Latin America has undergone a significant shift to the right, with many countries now governed by right-wing, center-right, or security-first governments broadly aligned with Washington’s new strategic posture. This change is evident in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.

Causes of the Shift

The decisive change came after the U.S. moved from pressure to force in Latin America’s strategic environment, then widened that pressure through Cuba and the Iran war. Washington showed that hostile regimes could be squeezed, destabilized, or removed; that fuel, sanctions, and military leverage could be used together; and that the hemisphere would now be treated less like a diplomatic afterthought and more like a security perimeter.

This shift is not a single event, but a sequence of events. The fall of Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, Cuba’s fuel crisis, and the Iran war have all contributed to a change in the political calculus across the region. The rise of leaders like Bukele in El Salvador, who campaigns on punishment and security, has become a model for other countries in the region.

Implications of the Shift

The implications of this shift are significant. A more U.S.-aligned Latin America could improve counternarcotics cooperation, reduce migration pressure, complicate Chinese influence, and restore American leverage in a region Washington neglected for too long. However, a hemisphere of pro-American strongmen is not the same as a hemisphere of strong democratic partners.

The new right in Latin America has understood the public’s demand for order and the collapse of patience with the old left. However, it now has to govern and strengthen institutions, rather than just performing power. The test of Latin America’s new right will be its ability to govern effectively and provide security and stability to its citizens.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.