Biden Win Signals Brighter Future With Latin America
by Yun Zhu | 5 hours ago |
In the hours following President-elect Joe Bidens triumph over President Donald Trump, an air of exuberance spread over Latin America. Activists from Colombia to Mexico celebrated Bidens victory, while Latin American media praised the election result as a blow to fascism and the end of one of the darkest periods in American history. Such optimism is not unreasonable the Biden administration will usher in a new era of U.S.-Latin America relations marked by more cooperation and less confrontation.
Biden has long planned to end Trumps bully dictating policy in Latin America. While in office, Trump has imposed severe economic sanctions on Americas neighbors, aggravated Cuba and Venezuelas financial crises and enacted harsh immigration restrictions. Over 500 immigrant children have lost all connections to their parents. Fortunately, these nightmares will soon come to an end. Bidens foreign policies will be starkly different from Trumps. Sanctions and restrictions are not so favorable to Biden. To mitigate illegal immigration from Central America, Biden plans to address its root causes: poverty, corruption and violence. To achieve this ambitious goal, Biden has proposed a $4 billion aid package to bolster anti-corruption campaigns in Central America and support the regions economy.
Compared with Trumps heavy-handed policies, Bidens plan toward neighboring authoritarian regimes will be firm but temperate. Unlike Trump, Biden will not ardently support Venezuelas opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, or initiate harsh oil sanctions on the current regime. Instead, he will negotiate with Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelas autocratic leader, to institute free and fair elections. Biden also intends to withdraw Trumps travel restrictions and economic sanctions on Cuba in the interest of normalizing relations with its socialist neighbor. Easing sanctions in Cuba will alleviate its citizens hardships and invigorate the private sector. Unlike Trumps hardline policies, Bidens plans will not impose as much pain on civilians in Latin America.
Admittedly, Bidens plan is likely to face challenges both internationally and domestically. His more uncompromising stance on environmental protection, anti-corruption and human rights may alienate him from some Latin American regimes. After Biden proposed to raise $20 billion in international funds to combat the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro denounced the proposal as violating Brazils sovereignty.
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https://emorywheel.com/biden-win-signals-brighter-future-with-latin-america/