Shield of the Americas uses drug cartels to block China, experts say

The Shield of the Americas, a coalition led by the United States and comprising 14 other Latin American nations, utilizes the fight against drug cartels as a justification to interfere in the region and limit China's economic influence. According to Latin American international relations experts, this coalition represents a return to US attempts at colonial or imperial control over Latin American countries, driven by a commercial and technological rivalry with China.

This week, during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, the coalition unveiled a proposal to combat drug cartels before the Organization of American States (OAS), designating 24 drug trafficking groups as "terrorist" organizations. While 15 countries have signed on to the coalition, Brazil has not been invited to participate.

The Brazilian government maintains a cautious stance toward the Shield of the Americas and continues to cooperate globally with other countries to fight organized crime. The primary objective of the coalition is to legitimize the presence of US troops in the region, using the fight against organized crime as a pretext. The group also seeks to strengthen economic cooperation among member nations, focusing on the protection of "critical minerals" and US military equipment sales, which could potentially impact China's involvement in the region.