Dr Aparaajita Pandey
The US and Colombia have had a long association with each other, and the longevity and depth of the relationship was recently displayed when President Biden and Duque addressed the press at the White House. President Ivan Duque has chosen an opportune time to visit Washington, and it is a propitious time for Washington to host Duque. There isn’t a dearth of geopolitically or socio-economically significant events around the world presently and this visit between two Presidents who are slowly losing favour among their own people must also be examined among the labyrinthine ways in which world politics is operating presently.
The Russia – Ukraine conflict certainly takes centre stage in global politics at the moment and the in- roads that the Russians have made in Latin America since 2018 can not be ignored when it comes to understanding the recent visit by the Colombian President. It is imperative for the US to strengthen their relationship with old allies. During the visit Biden announced that Colombia was to receive the status of a non- NATO ally to the US. There is great significance to being a non – NATO Ally while it doesn’t guarantee a country complete collective security from threats as it does for NATO members, it is indicative of the fact that the US has a strong strategic and economic relations with the country.
Biden mentioned that Colombia was the ‘lynch-pin’ for the southern hemisphere. The other two non- NATO allies in Latin America are Brazil and Argentina, both countries that have enjoyed lengthy and substantial relationships with the US but have recently started distancing themselves from Biden. While Alberto Fernandez and Jair Bolsonaro made a pilgrimage to Moscow and displayed their warmth for Putin, Colombia became one of the first countries in Latin America to condemn the Russian actions in Ukraine.
This visit also comes at the heels of the recent secretive visit by US officials to Venezuela. As US is considering sanctions on Russian crude oil, and crude oil prices are rising rapidly across the world; Venezuela which is an OPEC member and a producer of heavy crude is rapidly beginning to look like a suitable alternative to the US albeit their unwavering support for Russia and their status as the part of the ‘troika of tyranny’. This visit between US officials and Maduro administration has not been appreciated by Duque whose regime currently faces a refugee crisis due to the humanitarian crisis that has engulfed Venezuela and catalysed one of the largest exodus of refugees in Latin American history. As Colombia reels under this pressure, the last thing that Duque needs is for a trusted partner like the US to warm up to the Maduro regime, thereby providing it with the slightest ounce of legitimacy.
Colombia is also gearing up for Presidential elections this year. The two biggest elections in the region in 2022 are that of Brazil and Colombia. Conventionally Colombia has favoured regimes that are quite akin to the American ideology of politics, the pink tide seems to have little impact on the country which is one of the reasons for the long – standing relationship between the US and Colombia; however, the pundits of politics predict a break in the pattern this time. Colombia saw wide-spread protests during the pandemic and as more and more countries are favouring leadership that believes in social spending and inclusive societies, Colombian people have found themselves warming up to Gustavo Petro who is considered much like Gabriel Boric, a little left of centre.
This visit was not just about Colombia becoming a part of the bandwagon of non – NATO allies, it is about the US beginning or at least trying to reclaim their place in Latin America. While the intervention of the Russians is not new and finds precedence from the days of the cold war. Another player in the region that surpasses the Russians at this time is the Chinese. While the US might be trying to tip the scales in their favour when it comes to the Russians, they are also acutely aware of the Chinese who seem to have an all-encompassing approach to Latin America. The free flow of money from the Chinese side and their willingness to bend the rules makes Chinese a force to reckon with. The Chinese clout in sectors of trade, military, security, space, cybersecurity, and infrastructure also comes with no obvious political agenda for the Latin American countries and hence they make easy partners. For the US however, this growing clout has started to seem formidable.
This visit and the bestowing of this status is just the beginning to what would in all probability be a long series of revival and restoration of US – Latin American relationships.
(The author is a political analyst and has a PhD in Latin American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited).