China, immigration, drugs: Behind US policy in Latin America

Brian Winter, chief editor of Americas Quarterly, has outlined the strategic drivers behind current US foreign policy toward Latin America. The region's relationship with Washington has historically been characterized by American dominance, though this focus diminished over recent decades. Winter argues that the Trump administration is now reasserting US influence across its southern neighbors through multiple policy levers. These include military intervention efforts in Venezuela, which Winter characterizes as a foreign policy success in the administration's view, alongside intensified pressure campaigns targeting Cuba. Beyond these direct interventions, the White House is providing explicit political backing to selected leaders across the region, including those in Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Winter identifies three core concerns driving this renewed engagement: managing immigration flows, addressing drug trafficking, and countering Chinese influence in the hemisphere.