US Vows to 'Step Up its Game' in Latin America (+Weapons for Ukraine)

During an episode of the Atlantic Council’s Commanders Series discussion on Thursday, January 19, the head of United States Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, said that the US must “step up its game” in Latin America.

“I mean, it’s out of the ordinary. We have a lot to do. This region matters. It has a lot to do with national security, and we have to step up our game,” Richardson said, referring to the “rich resources and rare earth elements” located throughout Latin America.

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“But why is this region important? You have the lithium triangle, which is necessary for today’s technology. 60% of the world’s lithium is in the lithium triangle: Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.”

WATCH: 🇺🇸 SOUTHCOM Commander Laura Richardson describes how Washington is actively negotiating the sale of lithium in the Lithium Triangle through its U.S. embassies. pic.twitter.com/uQTvpSRHAH
— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) January 21, 2023

Mineral resources: The key to the “game”
The military chief added that other important factors include “the largest oil reserves, light and sweet crude discovered in Guyana more than a year ago. You also have the resources of Venezuela with oil, copper, gold,” she pointed out.

Richardson explained that this region also features the “lungs of the world,” the Amazon, and 31% of the world’s fresh water.

Richardson then characterized Russia as the US’s “number two adversary” in Latin America. “I mean, I have, of course, [talk about] the relations between the countries of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua with Russia.”

However, China is still the main rival. Both countries have deepened their bilateral ties with Latin American countries, triggering the US’s promises to take pains to regain its hegemony.

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Weapons for Ukraine
RT reported Richardson’s statement that a total of nine Latin American countries have access to Russian equipment, while acknowledging that Washington has asked several of these countries to donate military equipment purchased from Russia to Ukraine.

Currently, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela have access to Russian weapons, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

On Friday, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has denounced US attempts to urge Latin American countries to hand over available Russian weaponry to Ukraine in exchange for the delivery of US equipment, according to Telesur English.

(RedRadioVE) by Milena Bravo, with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/KZ