According to the AP, Secretary Clinton is about to go on a weeklong five-country tour of Latin America.
She will visit: Uruguay, Agrentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. She was scheduled to visit with President Bachelet in Chile as well, but the earthquake has diverted the president’s attention. Clinton will briefly visit Santiago in a show of solidarity.
She will be attending the inauguration of President Mujica in Uruguay and the Iran nuclear situation will be a key theme in meetings with Argentina and Brazil.
Because of the inauguration (and its many guests), a meeting of foreign ministers in Costa Rica, and a meeting of Central American presidents in Guatemala, the reach of the trip will be beyond the countries visited.
What will be accomplished, however, is unclear.
The NYT has a more comprehensive report: Soured Over Policy, Latin American Leaders Await Sessions With Clinton, which includes the following observation:
“I don’t get the sense that there’s a game plan for Latin America,” Mr. Roett said. “And Latin Americans don’t get that sense either.”
I agree with Greg Weeks: that is an accurate assessment. As Roett1 noted in the article:
China, he said, has replaced the United States as the main trading partner of Brazil and Chile, both growing economies. And while the Obama administration’s leading Latin America appointments were delayed by Washington power struggles, Europe’s political influence has filled the void.
Sphere: Related ContentA visit from Mrs. Clinton, he said, is not likely to be enough to repair the damage.
- An expert on Latin America at Johns Hopkins. [↩]
March 1st, 2024 at 8:42 am
“I don’t get the sense that there’s a game plan for Latin America,” Mr. Roett said. “And Latin Americans don’t get that sense either.”
Given the history of US involvement in region, I don’t think that many in Latin America would care.
As an aside, I find it strange that in an article whose headline purports that Latin American “leaders” are “soured,” no actual Latin Americans are quoted or consulted. Roett–given his CIA ties and hawkish background–is probably not the best voice to channel Latin American opinion.
March 2nd, 2024 at 1:53 am
I doubt she’ll upset the unions and start negotiating a new free trade treaty a la CAFTA or NAFTA.
I honestly don’t see what help Brazil or Argentina will be in dealing with Iran. Unless there’s some reason to believe that Iran is getting supplies via South America.
March 2nd, 2024 at 7:10 am
Brazil currently holds a seat on the UN Security Council.