On November 13th, President Xi Jinping departed for Latin America to attend the 31st Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Informal Meeting and the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit, and paid state visits to Peru and Brazil.

With the opening of two of the world’s most important multilateral conferences, the world’s attention is focused on Latin America, and international politics has entered the “Latin American moment”.

Picture from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization.
Faced with many global challenges such as weak economic growth, food and energy crises, frequent geopolitical conflicts, and increasing global governance deficits, both APEC and G20 carry the world’s attention and expectations beyond the past.
Today, 90000 miles will analyze the three major trends behind the “Latin American Moment” for everyone.
Trend 1: American hegemony is gradually declining.
The Monroe Doctrine is notorious.
Since the birth of the Monroe Doctrine, “America is the America of Americans” has become the main theme of the United States’ policy towards Latin America.
The United States has always regarded Latin America as its own “geopolitical backyard” and “strategic barrier”, arbitrarily expanding its territory, plundering resources, intervening militarily, manipulating politics, and imposing economic sanctions on Latin American countries, causing heavy disasters to Latin American countries and peoples.
The United States has abused unilateral sanctions by packaging the nearly 60 year economic, financial, and trade embargo against Cuba as a tool to promote democracy and respect for human rights.
The United States has added a “poison pill clause” to the “US Mexico Canada Agreement” to restrict Mexico’s autonomy in foreign trade and further solidify Mexico’s weak position in the North American industrial chain.
With the global spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the United States continues to escalate its sanctions against Venezuela and Nicaragua.
According to a research report from Tufts University in the United States, from the year of American independence in 1776 to 2019, the United States launched nearly 400 military interventions worldwide, of which 34% were targeted at Latin America, seriously endangering the security of Latin American countries.
A research report from Harvard University also shows that in less than 100 years from 1898 to 1994, the US government planned and implemented at least 41 coups in Latin America, equivalent to one every 28 months.
Latin American countries rose up in rebellion.
The selfish foreign policy of the United States has made Latin American countries realize its bullying nature, and the conflicts of interest between many Latin American countries and the United States continue to rise. (See also the article “Just do it! Mexico’s hard line against American imperialism!”)
Colombia, a long-standing ally of the United States, openly opposes the United States on issues such as bilateral trade agreements and drug control policies.
Brazilian President Lula has repeatedly stated his intention to use local currency settlement in China Pakistan trade and proposed the creation of a common currency among the countries of the Southern Common Market to resist the hegemony of the US dollar.
Honduras broke through the resistance of the United States and chose to establish diplomatic relations with China, and quickly arranged for a presidential visit to China after the establishment of diplomatic relations.
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine in the United States in 2023, leaders from many Latin American countries publicly criticized the Monroe Doctrine.
Former Mexican President Lopez explicitly stated that the Americas should no longer have the Monroe Doctrine, interventionist policies, and blockades against other countries, nor should any country dominate the region.
It is evident that the “Monroe Doctrine” hegemony of the United States has gradually declined in Latin America.
Trend 2: The awakening of strategic autonomy in Latin America.
Strengthen unity and cooperation.
In recent years, Latin American countries have continuously awakened, their sense of autonomy has continued to improve, their willingness to unite and strengthen themselves, and their integration has shown an upward trend.
Several Latin American countries refused to participate in the 9th Summit of the Americas to resist the United States’ refusal to invite Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
After the Lula government came to power, Brazil returned to the Latin American Community, and overall cooperation in Latin America returned to a normal track.
The Union of South American Nations was reactivated and held a new summit in June 2023.
Faced with the mainstream development of globalization and multipolarity, Latin American countries have become increasingly autonomous and unwilling to obey the orders of the United States, let alone take sides in the great power game and harm their own interests.
Participate in global governance.
Brazil, Mexico, Chile and other emerging economies in Latin America actively participate in global governance and international affairs, promoting the transformation of the global governance system.
After taking office, Brazilian President Lula attached great importance to relations with developing countries and actively promoted the expansion of BRICS membership.
Faced with Argentina’s debt problem, many Latin American countries support Argentina’s debt restructuring and criticize the aid model led by the International Monetary Fund.
Central American and Caribbean countries have proposed that the “vulnerability index” should replace the current per capita income as the standard for international aid.
Adhere to diverse and autonomous diplomacy.
Latin American countries actively strengthen cooperation with European and Asia Pacific countries, promote diversified diplomacy, and resist US interference and control.
With the rapid development of China Latin America relations, China has become an important partner for Latin American countries, and various initiatives and concepts proposed by China have also received strong support from Latin American countries.
Since 2012, China has been the second largest trading partner and major source of investment in Latin America. The trade volume between China and Latin America will exceed 489 billion US dollars in 2023.
So far, China has signed cooperation documents with 22 Latin American countries to jointly build the “the Belt and Road”.
The Qiankai Port project in Peru, the Belgrano Freight Railway reconstruction project in Argentina, the Bogota Metro Line 1 project in Colombia, and the North South Expressway project in Jamaica… One cooperation project after another has taken root, benefiting the local area and both parties.
Picture of COSCO Shipping’s Qiankai Port Terminal in Peru.
The “2024 International Trade Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean” report recently released by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean shows that international trade in Latin America and the Caribbean is gradually recovering this year, and China will be the fastest-growing market for its exports among the region’s major trading partners.
Trend 3: The strong rise of the ‘Global South’.
On October 24th this year, President Xi Jinping pointed out at the BRICS+Leaders’ Dialogue in Kazan that the joint modernization of countries in the “global South” is a major event in world history and an unprecedented feat in the process of human civilization.

