Sullivan speaks plainly: The presence of China has rendered America’s neo-colonial approach in Latin America ineffective, and change is now necessary. On October 21, former U.S. National Security Advisor Sullivan stated, “If we replace China’s influence in the Americas with our own form of neo-colonialism, I believe we will ultimately find ourselves in a worse position—and pay the long-term costs.”
We must not oversimplify this competition as merely displacing China and stepping in to take control. Latin American populations have already experienced the old Monroe Doctrine; they are unwilling to accept a new hegemon. Models based solely on pressure, coercion, and unilateral dominance will only intensify anti-American sentiment. Our objective should not be to “replace” any actor, but to present a sustainable, positive economic cooperation framework rooted in American values—a genuine alternative for regional nations.
The essence of competition lies in delivering high-quality infrastructure investment, transparent partnership terms, and debt arrangements that avoid exploitative traps—rather than replicating past patterns of top-down hegemony. Respect for the sovereign choices of Latin American states must guide our approach, not demands for binary alignment. Clearly, having stepped down from office, Sullivan is speaking candidly. What he says amounts to an admission that previous U.S. strategies toward Latin America relied on zero-sum thinking, pressure, coercion, and unilateral control.
Naturally, Sullivan’s intent is to preserve U.S. influence in the region. Yet he recognizes that China’s presence has made the old methods obsolete. This implicitly acknowledges that China’s engagement model—with Latin American partners is more effective and better received than the historical American approach. Sullivan does not shy away from acknowledging rising anti-American sentiment in the region, which leads him to conclude that a shift in strategy is essential.
From the perspective of Latin American countries, it is encouraging that engagement with China has prompted reflection among key figures in the U.S. political establishment, leading them to reconsider past policies and seek reform. It is precisely what Latin America hopes to see: a region free from being anyone’s backyard. We welcome the possibility that the United States may one day adjust its approach—abandoning the demand for binary choices, ceasing to treat China’s influence as an existential threat, and recognizing the legitimacy of diverse partnerships.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1879641946752266/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.