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Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront
Latin America in the Crosshairs
Latin America has been regarded as the exclusive stomping ground of US economic interests, US military, and US intelligence services for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, to the point that the US public has grown to view meddling in its neighbors’ domestic politics as some sort of birthright which is still faintly rooted in the 19th century “white man’s burden” racialist policies. That the majority of Democratic Party presidential candidates supports the military coup in Bolivia, the escalating repressions in Chile, and the plundering of Brazil by the Bolsonaro regime is actually unremarkable in that regard. Such policies have long been the norm.
However, if one were to take a quick survey of recent developments in the “information battlefield” in the United States, one would be struck by the rapid elevation of Latin America as a place where direct US military action is needed. It is not just Trump who, in the aftermath of an apparently cartel-related murder of an American Mormon family in Mexico, “offered” Mexico the “help” of the US military in fighting the cartels. The latest boy-wonder of the US Establishment, “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg likewise allowed he is “open” to the idea of sending US troops to Mexico. Neither of these statements was seen as in any way controversial by the mainstream media—even though the US public is broadly anti-war and skeptical of additional international entanglements, the Washington Establishment views the sovereignty of other countries as nothing more than legal fiction.
These politicians’ statements do not stand in isolation. Hollywood has long been “joined at the hip” with the US national security establishment and can be always relied upon to propagate the latest set of Washington talking points. While Russian villains remain the staple of US movies and video games, Latin America is gradually reclaiming its role as a battlefield and source of threats to the United States which it lost after 9/11. There are now at least two currently running US TV series which specifically focus on direct US interventions in Latin America. America’s favorite CIA analyst Jack Ryan (who, it should be noted, became President on the pages of Tom Clancy’s novels after the rest of the US government was conveniently eliminated by a Boeing 747 flown into the Capitol by a suicide pilot) is now bravely thwarting Russian plots in Venezuela. Going considerably further, Last Ship’s current season actually posits the emergence of Gran Colombia, a veritable Latin American empire which launches a Pearl Harbor-style surprise air raid which destroys the just-rebuilt US Navy with the assistance of a cyber-strike. In retaliation, United States employs the full range of its conventional capabilities, starting with CIA covert operatives working with some modern equivalent of the Nicaraguan Contras whose connections to the drug cartels are not even concealed, and ending with US Marines landing on the shores of Latin American countries in order to “liberate” them from their own governments.
There are other indications US establishment is bracing for a major deterioration of the political situation “south of the border”, up to and including a major refugee crisis comparable to what Europe has experienced. While Donald Trump has been roundly condemned for his immigration policies, particularly the deportations of Latin American refugees, the construction of a major barrier on the US-Mexico border, and the efforts to transform Mexico into a holding tank for refugees seeking admission into the United States, no senior Democratic Party politician or candidate has promised to reverse these policies.
From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma?
The rekindling of interest in Latin America is a logical consequences of the drift toward a global multi-polar system. It means, first, a retrenchment in the Middle East due to the demonstrated power of Russia and China which has proved sufficient to thwart not only covert US plots but also overt uses of economic and military capabilities. This power transition has meant that even long-standing US allies such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia are adopting a multi-vector foreign policy no longer wholly centered on their relationship with the United States. It certainly does not help that the United States has proved of limited utility in resolving the many international conflicts and rivalries in that region, not only the obvious Iran-Saudi Arabia one, but also the lower-intensity Saudi Arabia—Turkey one. Since Russia is literally the only international power capable to credibly negotiate with each of these three regional rivals, its reputation as an honest broker backed up by non-trivial “hard power” has elevated its standing in the region to the detriment of the United States.
The second implication is an even closer binding of Latin American states to the United States, with the remarkably compliant Organization of American States (OAS) which has never seen a military coup it did not like, serving as the overt instrument of control. Conversely, regional organizations which have proven resistant to US control such as Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America-Trade between Peoples (ALBA-TCP) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), both of which actually condemned the coup in Bolivia in strong terms, will find themselves the target of US pressure. Post-coup Bolivia’s announced departure from both of these organizations is unlikely to be an aberration, particularly since it follows on the heels of Lenin Moreno’s Ecuador’s departure from ALBA in 2018. The remaining ALBA states include Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela (in addition to several small island states), all of which are continuing targets of US regime change policies.
UNASUR also appears headed for extinction. As many as six countries, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru, suspended their membership in 2018. Chile moreover launched PROSUR, an organization explicitly intended to target Venezuela, with the initial states invited to join the new organization being Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Guyana and Suriname, none of which can be described as pursuing policies contrary to US wishes.
Good-bye NAFTA, Hello USMC!
