How the right in South America isolates Brazil

Which South American countries are aligning with the United States?

Recently, Colombia elected Abelardo de la Espriella and Peru is heading towards victory for Keiko Fujimori, both on the right. These countries join other neighbors such as Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador, which already have military and security cooperation agreements with the Donald Trump administration to combat crimes that cross borders.

What is the Shield of the Americas plan?

It is a regional coalition led by Washington to confront transnational organized crime. The plan involves intelligence sharing and coordinated actions. Colombia announced immediate membership to the group, which already includes nations such as El Salvador and Argentina, but excludes countries with left-wing governments, such as Brazil.

Why is Brazil becoming isolated in the region?

While the neighbors advance in direct military partnerships with the Americans, the Lula government maintains a stance of specific confrontation with Donald Trump. Brazil opposes, for example, the American classification of the PCC and the Red Command as terrorist groups, fearing that this justifies foreign military interventions on national soil.

What is Donald Trump’s strategy for Latin America?

The Republican government sees the region as a natural and strategic zone of influence to resolve internal US problems, such as drug trafficking and illegal immigration. To this end, the Americans have signed memorandums that allow everything from joint police investigations to the entry of troops for military exercises in partner countries.

How has South American public opinion reacted to these changes?

Data from the Latinobarómetro institute indicate that support for the right in Latin America has reached its highest level in 20 years. The main reason is the population’s frustration with growing crime. This scenario favors politicians who promise a ‘strong hand’ and greater collaboration with United States security agencies.