The Jacob Shapiro Podcast Latin America's Moment in Global Chaos
Jun 20, 2025
Facundo Robles, Program Coordinator at the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, joins the discussion to explore Latin America's geopolitical landscape amid global turmoil. He analyzes how the Israel-Iran conflict affects stability in the region while discussing rising oil and agricultural prices impacting Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. The conversation highlights Argentina's shifting foreign policy towards the U.S. and Israel, Venezuela's political turmoil under Maduro, and the broader implications of U.S.-China competition in Latin America.
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Latin America's Relative Stability
- Latin America remains peaceful without state-on-state wars despite internal challenges.
- The U.S. has historically dominated the region, but China's influence is gradually growing, mainly through trade and investments.
Middle East War Spurs Price Volatility
- Rising Middle East tensions are already driving up oil and agricultural commodity prices affecting Latin America.
- Countries like Mexico face inflationary pressures and trade uncertainty amid global supply disruptions.
Argentina’s Shift Risks Security
- Argentina's move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem under Milei shifts foreign policy closer to Israel and the U.S.
- This alignment may raise terrorism risks given Argentina's history of attacks linked to Iran proxies.