U.S. threatens Latin America and Caribbean as a Zone of Peace

By Yisell Rodriguez Milan

The current U.S. administration has escalated its intervention in the region during 2018, and recently approved a record “defense” budget of 716 billion dollars for 2019.

More than 76 military bases in Latin America, support for military and judicial coups against Presidents, the attempted assassination of Nicolas Maduro, sanctions and economic blockades are only some of the strategies being implemented by the United States in Latin America and the Caribbean in its attempt to reverse the victories achieved by progressive governments over the last few decades.

The Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) proclaimed the region a Zone of Peace in January 2014, but the U.S. is set on undermining this consensus.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson toured the region in February this year and Vice President Mike Pence in June, promoting the U.S. agenda.

Now it is Defense Secretary James Mattis has toured Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia, seeking military and diplomatic allies.

Recent events confirm the escalation:

- The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, recently denounced a "covert invasion" of Latin America with the deployment of a vessel capable of transporting combat helicopters. The excuse: humanitarian aid to Venezuelans living in Colombia.

- The capabilities of the Southern Command, with its network of military bases and the Fourth Fleet, have been strengthened.

- On the cultural front, big capital moves its media, churches, and technological resources, to demobilize youth, promoting the idea that socialism is not viable and social justice not the state’s responsibility.

- In official statements by the Trump administration, the Monroe Doctrine is proudly presented as more relevant than ever.

- The United States continues to promote non-governmental initiatives, aggressive media campaigns, and cooperation between judicial powers and Washington-controlled organizations, to carry out a targeted, brutal war against the left in the region.

These strategies are in line with "regime change" schemes, which claim millions of victims around the world and promote violence, war, humanitarian crises, and instability, at any cost.

(Source: en.granma.cu)