The new Monroe Doctrine is weakening Chinese coercion in Latin America

Doing business with China poses a high risk for Latin America. Examples range from maritime harassment over Panama and threats to port sovereignty in Peru to debt traps in Ecuador. Despite this, China’s policy of commercial coercion has been shaken to its foundations following the arrival of the new Monroe Doctrine.

In Central America, Beijing controls 10 percent of Nicaragua through gold mining concessions. The Ortega-Murillo regime, which is now abolishing elections, has expanded gold mining across protected indigenous and afro-descendant lands without environmental or international standards. His communist regime has devastated his nation’s natural resources, polluted rivers, destroyed forests and wiped-out rich ecosystems.

Similar practices were in place in Bolivia, but everything changed in 2025 following the end of 20 years of socialism and the arrival of a new leadership, committed to freedom and open markets. The Constitutional Court of Bolivia has undertaken a review of a civil action filed by indigenous communities regarding preferential lithium contracts with China. 

In Argentina, allegations of dumping practices have been raised regarding Chinese wind turbine towers. The government launched an investigation because the communist companies compete using artificially reduced prices to displace the domestic sector.

Brazil’s steel industry has also warned of a risk of collapse due to Chinese imports. In late 2025, the sector........

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