A Shifting Tide: Latin America’s Growing Distance from U.S. Influence
Recent events in Honduras underscore a broader trend in Latin America: a noticeable shift away from cooperation with the United States. As anti-U.S. sentiment rises among regional leaders, a new geopolitical landscape is emerging, challenging longstanding alliances and U.S. influence.
In recent years, Latin America has increasingly become a region where the United States finds its influence waning. Once seen as the undisputed leader and ally of many Latin American nations, the U.S. now faces growing resistance from governments looking elsewhere for partnerships, alliances, and influence. This shift is not just a matter of changing political tides; it reflects a more profound, systemic divergence between the U.S. and several Latin American countries.
Honduras’s recent actions to reconsider its extradition treaty with the United States are a glaring example of this trend. Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s decision to potentially sever this key legal agreement with the U.S. marks a significant departure from past cooperation, signaling a broader anti-U.S. sentiment taking hold across the region. The geopolitical landscape significantly transforms as Latin American leaders push back against U.S. policies and influence.
Honduras: The Latest in a Series of Rejections
The tensions between Honduras and the United States have been simmering for some time. Still, they reached a boiling point with President Castro’s threat to withdraw from the bilateral extradition treaty. This move came after U.S. Ambassador Laura Dogu raised concerns about Honduran military officials meeting with Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, who is under indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice for his alleged role in a drug trafficking operation.
Castro’s response was swift and defiant. She accused the U.S. of attempting to undermine her government and stated that she would not allow the extradition treaty to be used as a tool of intimidation. “We’re defending our armed forces, not coups,” she declared, framing the issue as national sovereignty rather than legal cooperation.
This rhetoric is not isolated. It reflects a broader pattern among Latin American leaders who are increasingly willing to challenge U.S. influence openly. Castro’s stance is particularly significant given the historical context: her husband, Manuel Zelaya, was ousted as president of Honduras in a 2009 coup that many in the region believe was tacitly supported by the U.S. despite its official condemnation of the coup. This history looms large in the current tensions, fueling a sense of distrust and hatred towards the U.S. that is now being expressed through policy decisions.
But Honduras is not alone in its shift. Similar sentiments have been echoed in Mexico, where President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also taken a more aggressive approach towards the U.S. Recently, he declared his relationship with the U.S. embassy on “pause” after U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar criticized a judicial reform proposal in Mexico as a threat to the country’s democracy. This kind of rhetoric, once reserved for leaders like Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, is now becoming more common even among U.S. allies.
Historical Grievances Fueling Anti-U.S. Sentiment
The current anti-U.S. sentiment in Latin America is deeply rooted in historical grievances. For many Latin American countries, the United States is not just a neighboring superpower but also a post-colonial force that has often intervened in the region’s affairs, sometimes with devastating consequences. These military, political, or economic interventions have left a lasting legacy of resentment resurfacing as Latin American leaders seek to assert their independence.
The memory of U.S.-backed coups, such as the one that removed President Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973, continues to haunt the region. In Honduras, the 2009 coup that ousted Manuel Zelaya is a more recent example of how U.S. actions have shaped political outcomes in Latin America. While the Obama administration was critical of the coup, its quick recognition of the post-coup election was seen by many as de facto support for Zelaya’s ousting, further deepening mistrust.
This mistrust is not limited to the past. Ongoing issues, such as the U.S.’s approach to drug trafficking and migration, continue to create friction. The U.S. has long used extradition treaties as a tool to combat drug trafficking in Latin America, but this strategy has often been criticized for its one-sided nature. In countries like Honduras, where former presidents and their families have been implicated in the drug trade, these treaties are seen as a form of U.S. control rather than genuine partnerships.
The rise of left-leaning governments in countries like Honduras, Mexico, and Colombia has also contributed to the resurgence of anti-U.S. sentiment. These governments often view the U.S. as a barrier to their domestic and foreign policy goals, particularly regarding economic sovereignty and regional integration. For leaders like Castro, López Obrador, and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, distancing themselves from the U.S. is a political strategy and an ideological stance rooted in a desire to break free from what they see as U.S. hegemony.
The Rise of the New Alliance includes China and Russia
As some Latin American countries move away from the U.S., they increasingly look to other global powers for support and partnership. China and Russia, in particular, have made significant inroads into the region, offering alternatives to the U.S.-dominated international order.
China’s growing influence in Latin America is perhaps the most notable. Over the past decade, China has become one of the region’s largest trading partners, investing billions in infrastructure projects, natural resources, and technology. In 2023, Honduras dramatically shifted by recognizing China diplomatically, severing its longstanding relationship with Taiwan. This move signaled Honduras’s intention to align more closely with China, reflecting a broader regional trend.
