Opinion: Trump uses “shock and awe” method against Latin America

02.02.2025, Panama.

US President Donald Trump is employing the “shock and awe” method in his initial actions as president, a strategy famously used to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, writes Tempo on February 1.

Meanwhile, the democratic opposition within the US feels as though a stun gun was used on it. Governments of other countries are realizing just how vulnerable they are.

To instill “shock and awe” in Panama, the US has utilized artillery and gunfire of all calibers. First and foremost, Trump raised an issue of control over the Panama Canal during his inaugural speech. Then, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz held Senate hearings on the Panama Canal. This was followed by a press conference by Trump’s special representative for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, explaining the agenda of Marco Rubio’s trip, and an article by Rubio himself in The Wall Street Journal setting the tone for the international tour.

According to the author, the US Secretary of State’s trip to Latin American countries aims to launch a new version of the Monroe Doctrine. Unlike the old version, the US government is now sending a signal to China.

On February 1, the new US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, began his first international tour. He landed in Panama and will then travel to Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. The talks are expected to focus on migration issues, limiting China’s influence in the region, and curbing the flow of drugs into the United States.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency