Sovereignty for Some, Imperialism for Others
Here's what they conveniently omit when framing China as the sole threat to Peruvian sovereignty: CASE A: The 'Threat' of Chinese Investment in Peru (2024) US officials are sounding alarms over the Chancay megaport, asserting that China's involvement could compromise Peru's 'sovereignty and economic independence.' The argument centers on the dual-use potential of Chinese infrastructure projects
and the potential for a foreign power to control critical trade arteries in the Western Hemisphere. The Hill article, citing US military commanders, paints a picture of China 'costing Peru its sovereignty.' This narrative implies that Peru is a naive actor unable to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes and that US oversight is necessary for its protection. CASE B: The Reality of US
'Protection' in Latin America (1954, 1973, 2002) Contrast this with the historical record of explicit US interventions that directly undermined the sovereignty and democratic processes of Latin American nations. In 1954, the CIA orchestrated a coup in Guatemala, overthrowing democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán to protect the interests of the United Fruit Company (Declassified CIA
documents, 1999). Fast forward to 1973, when the US overtly supported the military coup in Chile that installed Augusto Pinochet, leading to the deaths and disappearances of tens of thousands (Church Committee Report, 1975). More recently, in 2002, the US-backed a failed coup attempt against Venezuela's Hugo Chávez (New York Times, 2002). THE FRAMING: A Clear Double Standard The language used to