From Buenos Aires Times · Maya Averbuch, Bloomberg · · 1m 20s
Trump Builds Latin America Military Alliance
Trump cuts military aid but pushes Latin American allies to boost defense spending and buy US weapons.
In brief
Trump cuts military aid but pushes Latin American allies to boost defense spending and buy US weapons. Trump reduced US military aid to Latin America to $56 million in 2023, the lowest since 2001, while pressuring allies to increase defense budgets and purchase US arms. Originally reported by Buenos Aires Times.
Trump cuts Latin American military aid
US military aid to eight major Latin American economies dropped to $56 million in 2023, the lowest since 2001.
Bolsonaro leads Brazil election
Flávio Bolsonaro finished first in Sunday’s Brazilian presidential election and is the favorite to win the October 25 runoff against Lula.
Trump pushes defense spending
Trump is pressuring Latin American allies to boost defense budgets, buy US weapons, and join US-led operations against drug cartels.
Colombia gets limited aid
Colombia received $52 million in additional military financing but far less than during Plan Colombia’s peak.
Plan Colombia contrast
At Plan Colombia’s peak, Washington spent hundreds of millions annually in Colombia alone on military, police, and counter-narcotics programs.
Shield of the Americas alliance
Fourteen Latin American countries joined Trump’s Shield of the Americas, an anti-crime alliance launched in March.
US military actions in region
US forces killed over 220 people in strikes on vessels carrying drugs and deployed troops in Ecuador and Panama.
At a glance
Trump reduced US military aid to Latin America to $56 million in 2023, the lowest since 2001, while pressuring allies to increase defense budgets and purchase US arms.
