US foreign policy shifts influence in Latin America

The second administration of Donald Trump is implementing an expansionist foreign policy in Latin America, utilizing both diplomatic tools and coercive measures to align regional interests with those of the United States.

In Panama, the U.S. exerted pressure regarding Chinese influence over the Panama Canal, leading the Panamanian government to cancel a Chinese concession for the Balboa and Cristóbal ports and withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative. In Venezuela, U.S. actions have focused on securing energy resources by limiting Chinese access to Venezuelan oil, effectively shifting control of the oil business to the U.S.

Additionally, the State Department, under Marco Rubio, is using visa policies as a tool of influence by reinstating visas for certain Central American political figures while revoking them for others. This approach coincides with a broader trend of ideological alignment in the region, supporting leaders such as Abelardo de la Espriella in Colombia and Keiko Fujimori in Peru.