The United States no longer has the luxury to scold its partners in the region. Washington has never faced a hemisphere so politically disposed to resist U.S. pressure, or so fully enabled by an adversary’s money to do so.
Few have specifically studied vaccination in the Caribbean. This study aims to help fill this gap, understanding vaccine diplomacy and great powers’ combination of humanitarian and geopolitical motives.
U.S. military role should combine traditional missions in the region with adaptations supporting transparency, rule-of-law, and strengthening partner nation institutions.
In Guyana, as in other parts of Latin America, the United States should not attempt to block the government or others from doing business with the PRC and its companies, but rather, to continue to insist on transparency, the rule of law, and competent government institutions.
The rising tide of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda has been well-documented in recent years, particularly as internet access and social media consumption have become seemingly ubiquitous. But in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scourge of misinformation has intensified, with a cost that can—at least in some cases—be measured in human lives.
The world’s great powers have real and tangible impacts on Colombia. The next President of Colombia must engage in thoughtful, strategic planning to understand Colombia’s role in an increasingly tense geopolitical environment.
For Latin American governments and consumers, as well as for the United States and other global actors, therefore, the question of DiDi Chuxing and the expanding presence of Chinese e-commerce companies in general is particularly urgent.
Earlier this summer, leaders of the G7 launched the Build Back Better World (B3W) partnership, promising to develop high-quality, sustainable, and transparent infrastructure around the world. The U.S. has framed the B3W as a form of “strategic competition with China” and an answer to China’s infamous Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Other countries in Latin America should follow Uruguay’s tactful path to make the most of the opportunities provided by China.
Once again, history seems to be repeating itself. The United States, along with the world’s other rich and mostly Western countries, continue to be accused of hoarding medical supplies, having purchased one billion surplus vaccine doses (more than is required to vaccinate their citizens). In their absence, China—and, to a lesser extent, Russia—have rushed to take advantage of the vaccine gap in the Global South, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
