China Rejects U.S. Accusations of Resource Infiltration in Latin America
In a sharp rebuttal to accusations from U.S. Southern Command, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun denied that China is “infiltrating and plundering resources” in Latin America and the Caribbean, reports 24brussels.
Guo declared that the region “is no one’s backyard,” urging the United States to respect the sovereign choices of Latin American countries.
He stressed that nations in Latin America and the Caribbean “have the right to independently choose their own paths of development and their partners.” Guo dismissed U.S. claims as “statements that contradict the facts and recycle outdated rhetoric,” accusing some U.S. officials of adhering to a Cold War mentality characterized by confrontation.
In contrast to what he termed U.S. hegemonic conduct, Guo underscored China’s principles of mutual respect, equality, openness, and win-win cooperation. He asserted that partnerships between China and Latin America “meet the needs of both sides, serve their common interests, and have effectively promoted local economic and social development,” receiving genuine support from governments and citizens across the region.
These comments arise amid escalating geopolitical tensions, including a military buildup by the U.S. in the Caribbean and efforts to associate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with drug trafficking. Critics argue that such actions jeopardize the 2014 declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, potentially serving as a pretext for hybrid warfare and armed aggression.
Guo’s statements resonate with a broader wave of international criticism, as leaders from Russia, Iran, ALBA-TCP member states, and global civil society organizations have voiced solidarity with Venezuela and reaffirmed their support for the region’s peaceful development, rejecting U.S. interventionist strategies.
