SOUTHCOM Commander Warns of Chinese, Russian Influence in Latin America, Urges Continued U.S. Presence
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Admiral Halsey told senators China and Russia are expanding economic and military influence across Latin America — from ports and telecommunications to space-related infrastructure — and said sustained U.S. presence and security cooperation are needed to counter predatory practices and protect regional partners.
Admiral Halsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that strategic competition from China and Russia in the Western Hemisphere is growing and is being waged through economic influence, infrastructure projects and military engagement.
Why it matters: Committee members and the commander described investments by Chinese state-owned enterprises in ports and power grids, Huawei telecommunications adoption by partner countries, dual-use facilities such as deepwater ports and space-tracking sites, and Russian support to regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Senators said such activities can jeopardize U.S. partnerships and the free flow of commerce, and they questioned how the U.S. should respond.
Halsey cited specific concerns: Chinese-controlled port infrastructure at ends of the Panama Canal, Chinese-linked deepwater port north of Lima capable of berthing warships, and PRC space-related tracking sites across the region. He urged sustained security cooperation, exercises such as Panamax with Panama, and leveraging whole-of-government tools (including the Office of Strategic Capital and export-credit instruments) to offer alternatives to partner nations. He also noted SOUTHCOM is under-resourced relative to its mission set.
Senators repeatedly tied the regional competition to migration and narcotics flows. Witnesses said building partner capacity and delivering economic alternatives could reduce push factors that drive migration north. Committee members asked how the dismantling or reduction of USAID and foreign assistance might affect long-term influence; Admiral Halsey said assessments were underway but emphasized military security cooperation and exercises remain viable tools.
Ending: Senators signaled interest in funding and policy measures to counter coercive economic practices in the region, strengthen presence, and protect critical maritime infrastructure such as the Panama Canal; Admiral Halsey reiterated the value of long-term presence and cooperation to ‘‘block out’’ PRC influence.