The United States definitely cannot stop considering Latin America as its backyard, despite the fact that it has been losing hegemony in the region, in the face of the advance of progressive and sovereign governments, which do not bow to its dictates and seek the welfare of their peoples.

By María Josefina Arce.

The United States definitely cannot stop considering Latin America as its backyard, despite the fact that it has been losing hegemony in the region, in the face of the advance of progressive and sovereign governments, which do not bow to its dictates and seek the welfare of their peoples.

But it is difficult to conceal its interference and colonialist essence, especially when Washington yearns for the natural resources of the Latin American territory, rich in oil, copper, gold and lithium, the mineral of the future.

Let us not forget the pressures of all kinds against Venezuela, which has the largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world and enormous gold deposits. The South American nation is the object of economic sanctions, the theft of its international assets and has been the scene of destabilizing and violent actions, encouraged by the United States to subvert the constitutional order and put in place a government in line with its interests.

Not for nothing did it support Juan Guaidó, who in 2019 proclaimed himself president of Venezuela, ignoring the will of the people who in the general elections of 2018 had re-elected Nicolás Maduro for a new term.

 But in addition, during the presidency of Hugo Chávez, Washington was in charge of installing military bases in neighboring Colombia, in an open provocation and threat to Caracas, in which it has not ceased to have an eye for its oil and gold, among other resources.

Now at the center of its interest is lithium, a metal with great electrochemical potential, which is used in the manufacture of batteries and thermosolar technologies, in energy efficiency and in the production of reactors.

It happens to be Bolivia, one of the South American nations that together with Chile and Argentina make up the so-called lithium triangle. The nation presided over by Luis Arce is negotiating with other states such as China and Russia for the exploitation of this element.

 And the United States has sounded the alarm bells. In an interventionist posture, the head of the Southern Command, Laura Richardson, pointed out before U.S. congressmen that they had ignored their backyard, where there is a great amount of resources. She openly stated that she was concerned about the activity being developed by what she defined as "adversaries" of the country in Latin America. All very much in line with the Monroe Doctrine, which is summarized in the phrase "America for the Americans", and which has been the U.S. justification for expanding throughout the hemisphere and sharing its wealth.

La Paz's response was energetic. Minister of Hydrocarbons Franklin Molina emphasized that Bolivia has the sovereign right to exploit lithium with the partners that technically and economically seem best for it.

Bolivia has made it clear that it will not accept any type of interference and imposition by the United States, which has a long history of taking over the region's wealth, to the detriment of the development of the people.

The United States clings to the Monroe Doctrine, which some people mistakenly believed to be buried, but which has always been present and to which the powerful country of the North resorts when its colonialist interests are threatened.