The White House has its eyes on Latin America like few times throughout its history. While Joe Biden's administration is engaged in two simultaneous wars - Gaza and Ukraine -, the US government is paying special attention to the continent. The State Department follows with interest the turbulent political climate in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

The US concern connects directly with an urgent political and electoral agenda: the migration crisis on the Southern border. The instability in Latin American countries, with Venezuela at the forefront, has an immediate impact on the flow of people seeking their American dream no matter what. Furthermore, the government perceives Vladimir Putin's interference in Guatemala.

"We are working in these four countries with various actors to build a more resilient, equitable and prosperous hemisphere. We want to make democracy responsive to all people. We promote these objectives at various levels and with the tools we have at our disposal. The fight against corruption and impunity is key to making the hemisphere more secure, prosperous and democratic," Eric Jacobstein, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central America in the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, told LPO and other media.

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Joe Biden's official gave a pessimistic diagnosis about the current panorama in the region. "Latin America and the Caribbean were distinguished by being the most democratic region in the developing world, according to the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit. But Latin America also recorded the most significant democratic regression of all regions worldwide in the last 20 years," Jacobstein said.

Jacobstein, during a visit to El Salvador, last September.

LPO

Regarding the role that the United States plays in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, the representative of the Democratic administration detailed: "We make efforts to work with state, local, indigenous, civil society and business leaders to seek local solutions to global problems. We also work multilaterally in the OAS with partners in the region to defend democracy and Human Rights. We seek to improve life in the hemisphere, so democracies work better."

Latin America and the Caribbean were distinguished by being the most democratic region in the developing world, according to the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit. But Latin America also registered the most significant democratic regression of all regions worldwide in the last 20 years.

Biden administration's most immediate concern is Guatemala. Washington deployed all its resources to guarantee the inauguration of Bernardo Arévalo, the elected president of that country. The intervention includes a set of sanctions, trips and meetings of officials. The strategy is for pressure to corner Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, to the point that the change of command is unblocked. Arévalo's inauguration is scheduled for January 14.

The White House reports a kind of kleptocracy installed in Guatemalan power, with businessmen, front men and judicial officials involved. Based on that diagnosis, it applied visa restrictions to more than a dozen people and their families. The Treasury Department targeted a kind of black monk of the outgoing government: it sanctioned Luis Miguel Martínez Morales for alleged widespread corruption maneuvers, in alliance with Putin's Russia and its military network.

"Tenemos que entender que nuestros socios latinoamericanos no ven en China una amenaza, tal como la vemos nosotros"

"We are proud of the role we have taken here in the United States in supporting the democratic efforts of the Guatemalan people, especially key indigenous people and some members of the private sector, who have rejected attempts to undermine democracy. Those who are trying to block the transition are increasingly isolated," the Biden official explained in dialogue with LPO.

Our strategy on the root causes of irregular migration guides everything we do. And we realize that we cannot have economic growth, security and everything we and the citizens of the region want without governance, without commitment to fighting corruption, and in favor of democracy.

Do you think Arévalo's inauguration is still in danger?

The good news is that the efforts of the Attorney General and elements of the corrupt Guatemalan Congress and other elements in the country are failing. I think that the elements that are trying to block the transition are becoming more isolated every day, so I think that the change will be successful. The situation has been quite difficult and we have seen many efforts to block it, but I am very optimistic about the future. We are now looking to the future and look forward to working together with President Arévalo to improve the lives of all Guatemalans and to increase our efforts under our strategy on the root causes of irregular migration.

You pointed out the significant regression of democracy in Latin America in the last 20 years. What do you think is the reason for that?

Regarding what is happening with the challenges to democracy in the region, I think that each country is different and there are different situations. Our strategy on the root causes of irregular migration guides everything we do. And we realize that we cannot have economic growth, security, and everything we and the citizens of the region want without governance, without a commitment to fighting corruption, and in favor of democracy. That is why what happens in terms of democracy in the region is so important, because we see that our strategy focuses on many things, but it is difficult to do everything, especially in terms of economic and security development, without democracy. Everything we are doing in terms of governance and democracy is important.

Translator: Bibiana Ruiz.