting with Cuba’s First Vice President of the Council of State Miguel Diaz-Canel (center L) at the Great Hall of the People on June 18, 2013. AFP Photo/Pool/Ed Jones (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, often called the “troika of tyranny” by U.S. officials, expect increased sanctions and diplomatic pressure under the new administration. The appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State signals a tougher stance toward these governments, potentially leading to greater economic and political isolation.
Chilean economist Axel Kaiser, Senior Fellow at the Archbridge Institute, told Fox News Digital: “All of Latin America will benefit from Marco Rubio as Secretary of Statebecause he really cares about Latin America, and is aware of the socialist threat in our region, and will therefore take measures that will put pressure on left-wing authoritarian governments or governments with left-wing authoritarian projects, such as Mexico, to stay away. Perhaps there is also some hope in Venezuela. I think Marco Rubio will do everything possible to guarantee a transition to democracy in Venezuela.”
Then-President Jair Bolsonaro, of Brazil, left, presents U.S. President Donald Trump with a football jersey during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, March 19, 2019. (Chris Kleponis/Pool via Bloomberg)
Kaiser continued: “There cannot be better news for the entire region, whether countries governed by left-wing or right-wing governments, as the United States begins to cooperate more actively. For example, Trump’s victory is decisive for Argentina because, in the financial needs the country faces, the help of the United States will make an important difference for Javier Milei to do well, and his success will have an impact on the entire region.”
He continued: “In Brazil, Bolsonaro is going to have an important recovery, he already has one, we will see if he ends up being the presidential candidate. Trump’s victory is important for leaders like him, such as José Antonio Kast and Johannes Kaiser. in Chile, and Vicky Dávila in Colombia. There are several leaders who could benefit from a more conservative administration in the US because they will be aligned, and I believe the United States will support them.”
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Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. Reuters/Mike Segar.
Under President Javier Milei, who shares a libertarian and market-oriented stance similar to Trump’s, Argentina expects a strengthening of bilateral ties. Milei is seeking US support to secure additional loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and attract investment, with the aim of stabilizing Argentina’s economy and implementing capitalist reforms.
With a right-leaning government, Brazil could find common ground with the Trump administration on trade and regional security. Potential cooperation could lead to increased U.S. investment and support for Brazilian initiatives in areas such as infrastructure and energy.
‘Donald Trump’s victory is very important for Latin America… because he has a team with many people who are experts in security, democracy, freedom and the reality of Latin America… I have the feeling that this time he will not leave’ all current tasks; the region’s authoritarian regimes such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Bolivia will certainly no longer have an ally in the United States, through action or inaction,” Colombian Senator Paola Holguin told Fox News Digital.
An armored police car drives through tear gas during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on July 29, 2024, a day after the Venezuelan presidential elections. (Photo by Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images)
Holguin, a member of the conservative-leaning Centro Democrático party, continued: “Although Colombia and the United States having maintained a stable and harmonious bipartisan diplomatic relationship for more than 200 years, it is hardly foreseeable that the new White House administration will adjust the agenda and support for our country, due to the poor results in the anti-drug and total peace policies ; as well as the signs of alignment on the Russia-China-Iran axis; the attempts to join the BRICS economic bloc; the desire to legitimize the narco-dictatorship and the weakness in the face of Maduro’s election fraud.”
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She noted that “conciliatory congratulations to Trump from Petro and Maduro make it clear that they are afraid of what is to come, and that, contrary to their habit, they will make enormous efforts to keep the party in peace.”
Experts believe that although some countries will find favorable conditions under the new Trump administration, the actual benefits will depend on the specific policies pursued and the dynamics of bilateral relations.
