FT Discovers 'US Backyard' Extends to Everywhere Else, Apparently
The Financial Times warns that China’s connections to Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro, and his potential 'downfall,' will test Beijing's regional influence. This alarm bells about 'China’s influence in US backyard' conveniently sidesteps a century of US-backed coups, sanctions, and economic manipulations that made many Latin American nations, including Venezuela, desperate for alternative partners.
Remember the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, Operation Condor, or the continuous attempts to destabilize the region? Those weren't Chinese 'influence.' (Funny how only some backyards are considered 'ours' when it's convenient.) The article frames China's deepening economic ties—loans for oil, infrastructure investment—as a 'test' for the US, rather than a natural response to US policies. Perhaps if the
'backyard' owners weren't so often subjected to economic blockades and regime change attempts by Uncle Sam, they wouldn't seek solace (and investment) from Beijing. One might wonder: how many banana republics does it take before the 'backyard' decides to put up a fence?