Trump’s Moves in Latin America: The Shift in Power Dynamics

Jab Donald Trump ne 20 January ko office join kiya tha, tab se Latin America ko le kar unke steps kaafi interesting thhe. Pehli kuch weeks me, ye clear ho gaya ki US ka region pe influence toh hai, lekin kuch limitations bhi hain.

Sabse pehle, Colombia ke saath conflict tha but Colombia ke President Gustavo Petro ne US se waapis bheje gaye illegal Colombian immigrants ko apne country me wapas lene se mana kar diya tha, kyunki unhone kaha ki ye log criminals jese treat kiye ja rahe hain. Trump ne tariffs aur sanctions ke threat diye, tab jaake Petro ne apne military planes bhejne ka faisla kiya.

Colombia, jo pehle US ka closest ally tha, ab thoda distance banata dikh raha hai. 2022 me, jab Colombia ne apne pehle left-wing president Petro ko elect kiya, tab se relations thode complex ho gaye hain. Pehle Colombia ko US ne Plan Colombia ke through kaafi aid diya tha, jisme drug trafficking ko control karna included tha. Ab Colombia ka NATO ke saath bhi strong relation hai, aur wahan US ke military bases bhi hain.

Agla move Mexico pe tha. Trump ne February me 25% tariffs announce kiye the, lekin baad me talks ke baad temporarily unko delay kar diya gaya. Mexico ne apne border security ko improve karne ka promise kiya, aur US ne apne weapons smuggling control karne ka kaha. Mexico ne China ke influence ko kam karne ka decision liya, aur US ke saath apni economic dependency ko badhane ka plan banaya.

US aur Mexico ka trade kaafi important hai; 2023 me US ke saath Mexico ka goods trade $807 billion tha, aur Mexico ko $130 billion ka surplus tha. Mexico ne apne textile sector pe bhi China ke imports ko target karte hue tariffs lagaye, aur US se economic ties ko deep karne ka plan hai.

Trump ne apni foreign policy ko Latin America ke kai countries pe apply kiya. Jaise Panama me, Trump ne unko warn kiya tha ki agar unhone China ke influence ko control nahi kiya, toh US “necessary measures” lega. Panama ne phir China se apna Belt and Road Initiative withdraw kar diya.

El Salvador ke President Nayib Bukele ne bhi apne relations ko strengthen karte hue US ke prisoners ko apne jails me lene ka offer diya, jo Trump ko kaafi pasand aaya.

Trump ke focus me Ecuador bhi tha, jaha US ka military presence badh gaya hai, especially Galapagos Islands me. Peru ne bhi US troops ko apni military training ke liye bulaya. Argentina aur Caribbean me bhi US ka influence badh raha hai.

US ke relation Cuba, Nicaragua aur Venezuela ke saath complicated hain. Ye countries US ke traditional allies nahi hain aur Russia ke saath close relations banaye hue hain. China ka growing economic presence Latin America me bhi ek concern ban gaya hai.

BRICS Angle:
BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) ka Latin America me economic influence badh raha hai, aur US ko is se kaafi challenge ho raha hai. China ka economic presence Latin America me fast grow kar raha hai, jo US ke liye ek strategic concern hai. Russia bhi apne diplomatic aur military ties ko strengthen kar raha hai. Isliye, US kaafi aggressively apni foreign policy ko Latin America me enforce kar raha hai, taaki BRICS ke influence ko counter kiya ja sake.

Trump ka plan hai ki jo countries US se cooperatively deal nahi kar rahi hain, unko pressurize kiya jaye, aur jo vulnerable hain, unko apne side pe laya jaye.