Trump summit with Latin American leaders: Confronting China and restructuring the region
A senior White House official announced that US President Donald Trump will host a major strategic summit with several Latin American leaders in Miami, Florida, on March 7. This move comes at a highly sensitive time, reflecting the US administration's desire to reassess its strategy in the Western Hemisphere and strengthen its alliances with regimes that align with its political and security vision.
New alliance map in the backyard
Although the final list of attendees has not been officially released, leaks and indications suggest that invitations have been extended to leaders of countries with close and distinguished relationships with President Trump. The presidents of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Honduras are expected to be among the most prominent figures invited. Analysts suggest that the selection of these specific leaders reflects a US tendency to support political currents aligned with the American agenda, while the absence of leaders from other pivotal countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico indicates a cooling of relations or a divergence in political views with those capitals at present.
The security and political context: the aftermath of the Venezuela operation
This summit is of exceptional importance as it comes in the wake of dramatic developments in the region, specifically two months after the US military operation in Venezuela that, according to sources, led to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro. This pivotal event has created a new geopolitical reality, requiring Washington to meet with its allies to coordinate positions, ensure regional stability, and prevent any security vacuum that could be exploited by hostile forces.
National security strategy and confronting the Chinese dragon
Reports, including those circulating in Argentine media, indicate that economic and security issues will feature prominently, as the US administration aims to implement its new National Security Strategy. This strategy is based on the principle of protecting the United States' "near regional periphery," a revival of traditional US policy principles that reject foreign intervention in the Americas.
In this context, countering China's growing influence in Latin America is expected to be a key focus of the talks. Over the past few years, Beijing has sought to bolster its presence through massive investments in infrastructure and energy within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Therefore, Trump aims, through this summit, to offer economic alternatives and security partnerships that would reduce the region's reliance on Chinese investments, thereby reasserting American hegemony and diminishing the room for maneuver for rival international powers in Washington's backyard.
