Two Defeats for the Empire in Latin America

First there was the failed summit in Los Angeles. This was the Ninth such meeting for the Organization of American States (OAS) which has long been a tool for US imperialism in the region. More than once it has given cover to US policies and machinations.

Biden chose to exclude Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, all governments out of favour with the United States. But Biden did not anticipate the backlash and with the boycotts the summit was by all accounts a failure. The fact that the failure came on US soil made it especially embarrassing.

The damage of the Trump era has not been undone as of yet and the world is watching as the US economy is in trouble, its ability to project power is an open question, and internally the US is disintegrating and looks headed for political violence and civil war. The need to bow to Washington is not so pressing and as the American hand weakens others will step up. This isn't the moment per se, but the rejection of US leadership in 2022 is a sign that the moment is coming.

And then there are the elections in Colombia. This has received some news but the election of a former Leftist rebel has undoubtedly sent shockwaves across some corridors of power in Washington and New York. Realistically it is unlikely that Gustavo Petro will bring about the sweeping changes that some expect. Additionally, he's not quite the 'rebel' that some make him out to be and to what extent he advocated that ideology he abandoned it nearly forty years ago.

Nevertheless, Washington is not happy as Petro wants to bring about reform. He's not exactly a fan of Maduro in Venezuela or the Cuban government but his administration will definitely represent a shift away from the Right-wing and pro-American policies that have long dominated Bogota. I'm sure the energy companies are not happy and phones are ringing.

His victory signals the desire for change in Colombia. American reporting always downplays the resentment directed toward the American backed regime in Bogota as well as the Right-wing paramilitaries and the violence they have committed. In addition to being auxiliaries of the state military, many of these groups also operate at the behest of large corporations – of which not a few are based in the United States. In addition to fighting the Left-wing groups and terrorizing the poor and indigenous people who might resist these companies and their quest for land and resources, the paramilitaries are notorious for crushing labour movements and have assassinated many trade union leaders.

The US media and in particular Evangelical media has chosen to ignore the role of these organisations (such as AUC) which have been linked to massacres, assassinations, kidnappings, rapes, and drug trafficking. They are every bit as violent and terrifying to the public as groups like the FARC and in fact are by many accounts responsible for more of the drugs and killing than the Left-wing groups.

And the public is not wholly naive, knowing the sometimes dominant role the US plays in the government of Colombia. This is in addition to the plots and machinations of the CIA, and the US approved initiatives of the state of Israel and both of their relationships with the paramilitaries. Factor in the paramilitary connections to these intelligence entities, Wall Street, the mafia and drug trafficking – let's just say the picture is somewhat sordid and it's not hard to imagine why people are looking for change. Officially, the Right-wing paramilitaries are independent but leaks, investigations, scandals, and common knowledge reveal that they're intimately tied in with the police, military, foreign entities, and big corporations. There's a big dirty scam going and people know it.

It's also something of a 'flip' game. Alliances and allegiances change and while corporate and intelligence actors may work with these people, at the same time they are hunted by the DEA, FBI, and other agencies. If caught, sometimes there are interventions and they receive some help. Other times, they're abandoned. Often their criminality extends beyond any sanctioned mission from the army or intelligence agencies and as such when captured they are left to their own devices. And yet if they start naming names and talking, they know they're as good as dead.

It's these factors as well as concerns over economics, corruption, and the like that have led to this shift and yet Washington even now is planning their next move. The question is this – can they wait until the next election and work to bring about the results they want or will America strike and through some direct or indirect means make sure that Petro is toppled. A lot of the rhetoric is already focused on drugs and Petro has indicated a desire to bring about a shift in strategy connected to agricultural reform. How much he will actually attempt is yet to be seen but the American press is already doing all it can to paint a worst case scenario and suggesting that a new golden age for the cartels will come about with the incoming Petro administration. The truth regarding the cartels, their money, and its role in the Western financial system is a tale the media won't touch.

Time will tell just what Petro will do and how much the media is exaggerating. But in the meantime with American focus on its own internal problems and its wars and pending conflicts in Eurasia, you can be sure these setbacks, resistance, and subsequent frustration in Latin America are a source of irritation.

But everything is connected and having nothing to lose and only possible gain by sticking a finger in Washington's eye and generating distraction, it is certain that nations such as Cuba, Russia, and China will make overtures to Petro and his incoming administration. It's a little trickier when it comes to Venezuela as Maduro has to weigh the possible benefits of a partial reconciliation with Washington.

It's been an interesting couple of weeks for US-Latin American relations.