China’s interest in Latin America is multifaceted. Economically, the region offers access to valuable natural resources and a growing consumer market. Politically, China sees Latin America as a strategic partner in its efforts to counter U.S. influence globally. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s ambitious global infrastructure project, has gained traction in Latin America, with several countries signing on to participate.
Russia, too, has sought to expand its influence in Latin America, albeit in a more limited capacity. The region represents a strategic opportunity for Russia to challenge U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. By supporting governments that are hostile or ambivalent towards the U.S., Russia aims to create instability and weaken U.S. influence. The Kremlin’s support for leaders like Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and its growing military ties with countries like Nicaragua are examples of this strategy in action.
For Latin American leaders, these new alliances offer a way to diversify their international relationships and reduce their dependence on the U.S. By engaging with China and Russia; they can gain access to alternative sources of funding, technology, and military support while also signaling their willingness to challenge the U.S.-led order.
Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy: A Need for Recalibration
The growing trend of Latin American countries distancing themselves from the U.S. has significant implications for U.S. foreign policy. As the region becomes more assertive and increasingly aligns with other global powers, the U.S. must rethink its approach to Latin America.
One key challenge for U.S. policymakers is engaging with Latin American governments that are openly critical of U.S. influence. The traditional tools of diplomacy—economic aid, military cooperation, and trade agreements—may no longer be sufficient to maintain strong relationships with these countries. Instead, the U.S. must find new ways to build trust and cooperation, particularly with leaders who view the U.S. as an adversary rather than an ally.
This recalibration will require a deeper understanding of the region’s historical and ideological factors driving anti-U.S. sentiment. U.S. policymakers must recognize that for many Latin American leaders, distancing themselves from the U.S. is not just a political maneuver but a reflection of long-standing grievances and a desire for greater autonomy. Addressing these concerns will be essential to rebuilding trust and fostering more productive relationships.
Additionally, the U.S. must contend with China’s and Russia’s growing influence in Latin America. This will involve countering their economic and political influence and offering Latin American countries viable alternatives to the partnerships they are forming with these global powers. This could include expanding trade and investment opportunities, supporting infrastructure development, and increasing cooperation on climate change and regional security issues.
Finally, the U.S. must be prepared for the possibility that some Latin American countries will continue to move away from its sphere of influence, regardless of diplomatic efforts. In these cases, the U.S. will need to focus on building strong alliances with those countries that remain committed to working together while also finding ways to mitigate the impact of a more fragmented regional order.
A New Geopolitical Landscape in Latin America
The recent actions of Honduras and the broader trend of anti-U.S. sentiment in Latin America signal a significant shift in the region’s geopolitical landscape. As countries like Honduras, Mexico, and Colombia distance themselves from the U.S. and seek new alliances with global powers like China and Russia, the U.S. faces a growing challenge to its influence in the Western Hemisphere.
This shift marks the emergence of a new geopolitical landscape in Latin America, where traditional alliances are being redefined, and the United States can no longer take its influence for granted. As more Latin American countries seek to assert their independence and explore relationships with other global powers, the U.S. must adapt to a region increasingly willing to challenge its dominance.
For decades, the U.S. has relied on its historical ties and economic clout to maintain influence in Latin America. However, as recent events have shown, these traditional forms of leverage are no longer enough. The U.S. now faces a region where a combination of historical grievances, domestic political pressures, and the appeal of alternative partnerships with China and Russia emboldens leaders.
U.S. foreign policy must undergo significant recalibration to navigate this new reality. This will involve addressing the root causes of anti-U.S. sentiment and demonstrating a genuine commitment to mutual respect and partnership. The U.S. must move beyond the transactional relationships of the past and engage with Latin American countries on a deeper, more equitable level.
Moreover, the U.S. must recognize that its interests in Latin America are about maintaining influence and ensuring stability, prosperity, and cooperation in a region crucial to its security and economic well-being. As the area evolves, so too must the U.S. approach—shifting from a mindset of dominance to one of collaboration, where the voices and concerns of Latin American countries are genuinely heard and addressed.
The Honduran rejection and similar actions by other Latin American countries are a wake-up call for the U.S. As these nations continue to assert their independence, the U.S. must rise to the challenge by crafting a foreign policy that is not only strategic but also sensitive to the complex dynamics at play in the region. Only by doing so can the U.S. hope to rebuild trust, strengthen alliances, and maintain a meaningful presence in a rapidly changing Latin America.
Also read: The Early Release of Drug Lords Imprisoned in the U.S. and the Latin American Confusion
As the geopolitical landscape shifts, the U.S. stands at a crossroads in its relationship with Latin America. Its choices will determine whether it remains a crucial regional partner or is increasingly sidelined by emerging powers and shifting alliances. The path forward will require humility, creativity, and a willingness to engage with Latin America on terms that reflect the realities of the 21st century.