Trump Administration’s regional trade war that resulted in the launch of the US, Mexico, Canada (hence the “USMC” abbreviation) intended to replace the North America Free Trade Association (NAFTA) is indicative of the future US policy course. It’s doubtful few in the region failed to note the new trade pact’s abbreviation is exactly the same as that of the US Marine Corps which has a long and dark history of invasions and occupations of Latin American states. Consistent with the plot of “Last Ship”, USMC will find itself once again the final arbiter of trade arrangements in Latin America in the #MAGA era that will not end with Trump.
Economic developments in countries that have suffered right-wing regime shifts in the last few years show the direction in which Latin America will evolve. In Brazil, Boeing was allowed to acquire the commercial aircraft division of EMBRAER which hitherto was able to compete, as an independent actor, against both Boeing and Airbus even in their own home markets. The more strengthens Boeing by making it more competitive against Airbus in certain niches it lacked, and strips Brazil of a major industrial asset. Bolsonaro also aims to privatize another of Brazil’s economic “crown jewels”, the Petrobras energy firm which is all but guaranteed to fall into the hands of Washington-favored energy firms. US interest in the lithium reserves in Bolivia and neighboring countries has also been well documented. Preventing Morales’ Bolivia from entering into a development deal with China was one of the main motives behind the coup. Like Bolsonaro’s Brazil, Moreno’s Ecuador is pursuing plans to allow oil drilling in the Amazon region.
The Ghost of Che
The famed Argentinian revolutionary Che Guevara suffered a heroic death in Bolivia, attempting to mobilize an indigenous rebellion against the post-conquistador elite. The inevitable backlash to the ever more evident US efforts to ruthlessly exploit Latin America in order to compensate for the loss of influence and business elsewhere in the world means that the United States will find itself with several insurgencies and refugee crises not halfway around the world but in its own geopolitical backyard, whose intensity will eclipse the Cold War-era struggles. Should United States insist on pursuing its current course, it risks losing power and influence in Latin America in the same way as it did in the Middle East.
From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.
Yup, in a sense it makes perfect sense, put the Middle E, in an limbo for the moment and realign the empires latest goal, the R2P, The Right 2 Plunder, on full steam and take everything, and in that sense the lastest Bolivian spectacle was more of an side show, but nessesery to get the full spectrum dominance over the Southern American continent, and all thoe with the full suport of their vassals, witch incl UN, whom have gone from having little credibility to abolutelly nothing, in basically everything, to EU, huh, and sprinkle it with the terror state ISISrael, witch again keeps Saudi-Barbarians firmly on the track by squicing their balls when they need it, and the rest of the pathetic bunch isnt wurth mentioning, apart from what the Indian spokes person just confirmed, even thoe some of us have known it for an while, their unhinged admiration of the racist aparthaid state ISISrael, popped into the lime light.
SO what do we have left, nothing, Russia is doing what it can to be nice to everybody, despite been treaded like an overly used/abused old bitch, and they dont hide their contempt, and despite that, the stupid Russians tries to be nice, urg….. and swallows everything, not even notising that this back tracking and trusting your head into the sand, have one disadvantage, your ass is in the air. China is more cool, and keeps the cards tight, and have an long history of doing nothing, as long not something serious is happening they will remain cool, and anoyingly level headed, to be frank, but as before, the western idiots dont know what they are up against until the pole the drangon by its balls, and when the dragin rises, its usually to late, never dick with an dragon. While the Russian Bear, is just lying there and picks berries and hopes nobody notises. The main problem with bears, is that the bear, isnt that dangerous, usually just begin an nice big honking dog like creature, but as the dragon, will not do anything until its pants are on fire. Then, the outcome isnt certain, but the bear can beat the shait of most of the natural enemys, but again, its to slow, and all thoe formidable, a bit to dumb for its own good, and to naive, depite their history and knowledge, they have an tendency, maybe lazyness, not to learn anything, before its to late. The Persian Lions, is, one of the few people I infact admire, but as Lions they to are intellegent and realy good hunters and fiers fighters, and like an big pussycat, underestemated by most enemys until they actually is stuck into their troats, but until that happens, been under the radar for so long, that the enemy forgets that they are infact there, before its to late, and I would never underestemate an Persian, the last remnants on this earth of the true Aryans, since the dawn of men.
