Russia and China are gaining ground on the US in Latin America, US commander says

• China and Russia are competing with the US for influence in Latin America, a top US commander said.
• Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson cited China's Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's deepening ties.

Russia and China are trying to compete with the US for influence in Latin America, according to the US Southern Command commander.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado last week, Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson pointed to Russia's growing economic and diplomatic ties with countries in the region, as well as China's Belt and Road Initiative expanding across Latin America.

"I'd say China is playing chess — they have a long-term view — they're setting the theater," she said, pointing to the 25 Latin American countries that have already signed up to its global infrastructure development plan.

Richardson said China's investments "cover almost the entire region," in projects ranging from metro stations to railways, telecommunications, and dams "under the guise of economics."

She expressed concerns in particular about Chinese investments in critical infrastructure, like deep-water ports, cybersecurity, energy, and space, being used for military purposes.

"This is a global problem," she added.

While China is "playing chess," Richardson said Russia is "playing checkers."

She cited its short-term objectives of destabilizing the US democratic system through the media, as well as its diplomatic ties.

Russian officials paid visits to Nicaragua and Cuba last week, and Russian observers are set to be in Venezuela for the upcoming presidential elections on July 28, Russian State Duma Chairperson Vyacheslav Volodin told Interfax-Russia.

According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War, this is likely part of ongoing Kremlin efforts to project its influence in the Western hemisphere and rally states against the US and the West.

Belarus — a close Russian ally — also paid visits to Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua to sign bilateral economic and trade deals, possibly as part of Russian plans to use Belarus to evade Western sanctions, the ISW said.

The US, meanwhile, has suffered from "South blindness" and has overlooked the region, Richardson said.

"We need to realize how resource-rich this neighborhood is and how close our competitors and adversaries are in the region," she told forum attendees.

In 2021 testimony to Congress, Adm. Craig Faller, the then-SOUTHCOM commander, said his command was partnering with US Special Operations Command to counter Russian and Chinese information operations aimed at shaping local perspectives in their favor.

Kevin Riehle, a former FBI counterintelligence officer, told BI last December that Russia was using South America to obtain fake identities for its spies.

And in a report last month, the Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies identified potential spy bases in Cuba that are believed to be linked to China.

Daniel P. Erikson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere, also warned of Chinese and Russian threats in Latin America at an Atlantic Council event in February.

Erikson said it was "critical" for the US to engage with the region — be it in defense, cyber, or other areas — to meet the core national security needs of the countries there.

"I also think that across US industry, there really needs to be a deeper dive into what we can do to provide Latin American and Caribbean countries with the capabilities that they require at a price that they can afford," he added.

Evan Ellis, a research professor of Latin American studies at the US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, said that, given the region's importance, US Southern Command has dedicated "far" too few resources to it.

Ellis, who previously served on the secretary of state's policy planning staff with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean, said the lack of resources may reflect a focus on the Indo-Pacific due to China's growing strength and aggression in the region, as well as the US' attention on other regions, including the Middle East and Ukraine.

Latin America, in the post-Cold War era, has not seen major wars, the prospect of nuclear weapons, or US rivals seeking to establish military bases and alliances directly, he said.

"Nonetheless, the economic needs of Latin America and weak governance in many cases have opened the door for predatory, non-transparent deals, particularly with the PRC, which has expanded its influence," he said, using the initials of the People's Republic of China.

Meanwhile, "authoritarian regimes in some states, such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, have also been willing to open their doors to Russia and Iran, which pose strategic threats to the United States," he said.