Geopolitics and the Future of Central America

The next U.S. president is not yet known, but in the region it is expected that in an eventual new Trump administration, the focus will be on the recovery of the U.S. economy, while an eventual Biden administration would focus on countering corruption and illegal migration.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Two days after Election Day took place, the United States is experiencing an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty, since because the results are closed, neither candidate can yet be declared the winner.

Being the United States the main commercial partner of Central America, the country of origin of most of the family remittances, source of foreign investment and emitter of tourists, the elections in that nation have great relevance for the region.

Although there are different opinions about the impact that the election of Republican candidate Trump or Democrat Biden will have on the region, there is a consensus that the Republican policy will be to strengthen the U.S. economy, which is in crisis due to the outbreak of covid-19, while the plans of an eventual Biden administration will be to counteract corruption and illegal migration, especially in the Northern Triangle.

Juan Carlos Paredes, economic analyst, told Prensalibre.com that "... there are sectors that are oriented towards a relationship with the Republican party, because of a more liberal issue of the economy. While the governments led by the Democratic Party have very similar behaviors in terms of the economy, in their foreign policy they lean towards issues related to corruption and illegal immigration."

According to Paredes "... The U.S. sees as a problem the cases of corruption that have impacted various sectors in recent years, in the sense that social and economic issues are not being addressed, nor the stable conditions of the country, which motivates people to migrate irregularly."

Nuria Marin, an international analyst, told Elfinancierocr.com that if Trump wins, it is expected that politics will focus on recovering the U.S. economy as soon as possible, a situation that is convenient for Costa Rica and the Central American region, since it is the most important commercial partner, the main source of tourists and direct foreign investment.

By 12:00 noon on November 5, several media projected 264 electoral votes for Biden and 214 for Trump. In order to be proclaimed a winner, either of the two candidates must add up to 270 electoral votes.

See Prensalibre.com's article "Trump vs. Biden: Will the Change in Command Impact the Economy and Trade in Guatemala" and Elfinacierocr.com's "What Will be the Impact of the U.S. Presidential Election in Costa Rica?" (both in Spanish.)

¿Busca soluciones de inteligencia comercial para su empresa?



More on this topic

New Northern Winds for Central America

January 2021

Strengthening trade between the US and the region, fighting corruption in the Northern Triangle and reducing illegal migration flows, are some of the axes on which Joe Biden, the US president who has been sworn in, is expected to focus.

Biden, representative of the Democratic Party and winner of the last US elections, whose results were close, arrives at the White House to replace Donald Trump.

Uncertainty Increases over Relationship with the U.S.

July 2019

Guatemalan exporters report that President Trump's warning about export tariffs and taxes on remittances and transfers is raising doubts among U.S. buyers.

Uncertainty prevails among most Guatemalan businessmen after President Trump reacted to the provisional protection established by the Guatemalan Constitutional Court, which limits the functions of the Executive Branch to negotiate or sign any foreign policy agreement.

Why Trump

November 2016

The choice of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States is another clear example of how the deterioration of liberal democracies enlightens the way for the emergence of authoritarian leaders.

EDITORIAL

(Both the article by Kevin Casas on Nacion.com as well as this editorial prologue on CentralAmericaData.com were written one day before the presidential election in the United States, when the prognosis was that Hillary Clinton had a more than 80% chance of win the election.)

Guatemala: Outsider Defeats Traditional Politicians

September 2015

In elections with less abstention than expected, Jimmy Morales, the filmmaker candidate for a nationalist center party, will run in the second round of the presidential election with an opponent who has yet to be chosen.

The 2015 elections in Guatemala saw the participation of 65% of eligible voters, which is auspicious in light of calls for abstention from different social sectors. Blank votes will not exceed 4% of those cast.

ok