In recent years, the countries of the “Global South” have continuously strengthened their influence in global affairs through multilateral organizations and conferences such as BRICS, APEC, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Non Aligned Movement Summit, providing new impetus for building a more just and diverse international order. (See also our article “A Critical Review of the Nine Thousand Miles of 2023 | Six Major Changes that Turbulent the World”)
In terms of politics.
The countries of the ‘Global South’ are playing an increasingly important role in international affairs, especially in the competition among major powers.
On international hot issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Palestine Israel conflict, many countries in the “Global South” actively advocate peace negotiations and firmly oppose any escalation of confrontation that may lead to global disasters.
In May of this year, China and Brazil issued a “six point consensus” on the political resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, which has received active support and response from more and more countries, sending out the “China Latin America Strong Voice” of maintaining peace, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. (See also the article “Unable to receive, unable to come! He came, she came, they all came!”)
Regarding the Ukraine crisis, China and Brazil have reached a six point consensus.
In terms of economy.

The economic strength of countries in the ‘Global South’ is increasingly highlighting their global influence.

According to a report by the International Monetary Fund, many emerging market countries and developing economies are experiencing strong growth, with growth rates surging from 2.8% in 2022 to 4.5% in 2023.

The total economic output of BRICS countries is on par with that of the United States, and their proportion of global GDP is steadily increasing.

At the same time, countries in the ‘Global South’ are gradually increasing their autonomy in resource development and exports, and playing an increasingly important role in global supply chains and industrial networks.

In terms of global governance.

The countries of the ‘Global South’ are promoting reforms in the international order and global governance system in global governance.

The countries of the ‘Global South’ actively participate in global economic governance within frameworks such as the United Nations and G20, and promote the establishment of new institutional platforms such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB).

As a natural member of the “Global South”, China has put forward new ideas, new ideas and new visions for common development to the world through multilateral mechanisms such as the “Group of 77 and China” Summit, the “China Central Asia Summit”, the “the Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum and so on.

The countries of the ‘Global South’ are moving closer and more frequently, working hand in hand to accelerate national construction, achieve independent development, and promote the democratization of international relations.

There is a Latin American proverb that goes, ‘A true friend can touch your heart from the other side of the world.’.
Against the backdrop of weak global economic recovery and numerous global challenges, China, which belongs to the “Global South”, will work together with Latin American countries to firmly uphold world peace and promote common development.
With the arrival of the “Latin American moment” in international politics, China’s great power diplomacy has also entered the “Latin American moment”.