The issue isnt as much about racism, I dont bite on that, but tribalism, the ritch and shameless against the rest of us, and right now, they have the power to do what they want and we can only whine, as we do right now and despite they know that we know, we are de facto powerless, and I must remind people of one thing, they have the mooney, what they want is raw political power, Bolivia is an ex. on just that, when you own the MSM, cash enough to corrupt everything, and the polticial power to be nice to the traitores and let the MSM hail them as heroes and anyone esle as dicktatores, you own the field. I am one of those that never goes into debating various idiotic memes as the jungle of verbal diarea aka -isms, witch is like an rubber ball, bounsing everywhere, its an class war, period, just look at the people in Bolivia, not expactly white, are they, but ritch and powerfull, and in possitions to make this event happen, and the force against it, powerless, not because they cant fight back, but simply by the fact they are to few, if everybody rised, the problem would be solved much faster, or they end up like France YV, witch have my deepest sympathy, but is locked down from the Gov, forces, the silence and fake news of whom they are, or simply ignored by the MSM, and happered by scums from within, from Provos, witch is mainly police in sivil to Black Boxses whom are the same, paramilitary right winged(whatever) forces, whom do this to undermine the people whom have an legitim woice, but is hampered by the provos to make it look like something else, aka an violent protest, this type of solving this kinds of prtesting have even been the standard procedyre even in Norway, and the same in France, the same people and with other groups of people to make violence to an weapon either to rpvoce an responce to make their claims legitimate, and to be helped by the MSM, HK is another classical ex. but to the oposite of what happens other places, the sole reason for the silence of the MSM on the French peoples marching on their Gov.
My hope is, as I have writen before is, and I cant underline it enoug times, unification, most of us have an comon enemy, the scums in charge, the globalists, the neo-liberalism, the crony capitalists, the central bankers scams aka AGW to Fractional banking witch I define as the scam of scams. They ruined Bolivia, they are the force behind this, the coup masters, the rest is vassals, rotten scums, whom sels their own people and land for an fist full of pedoDollar. Untill they are hanging from the lamp posts, I dont see anything improvement in the near future, once some of them indeed do hang, the problem would be easier to handle, but not before, and by that, I mean we need an full blown revolution, an reset. Capiche. Freedome is and have never been given, freedom is always taken, that, ladys and gentlemen is where we stand to day, be the light, fight for whats right.
Never give up and never give in.
peace
if we start with terminating israel, that is reducing tensions in the world by a 90 pct, which is a good start. the remaining 50 pct is allocated to the great and unscrupulous states of A and will be more difficult but I guess a simple starvation program will take care of the corrupt and criminal enterprise headquartered in washington dc.
The waiting is for ISIS & Al-Qaeda to install their New Headquarters…Abu Bakr al Bolivar will probably acclaim a South American Caliphate soon…Coke-Production will break all Records…Lithium for Free…
Thanks to the CIA & their Global Terrorist Mercenaries
Hahahahaha, I love you man. You so serious. ABU BAKAR AL BOLIVAR! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
aka Elliot Shimón Bolivar
not a criticism. i love southfront, but should the headline read ‘what we’re about to do in south america’ (not we’ll)?
Greetings, thank you for the feedback. Sincerely yours, SF Team
We are doing what we will throughout nations South of US Mexico border and there are no means that those residents or world’s residents can change US policies. It is not just US financials who benefit from control over those nations economic futures, for it all boils down to economics, for in todays worldwide are hardly any distinctions between who owns what but who owns what % . After US Civil Warnwhere the Confederacy, Southern States, lost and became bankrupt there was an invasion by those from the North who had profited by siding with it, who ran amuck buying up all industry and agricultural lands for less than a penny to dollar of what it’s old worth was. They bought up whole States legislative bodies and anyone or anywhere they met resistance The Norths military got rid of it. They were called Carpet Baggers due to their having heavy fabric bags filled with money, a nd today we see not Jjust US but International Carpet Baggers flooding into nation after nation where US has overthrown old political orders. World Trade Organization and World Bank weaken a nations economy, FOREX, also devalues the currency, I wasnPriveledged in life to of listened too and talked with US military Veterans from US Spanish American War through both World Wars including military interventions in Southern Nations, Korean and Vietnam conflicts, up to present day military, and to my disgrace participated in Vietnam. Ancestry in America’s began in mid 1600s’ and those ancestors sure did not mind killing off anyone their government gave them permission to kill, wether it was for government pay or for personal financial gains. Sadly that is todays US mindset,; add in deliberate ignorance, lack of respect towards any not of US, and especially to damn lazy to stand up for ideals, consciences of immediacy rules. In a nation where populace say they rule, and that nation goes about doing whatever profits the wealthy of US and Internationals, how can they lay no blame upon themselves for US military actions? Can it be they as a whole and as individuals know they will not be held rezponsible and are safe from any forms of repercussions for those national actions? At the top most levels of all Government Bureaucracy there are “Order Followers”, but unlike those Order Followers of say Nazi Germany who were told “Just Following Orders is not an excuse for committing inhumane acts” those in US have no judges, and for damn sure no Jurist, within US to condemn them. Instead those who just follow orders and are just doing their job are held up as the highest manner of what makes America great. What was once done to all the Natives in America’s during European occupations, is still ongoing to this day.
