Rethinking U.S. – Latin America Relations: The need for a new agenda

• In Event: US-Latin America Relations

Abstract

The United States has used its geographic proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean to promote and often impose its economic, political and military interests. These interests and links have been strong in the past, but since 2001 the region has lost its relevance in the foreign policy agenda of the White House.

During more than eight years of inattention during the administrations of George W. Bush, Latin America not only experienced an incredible economic growth allowing the region to increase its confidence and ability to resolve its problems, but it also created the opportunity to diversify and consolidate commercial and diplomatic relations with other traditional and emerging global players such as China, The European Union, India, Russia, among others. With these positive changes taken place in the region, the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 presented an opportunity to the new administration to reexamine and reformulate U.S. policy towards the region. Nevertheless, given the volatile international context, together with the U.S. economic crisis of 2008, these hopes quickly vanished.

Today, U.S. foreign policy is marked by a certain level of independence of Latin America and the Caribbean from the United States. But despite all of this, the future still holds major challenges for both actors, such as migration, drug trafficking, violence generated by the drug cartels, climate change, among others, that will require the U.S. and Latin America to work together.

This research presents an analysis of the foreign policy of the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean under both administrations of President Obama. More specific, it examines the evolution and changes of the foreign policy agenda towards the region from the Bush Administration to the Obama Administration.

Author

• Stephanie Rodriguez, FUNGLODE