2023-08-05 03:06:00
Laura Richardson, head of the United States Southern Command / Photo: AFP
The head of the United States Southern Command (Southcom), Laura Richardson, warned today that she was “absolutely worried” for him China’s increased investment in critical infrastructure from Latin America.
“I am absolutely concerned about Chinese investment,” Richardson said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think-tank.
The military chief added that China is “at the top of the list” as a challenge to the United States in Latin America.
Richardson also expressed concern by China’s increased activities in strategic waterwayssuch as the Panama Canal and the Strait of Magellan.
In addition, he slipped that the Asian giant could use the existing capacities there to achieve not only civilian but also military objectives.
In this sense, he clarified that China does not have military bases in Latin America, but it is very likely that it will establish them in the future, the Sputnik news agency reported.
It is estimated that the United States has around 80 military bases in Latin America, most of them in Panama, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Peru, in addition to the one it has in Guantánamo, Cuba.
In March, Richardson had already affirmed before the Defense Commission of the House of Representatives of his country the pconcern over Beijing’s growing influence in Latin America.
In this context, he said that China “ccontinues to expand its economic, diplomatic, technological, informational and military influence” in Latin America and the Caribbean, and “manipulates” their governments through “predatory investment practices”.
During a discussion today with @CSIS, #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Laura Richardson highlighted the importance of U.S. whole-of-government solutions to help strengthen our partners in Latin America & the Caribbean. @smartwomen @csis_isp pic.twitter.com/7B8p9DwyMW
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) August 4, 2023
“This region is full of resources and I am concerned about the malign activity of our adversaries taking advantage of it, pretending they are investing when they are actually mining,” Richardson added, referring to mining. lithium in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
The Bolivian government of Luis Arce then rejected his statements on the grounds that they constituted “interference” by maintaining that he “manipulates” governments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“We do not have nor do we admit any interference from any state in the world; Bolivia has a definition regarding the industrialization of natural resources”, affirmed then the Bolivian Minister of Hydrocarbons, Franklin Molina.
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