Conservative group warns of high costs as US influence fades in Latin America
A delegation of experts from the conservative Heritage Foundation visited with leaders in Paraguay, Argentina and Panama last week, with President Kevin Roberts warning the "political and economic security costs of the U.S. neglecting this hemisphere are very high."
Roberts, joined by Vice President Victoria Coates and others, said of his visit with Paraguayan President Santiago Pena that it has proven to be one of the most "stable, reliable countries" in terms of its economy and government – and that it, like the U.S., wants to rebuff Chinese influence in the West.
"It is also apparent that President Trump and Vice President Vance, by reengaging in this (southern) hemisphere, by placing what is clear to be a high priority on Latin America, have caused some conversations that need to happen, and we're grateful to be here to have those conversations with policymakers, but also convey from our perspective as Americans, the wisdom of what the Trump administration is doing," Roberts said.
"And we say that with our independence from the administration and from any political party -- instead being led by our real desire: to tell the truth about what's going on."
Roberts described a "reset" in diplomacy from the past four years with the three countries and others in the region, remarking the opportunities for benefit are "almost limitless."
Coates, who served as a national security advisor on Middle East affairs in the first Trump administration, said the three countries visited were chosen by their improvement or standing on the economic freedom index.
"We’ve great strides in all three of these economies towards [getting] away from the historic socialism and corruption that has been plaguing the region," she said, as Venezuela, Nicaragua and other countries are ruled by much more of an iron fist.
Mike Gonzalez, a national security expert who served in the George W. Bush administration and spent several years as a globetrotting journalist, said the meetings with South American leaders made one thing clear: America’s leadership shift over the past four years has left a noticeable vacuum.
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"This is what our friends in the region have told us. They said we seemed to back the leaders and the political forces that really hate the United States, like people that Gustavo Petro, Lula da Silva; Sergio Massa – whom the previous administration sent Democratic operatives to help elect against [current President Javier] Milei."
Gonzalez said democratic political forces in the region are "very happy" that the U.S. is no longer appearing to support people who do not have the right interests at heart.
Andres Martinez-Fernandez, a Central and South America expert, added that when it comes to the newfound attention to the Panama Canal, it remains a "vital artery for the U.S. economy" and deserves such attention.
"There’s a lot of interest from both the United States and the region as far as bolstering our economic interconnectedness. And that, I think, is a clear counterweight to our dependence on China and being able to extract that influence," he said.
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"But the part of that is also talking about China within our hemisphere, which unfortunately, they've bolstered their presence very dramatically."
"We saw that in Argentina, where President Milei who came to power being very vocal on the China issue and I think remains concerned about it… so I'm glad to see that President Trump is reengaging and addressing the metastasized threat that is China's presence in the Western Hemisphere that comes with difficult conversations."
When asked about the delegation, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital that "foreign leaders want positive relationships with the Trump administration because this president is Making America Strong Again."