Latin America falls prey to new Monroe Doctrine

It is both startling and predictable that Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council nominated to be US ambassador to Chile, should pledge during his Senate hearing that he would try to "restrict "Beijing's access to Chile's resources, especially in space and technology.

It is startling because China's engagement with Chile and the broader Latin American and Caribbean region is rooted in mutual economic interests. China is now Latin America's second-largest trading partner and the largest trading partner for Chile, Brazil, and Peru. In 2024, Chile's total exports exceeded $100 billion for the first time, with cherry exports alone growing by over 50 percent, most of them going to China. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian bananas, Nicaraguan honey, and Honduran shrimp are increasingly found on Chinese tables.

Bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative is also flourishing. The first environmentally friendly light industrial park in Latin America with full 5G coverage opened in Trinidad and Tobago in 2024, while Peru's new Chancay Port is slashing the transportation time for exports to Asia and cutting logistics costs while creating new jobs. These are mutually beneficial ventures, based on shared development needs and the principle of win-win cooperation.