USA: „China ist sehr präsent“ – Südamerika wehrt sich gegen Washingtons Führungsanspruch

In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already referred to as "Viceroy" of Venezuela, a sort of American colonial governor, following the U.S. government's removal of dictator Nicolás Maduro at the beginning of the year. With a three-day trip to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, Rubio aimed to demonstrate how closely Washington is now collaborating with the conservative governments in the region.

However, the expectation that the three heads of state would similarly unquestioningly submit to Washington's demands, similar to the leadership in Venezuela, was not met. This applies to both military cooperation and relations with China. This was anticipated differently before Rubio's departure: "We share many common interests with these countries – both in combating cross-border criminal terrorism in the region and in economic relations," said the Secretary of State, who has Cuban roots.

U.S. military interventions remain controversial. Although all states have now agreed to join the "Shield of the Americas," a security and defense alliance founded by Trump in March for Latin America. Together, Washington and its partners aim to tackle drug cartels and organized crime, control migration flows, and curb the influence of China and Russia.

Twenty countries are already members. However, details of military cooperation have yet to reach a consensus.