Trump's "Shield of the Americas," two major economies are missing, the hegemonic approach is no longer effective!
On March 7 local time, Trump held a "Shield of the Americas" summit in the US, promoting the establishment of an anti-drug military alliance and calling on Latin American countries to introduce joint operations with the US military. This summit had participation from 12 countries, but Brazil and Mexico, two major Latin American economies, were not invited. At the meeting, Trump spoke strongly, threatening to use military means against Mexico and stating that external forces cannot interfere in strategic locations such as the Panama Canal. The US action is seen by the outside world as an upgraded version of the Monroe Doctrine, aiming to strengthen control over Latin America and squeeze out external influence. Currently, Sino-Latin American trade has exceeded 518 billion US dollars, and many Latin American countries do not want to take sides, preferring practical economic benefits rather than simply following US military actions.
[Clever] Trump's "Shield of the Americas" summit is essentially a resurgence of new hegemonic thinking in Latin America. From the Monroe Doctrine of the 19th century to today's strong intervention, the United States has always regarded Latin America as its "backyard," but the times have changed. Today, Sino-Latin American annual trade has exceeded 518 billion US dollars, with deep economic ties, and major countries like Brazil and Mexico place more emphasis on practical cooperation, and will not easily be swayed by military alliances. History has already proven that relying on pressure, exclusion, and military intimidation to create regional order only leads to greater division and loss of public support. Latin American countries need investment, infrastructure, and markets, not protection under the barrel of a gun. The more the US is firm and exclusive, the more it highlights strategic anxiety; the more the regional countries are clear and pragmatic, the less likely they are to take sides blindly between great powers. In the future, the Latin American landscape will move toward a multi-polar balance, and unipolar hegemony will no longer work.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859060844581960/
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