United States: Donald Trumps Latin American Strategy

The location is more than symbolic: Miami, the Latin American heart of the United States where a large part of the Cuban or Venezuelan dictatorship refugees live. To welcome his “Latin friends”, Donald Trump pulled out all the stops. A suite for each one in his immense complex of the Trump National Doral. In all, almost a dozen Latin American heads of state were received for a good part of the week with their delegations in this luxury resort, complete with pool, golf, and a Maga cap for each one.

During its inauguration, Donald Trump is all smiles to announce strengthened alliances in defense matters, increased cooperation against organized crime, joint policies against illegal immigration, and, topping it off, strengthening economic ties to counter China’s influence on the continent. In form, with its flags, red carpets, and grandeur, the Shield of Americas summit took on the airs of a miniature NATO conference.

Trump Takes a Break

As the guest star, Salvadoran Nayib Bukele, just to the right of the American president in the snapshot, this “great president,” in his own words, cited as an example for his “firm policy” against drug traffickers. Leading the way, Cuban-American Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the event’s initiator. He delivered a speech in Spanish, in front of guests present; the new Chilean president Jose Antonio Kast, Bolivian Rodrigo Paz, Honduran Nasry Tito Asfura, and of course Javier Milei, the libertarian Argentine. “Exit”, on the other hand, the Mexican and Brazilian heads of state, considered too left-wing. “Trump dislikes Claudia Sheinbaum and wants to get rid of Brazilian Lula in the next presidential elections in October,” assured a French diplomat speaking anonymously. Far from the criticisms of his European allies who blame him for the Israeli-American military intervention in Iran, Trump has offered a pause among friends.

Never has America seemed so united

“He diverted attention, as the Atlantic Alliance flounders, as the European Union no longer walks as one man behind America. He is opening up new horizons without the Europeans,” analyzes the diplomat. In any case, never has America, from north to south, seemed so united, far from the revolutions and counter-revolutions of the more or less bloody and traumatic 1960s-1970s. “Unlike his first term, Trump now observes Latin America with great interest,” specifies Argentine conservative influencer Agustin Laje. “With this shield, he aims to achieve two goals: win the war on drugs which has caused a public health crisis of considerable proportions in the United States. On the other hand, he feels that drug trafficking is closely linked to 21st-century socialism. And in this battle, Milei is a decisive ally.”

In Miami, the Argentine president was the first to shake hands with Trump at length. Javier Milei owes him almost everything. Starting with his overwhelming victory in the last legislative elections in October, thanks to massive financial support from the United States. As proof of his gratitude, Javier Milei, after encouraging American businessmen to invest in his country, offered his full support to the Israeli-American military intervention in Iran and proposed military aid. “Under the left-wing presidency, Argentina had been drawn into the Russia-China-Iran-Venezuela alliance,” adds Agustin Laje. “Argentina had even signed memorandums with Iran guaranteeing impunity to the perpetrators of the 1994 terrorist attack. With Milei, Argentina is back in the Western camp.”

Sign that the Shield of the Americas summit is already bearing fruit? After officially taking office on Wednesday – surrounded by his male friends – Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast proposed a new economic alliance with America and decided to build a wall with neighboring Bolivia, to “stop illegal immigration, smuggling, drug trafficking.” On Friday, just across from Miami, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the start of a democratic transition after a week of anti-Castro regime protests. Trump 1-Socialism 0.