# Trump Builds Latin America Military Alliance

> Trump cuts military aid but pushes Latin American allies to boost defense spending and buy US weapons.
- Title: Trump Builds Latin America Military Alliance | Shortify
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: trump, latin america, military aid, bolsenaro, lula, colombia, plan colombia, news, politics, world, Builds, Latin
- Source: Buenos Aires Times — https://batimes.com.ar/news/world/trump-builds-vast-latin-america-military-alliance-on-the-cheap.phtml
- Author: Maya Averbuch, Bloomberg
- Published: 2026-10-07T15:29:52+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trump, latin america, military aid, bolsenaro, lula, colombia, plan colombia, news, politics, world
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.