{"id":3666,"date":"2020-10-05T05:56:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T05:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vricmonitor.org\/changes-to-latin-american-security-landscape-post-october-18\/"},"modified":"2024-08-21T14:36:05","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T14:36:05","slug":"changes-to-latin-american-security-landscape-post-october-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vric.securefreesociety.org\/es\/changes-to-latin-american-security-landscape-post-october-18\/","title":{"rendered":"CHANGES TO LATIN AMERICAN SECURITY LANDSCAPE POST-OCTOBER 18"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In September, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) became a political battleground for Great Power Competition. Iran and Venezuela received both the scorn from some Western nations and solidarity from others aligned with the VRIC. Both were subject to scrutiny from the UN prior to the virtual meeting, as snapback sanctions on Iran were formally reimposed by the United States while the UN Human Rights Council reminded the international community of the brutal nature of the Maduro regime through a report citing the regime\u2019s crimes against humanity.\u00a0

Nonetheless, Iran is still shipping fuel tankers to Venezuela. The final ship, in a flotilla of three vessels, just entered Venezuelan waters this past weekend. Iran\u2019s most recent fuel tankers took extra precautions to traverse international waters undetected, including a new seafaring route around South Africa. These fuel shipments, the second Iran has sent to Venezuela this year, could be a preamble for\u00a0weapons shipments to the Maduro regime after the UN arms embargo on Tehran expires on October 18th. Before Venezuela embraces an empowered Iran, Juan Guaid\u00f3 is making another push to oust Maduro, calling for nationwide protests in Venezuela and an international call to action to enact the UN\u2019s Right to Protect (R2P) charter.\u00a0<\/p>

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China and Russia took the opportunity at the UNGA to initiate a sort of coronavirus Cold War against the U.S. promoting their new, untested COVID-19 vaccines during the virtual gathering. This medical diplomacy is a gateway for VRIC nations to enhance its political and economic influence in Latin America, as some nations have already signed deals to test the Chinese and Russian vaccines. The U.S. is challenging this and closing in economically on the VRIC in Latin America, with the recent election of Mauricio Claver-Carone to head the Inter-American Development Bank, the first American to do so in the bank\u2019s history. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Claver-Carone then set off to take the first-ever U.S. secretary-visit to Guyana and Suriname, signing new agreements, and shoring up old allies, Brazil and Colombia, in a South American trip that further pushed back against the VRIC.\u00a0<\/p>

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With U.S. elections looming in November, the VRIC may have its own \u201cOctober surprise\u201d ready after the 18th. Aside from a potential arms transfer from Iran to Venezuela, Maduro\u2019s ally, Evo Morales, may return to Bolivia if his political party, the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) wins its presidential bid in the first round on October 18th. Chile\u2019s referendum on rewriting its constitution follows shortly after, while Peru, Colombia, Paraguay, Mexico, Central America, and others are facing heightened political turmoil and social unrest. This month is critical to see if the security landscape in the Americas will change.\u00a0<\/p>

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