Americans Understand that Their Geopolitical Rivals Are No Longer Powerless

Sergei Mikheev comments on the situation of Russian foreign policy toward Latin America for KM.ru.

A meeting has taken place between the presidents of Russia and Venezuela, Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Maduro. The press has reported that strategic contracts relating to energy cooperation have been signed.

It was not long ago that several analysts expressed fear that after the death of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela would change its foreign policy priorities and Russia would lose an important partner in Latin America. This prognosis has not come to pass — at least for now — which is demonstrated by the successful negotiations carried out by the leaders of our countries.

In the ‘90s We Left Cuba in the Lurch

Modern Russia has no serious political program regarding Latin America. In the ‘90s we practically abandoned our interest; what has happened in recent years is an attempt to reinstate our influence. But this change is not based on our own will so much as on the changing situation in Latin America itself, where several states have appeared which have openly positioned themselves on the anti-American side. They are looking for allies, and Russia, using this conjuncture, has partially decided to renew its position.

Relations with Cuba have warmed a little, although it is clear that during the 1990s we left Cuba in the lurch. Then Chavez appeared, he rallied a few states around himself, and a bloc of Latin American countries appeared. We remember Nicaragua, who we also forgot about in the 1990s, just like Cuba … in this direction something is moving, but I wouldn’t say that it will become active or successful. However, efforts are being made and initiatives in this direction do exist.

It didn’t depend so much on us as on Venezuela as to whether relations would continue after the departure of Chavez. At that time, Russia was fully prepared to develop economic and political relations. Maduro is in desperate need of external support. He came to power as Chavez’s successor, but he is not as charismatic. For this reason, right now he will cooperate with Russia, as was shown at the recent meeting with Putin.

Latin America Is Interesting to Us Because It Has Always Been the “Underbelly” of the US

This is economically advantageous to us. Latin America is prepared to buy our weapons; there is the possibility of work for a Russian company. The geopolitical implications here are quite obvious. For a long time we had more or less no coherent foreign policy and simply waited for the world to become more just. But it has become clear that nothing of the sort will happen; Russia has slowly but surely begun to once again exert influence not only in the near, but also the far abroad. Latin America is interesting to us because it has always been the “underbelly” of the U.S.; Americans react very nervously to events in this region.

The Americans’ main advantage is that they live on a “world island” and they are involved with everyone, while no one is involved with them. When something turns up in what they think is their zone of influence, they become highly annoyed, distressed and afraid. It is for precisely this reason that the Caribbean crisis erupted in Cuba. The ability to play geopolitical games in Latin America is a factor in Russia’s pressure on the U.S. I do not think that relations with Americans will become any more spoiled; this is not the first time that we have contacted Latin America. Washington does not like this, but Americans understand that their geopolitical rivals are no longer powerless.