The right is reborn in Latin America under the watchful eye of Trump

The Argentine president knows that he is loved in this space. Enjoy it. And he benefits from it above all because the winds in the region are turning in his favor. This was confirmed by Chile two days earlier during its presidential elections.

“South America has awakened to the ideas of freedom, far from the calamity of 21st century socialism“, sentence. The above, because Sunday evening, Jose Antonio Kastleader of the right-wing Chilean Republican Party, won the elections easily and from March 11 next year he will be President of the Republic. “This is happy news. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his resounding victory.”he adds. The atmosphere is one of total joy.

Kast, meanwhile, continues to prepare the final details of his first major tour as president-elect: Buenos Aires. “Milei is an inspiration and a model to get Chile out of stagnation”, he said during the campaign. His admiration, of course, has never been hidden behind the scenes. And all this, in the midst of obvious tensions between Casa Rosada and La Moneda, governed until now by Gabriel Boric, a leader located at the opposite end of their ideological lines.

Already in the trans-Andean capital, hugs were arriving from those who, satisfied with their present, look to the future with hope. An hour lasted bilateral meeting between Kast and Milei and, although the event was primarily a political signal, it also served to lay the foundations for what is seen as a new relationship between the two brotherly countries that have been in conflict for years.

Although security will be a cornerstone of the new deal, Kast has expressed his intention to do so as well. “strengthen trade and economic relations in a way never seen before.” The two men, who have known each other since the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC) held in Sao Paulo in 2022, understand the strategic importance of the dialogue that is taking place. “We have an exit to the Pacific,” Kast also noted, already making his merit.

The Trump administration as guardian

The truth is that Milei is not the only one satisfied with the Chilean electoral result. With less fanfare, Donald Trump, the head of the White House, is doing it too. After some reactions from its representatives, such as the Secretary of State, Marco Rubioappeared before the press and offered some praise to the next president of Chile. He did so, even taking credit for some accomplishments.

“A few hours ago I discovered that in Chile, the one I supported, but who was not leading (in the polls), ended up winning quite easily. That’s why I can’t wait to congratulate him. I heard he was an excellent person,” he told reporters present. Of course, it doesn’t matter that Kast led the opinion polls for nine months. The desire to boast of yet another success for the Trump administration was stronger.

The fact is that the United States Government has for some time been interested in what is happening in Latin America and, at the same time, it is aware of the importance of what will be resolved in the various elections. An example of this is his words, shortly before the parliamentary elections in Argentina on October 26, a decisive election for Milei – and in which he finally won – after being defeated, a few months ago, by Peronism in the province of Buenos Aires.

Before the vote, Trump questioned the White House’s economic contribution to Argentina if the outcome was unfavorable to the current government. In particular the 40 billion dollars that he had recently proposed to his counterpart. For analysts in this country, this “Terrorist campaign” He helped Milei at a decisive moment. Well, if he were defeated, again, governability would become difficult with a left-wing majority parliament.

Honduras and elections that remain open

This is not the only interference from North America. A few days ago, and after weeks of uncertainty in Honduras, due to suspicions of electoral fraud and the delay in counting votes, the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs called on the National Council (CNE) of that country to speed up the procedure and make known the results. “Any call to disrupt public order or the work of the CNE will have consequences,” concludes the letter on the agency’s X account.

The CNE has until December 30 to present the final results, but there is no guarantee that the deadline will be met. The White House’s concern about the fate of this Central American country is, as can be inferred, politically motivated. It is the conservative Nasry “Tito” Asfura, presidential candidate of the National Party, who tops the possibilities of becoming head of state with 40.54% of the votes. It is precisely him that Trump supports.

Ecuador and Bolivia: other horizons in the spotlight

Although trends in the region are increasingly more favorable to the rightin the United States, it is understood that nothing can be taken for granted. Especially after experiences like that of Ecuador, where the government of Daniel Noboa suffered a severe setback in mid-November during a decisive plebiscite for the rest of his mandate.

With the primary aim of having more tools to fight organized crime, Noboa attempted, through a referendum, to shorten the limits set by the Constitution. However, Citizens answered “no” at each of the consultations carried out, leaving the president and his cabinet in a fragile position for the rest of the period.

Especially given the difficult figures that the South American country is experiencing. Everything indicates that Ecuador will end the year with a homicide rate greater than 50 per 100,000 inhabitants. Worse still, the murders of children and adolescents have increased by almost 70% compared to 2024. Figures which reflect a crisis which, just as it brought Noboa and other right-wing leaders to power in different latitudes, can prematurely defeat their project.

Now, as in Chile and Argentina, the Trump administration is also enjoying governance relief. After a runoff Between two right-wing candidates, it was Rodrigo Paz who won the elections with the promise of confronting the inflationary crisis. To achieve this, the same president opted for a significant economic adjustment, echoing the Argentine experience, although with some nuances and with less force.

A policy which, of course, was applauded by the White House, on this occasion, by Rubio himself, always aware of what is happening in Latin America. “We recognize that the road ahead will not be easy. The Bolivian people have endured years of economic stagnation, corruption and mismanagement. The reforms announced today are a necessary change of course that lays the foundation for a more prosperous and secure future for all Bolivians,” he said, adding that U.S. officials remain on Bolivian soil.

That said, there is no reason to predict that the United States will cease its efforts to increasingly align the region with its own interests. For their part, among leaders, the need for strategic alliances is growing to combat the political adversary and keep in power.