Biden’s Blind Spot: Ignoring The Americas

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Sept. 25, 2024: President Biden’s final address at the United Nations was a dangerous missed opportunity of historic proportions, for South America, Latin America and the Caribbean. In his speech, Biden made his usual robot like comments he has so many times before covered conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza and emphasized the need for global cooperation, but glaringly omitted any serious mention of the Americas south of the U.S. border.

U.S. President Joe Biden waves as he leaves the stage during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on September 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

What is needed and his UN speech was the perfect opportunity for President Biden to introduce a new plan for the future of the Americas and all its nations a new positive enlightened doctrine.  Instead, there was nothing.

While China continues to expand its economic footprint through projects like its Belt and Road Initiative, and Russia builds strategic ties in Venezuela and Cuba, the U.S. is asleep at the wheel. China’s aggressive investments in infrastructure, energy, and technology across Latin America are reshaping the region’s political and economic landscape. From Argentina to Brazil, Beijing is now the largest trading partner for many countries once reliant on U.S. economic leadership. Meanwhile, Russia’s support for authoritarian regimes creates a political counterbalance to American influence, leaving Washington’s role in the hemisphere increasingly diminished.

What is most alarming is Biden’s lack of any strategy to counter these growing influences but even more our unwillingness to truly partner with our neighbors in our own region. His speech made no mention of how the U.S. plans to strengthen diplomatic, economic, or security partnerships in Latin America. Washington has decided to cede its influence in its own backyard. This is more than just an oversight; it’s a dereliction of responsibility. South America, Latin America and the Caribbean face unprecedented challenges – migration crises, political instability, climate disasters, and most of all the desperate need for more economic opportunity – Biden’s silence at the UN about these issues proves U.S. is content to watch from the sidelines.

There is also no reason to hope it will be any different with either Caribbean American Kamala Harris or Donald Trump as President next year.

Commentary By Arthur Piccolo

EDITOR’S NOTE: Arthur Piccolo is the President of the Bowling Green Association of New York and a frequent contributor to News Americas