U.S. Indifference Has Helped China Gain A Foothold In Brazil (From RealClearDefense)

Even without the recent drift in Venezuela, it should be obvious Washington needs to pay closer attention to security concerns in Central and South America. The Trump administration’s focus elsewhere (the Middle East, East Asia) has helped China to gain influence in Brazil, Latin America’s biggest economy—even though countering China’s growing influence around the world is one of the top priorities of U.S. national security strategy. Initially, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fell into line with President Trump’s aggressive approach to China. But in practice, Bolsonaro has yielded to the recommendations of advisors to not alienate China or its president, Xi Jinping. I have written more about this topic here.