You are mainly correct. But if You turn the american civile war around USA today probatly would be as South America having kinds of feudalisme all over for the whites and maybee still slavery.
The “What Ifs'” of history are pursuits of fancy, the historical reality are what matter. Racism within US is still highly in existence, and there are parts, States, of old Confederacy that for Blacks are not a lot different than after the Civil War. with impoverished areas that are as if in third world nations. As to racism, it is extant in every state and built into the culture; but still primarily in Old Confederacy States. It can be found in every strata of society, no matter of education or evonomic levels. The cultural mores of predominately whites realy comes through in the criminal justice systems, where unequal penalty of Black sentencing is harsher ,on average, than penalties for same levels of criminal behaviors in whites. here is another example, Special funding Bills were passed to aid racial minorities to access higher levels of efucation, and three years later females, especially single parent females, were legaly declared a minority, and that Educational Bill has a preponderance of white females recieving the funds. Another one, Black females have a far higher percentage of those holding two jobs than white females,; and yet those two job holding of Black females earn less a year than do white females. The US Civil war came about through economic conflicts between industrialized and far wealthier Northern States, than that of much poorer less populated and industrialized South, Slavery became but late side issue right after the Opening of hostilities that the South was winning, that hid real causes.
Thats mainly correct but very biased a lot, because You dont show most of USA at all.
You also forget that those white ones themselves actually came from something worse and people today as well as from the start emmígratet TO and not FROM USA.
And You of course forget there are many white poor people named as trash too incl. KKK. in slum as well as trailerparks.
I wont blame people for being poor when they are kept down, but I also see too often, that those people make it themselves and cant blame socalled whites for that.
Its true its the ultimative capitalistic system having less compensations, then I think it should, but when people not even vote, I wont blame the rest ignoring them as well.
And Yes I do know all about the states and their election systems. In USA they also make rotten Borrughs. Here You forget the lines are not only as You read but between Republicans and Democrats.
I explain those things, but the choise is not mine. In those matters I am a Scandinavian and by that do see, they now at least have a Sanders and a Warren about some of it.
I also will remind me and others about, they actually are 327 million people and 52 states. So If You insist in comparing like that, You should find an area having 327 million people, where there is a lack of poor people less the USA has.
You might say the new expanded EU having 500 mio. inhabitants, but here You have to add, that great parts not long time ago came from the collapsing Comecon Wundershaft as well as Emmigrants doing nothing in integration keeping their own Sunni hard.
The muslims comming here doing a hard work for needed for change are doing fine, and thats the whole point … Doing nothing.
And I do see those single parents females very well becomming mothers because rhye are learned thats the only thing they can. I also see their many helpers for those many children not even able to pay child suport for them. I see those families which for gerations have to take care of their grandchildren as it was done with them. And the Grandmothers husbounds hardly are there, they often are in jail too.
I wont blame only Hwites for that by skincolor. No way.
Its just as in fx Syria. If You are treated like sheep and acts as a sheep, You became a sheep and demand wolves to eat and keeep their kind og law and order. You just have learned to hope: Its not me they take this time.
You forget that part of it.
Women are the same in Syria being kept even more stupid then men. I even hear women in jobs take jobs from men having 50% in unimployment. But none are learned jobs are not limited like that, where I am. We create jobs and by work, we make the cake to share bigger.
That goes for most poor in America. Millions and millions insist in old traditions keeping themselves down having the best Sunni excuses as direct import from the Choran as well as Muhammed Economics.
Great part of them should support themselves as well as supporting those, which cannot.
And I do see the result, which is to import cheep labour from Mexico in stead.
jens holm is as stupid as can be and should be ignored.
The Monroe doctrin about it was made already in 1823.
Che anytime is totally overrated. Like dirty pictures we only saw the nice frontside of the print.
Even very biased I agree in main parts of the article. But more should understand, that it was the big farmers, which took over South America from Spain and Portugal.
USA dont understand and care about those contrast. Even sometimes bad, The USA votes in a much more fair way compared to the South America contrast.
Many others do trade and also makes bad and good thing there. USA is not as dominant as it used to be. Japan and several Europeans are bigger players too. As I see it, USA dont solve things.
US didnt lose in ME, we won! We smashed the most vulnerable countries with energy resources to the stone age and took over. So Russias and Chinas “influence”, is influence over a bunch of rubble………………..LOL. We are just continuing a successful concept that nade $billions and leverage to the United States. You guys just cant take when US is winning, because yourselves are losers man.