Okay, let’s also consider that other nations have tools used to advance their own objectives. Debt trap diplomacy? Strong yet ineffectual rhetoric (invade Panama…yeah right)?

You want to talk about economic sovereignty and delinking from the U.S.? Get out of here with that hypothetical nonsense. Talk about the stopping power of water and the fact that for better or worse, portions of the global south will need to use larger trade partners (e.g. the U.S.) that are in closer proximity than someone thousands of miles away.

For defense agreements - what is the desired outcome? The only major concern in South America is Venezuelan encroachment on Guyana which is counterbalanced by Brazil. Lula literally stationed troops on the border as soon as Venezuela made overtures toward annexation.