Heading South: Donald Trump's High Risk Visit To Latin America

Donald Trump's policy towards Latin America has been ill-defined since the start of his administration. Beyond a short-sighted focus on controlling immigration and renegotiating NAFTA, his administration has failed to engage the region. 

This is why most observers are nervous about Trump's upcoming first official visit to the region, to attend the Summit of the Americas in Peru and visit Colombia on his way back. 

In The New York Times, the Inter-American Dialogue’s Ben Radersdorf outlines why the visit has dim prospects for success. Rhetoric about drugs, rapists, the wall, and "America First" have not exactly resonated among Latin Americans. The Trump administration has also failed to engage and play its role in the region-wide fight against corruption and impunity. 

Radersdorf's advice? "Listen first. Talk softly. And do your homework". Sounds easy, except for the fact that he is giving it to Donald Trump. 

Outside of diplomatic relations, Latin American allies have a hard time dealing with Trump's protectionist rhetoric and have even clashed with the US over tariff measures affecting their interests. This is why countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile have fought back, as Ernesto Londoño, Shasta Darlington, and Daniel Politi write in a separate NYT piece. 

Regardless of the Summit's outcome, Trump's inability to articulate a more positive agenda for the region will continue to harm trade and diplomatic relations with the continent. We are in for a bumpy ride.