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Latin America facing the war in Ukraine, one year later

2023-03-05T10:30:46.734Z


Latin America facing the war in Ukraine, one year later After a year of Russian invasion, President Volodimir Zelenski pointed out in kyiv Ukraine's interest in "improving relations with Latin America." His words exude a certain frustration at what he understands to be little empathy for the suffering of his people and the need to strengthen ties that he considers important, not so much for the outcome of the war, but for the day after. Given the Russ


After a year of Russian invasion, President Volodimir Zelenski pointed out in kyiv Ukraine's interest in "improving relations with Latin America."

His words exude a certain frustration at what he understands to be little empathy for the suffering of his people and the need to strengthen ties that he considers important, not so much for the outcome of the war, but for the day after.

Given the Russian disinformation campaign, he wants to convey what is happening in his country to regional public opinion.

For this reason, after 12 months of invasion, it is a good moment to recapitulate what Latin America thinks of Vladimir Putin's war, the encroachment of Ukrainian sovereignty and crimes against humanity.

In reality, very little is known about what Latin American societies think about it.

It is assumed, based on generalizations and few surveys, that most people see it as a distant conflict.

But, when deepening the subject, the distance is not such and the identity of the aggressor is revealed.

While governments monopolize the discourse, the voices of civil society are more subdued.

Simultaneously, thanks to social networks and the Russian media (Sputnik and RT in Spanish), disinformation is gaining ground.

Governments are in charge of articulating a story centered on the "No to war", neutrality and non-interference, even at the cost of betraying values ​​deeply rooted in Latin American thought and nationalism, such as national sovereignty, the rejection of imperialism and territorial annexation and the defense of human rights.

One consequence of this war is that the West (the West) has been strengthened in its confrontation with Russia, even if this implies greater isolation from the rest of the world (the rest).

To maintain a delicate balance in the equation between the West and the rest, the war dichotomy should not be posed between Putin and Zelenski, but between Russia and the US.

Many countries of the so-called global South, starting with India, seek equidistance between the parties, while China, which insists on its harmony with Russia, presents a sui generis peace plan, in reality a not very serious attempt to end the war.

Between values ​​and prejudices, many Latin American governments opt for the latter, either because they remain in the Cold War, with American imperialism as the main enemy, or because of their close proximity to Moscow, or because they do not want to be seen as close to the US or the NATO or for not wanting to antagonize China.

For this reason, no Latin American country has joined the sanctions against Russia or has delivered weapons to Ukraine, arguing that this path only worsens the war.

The US request for countries with Russian weapons to hand it over to Ukraine went unheeded, sometimes rudely, although they were offered to exchange it for a more modern American one.

Along with Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, allies of Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru have Russian equipment.

While Peru and Ecuador remain silent, Argentina said they are not thinking of sending weapons.

Brazil followed suit, and Lula da Silva refused to deliver Leopard-2 ammunition to kyiv.

The Colombian Gustavo Petro acknowledged that his Russian material has serious maintenance problems, but even so they are not going to deliver it to Ukraine, since its Constitution focuses on peace and even if the weapons were left as scrap, they would not be delivered to be taken " Ukraine to go to war.

More belligerent was López Obrador, who after refusing to arm Ukraine criticized the German government for sending battle tanks, accusing it of submitting to “media power”, against the wishes of the majority of Germans.

Last month, the UN General Assembly called for an end to hostilities in Ukraine and the withdrawal of the invading forces.

The resolution, sponsored among others by Uruguay, was approved with 141 votes in favor, seven against, and 32 abstentions.

It is interesting to know how Latin America voted, to see how consistent it is with its positions.

Nicaragua was one of the seven explicit supports of Russia, since Venezuela could not vote because it was behind in the payment of its quotas.

Three of the 32 abstentions were from Latin America (Bolivia, Cuba and El Salvador), while 26 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean voted in favor.

For the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, in this case the dilemma between peace and war is reduced to a question of survival: “If Russia stops fighting, the war comes to an end.

If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine comes to an end."

The Russian perception is different and its embassies in Latin America are propaganda powerhouses, in line with Sputnik and RT, which, when applauding the rejection of some governments to the requests of Washington and Berlin, pointed out that "The arms race in Ukraine does not have the support from Southamerica".

Despite the so-called “turn to the left”, Latin America remains fragmented, perhaps more than ever.

Certain countries support Ukraine in one way or another (Ecuador, Guatemala, and Uruguay), others openly support Russia (Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela), and most, betraying their values, remain indifferent and irrelevant.

It is not about seeing, as Zelenski wondered, which side of the conflict San Martín and Bolívar would be on, but about being brave and coherent in defense of freedom and sovereignty, of which everyone is so proud.

Carlos Malamud is Professor of American History at the National Distance Education University and Principal Investigator for Latin America at the Elcano Royal Institute.

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2023-03-05

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