As the new administration considers ways to ensure US national security and economic growth, a newly engaged Latin America presents a wealth of opportunity on myriad fronts: urbanization, human capital, open markets, energy reform, technology, and the fight against corruption. Diverse sectors of the United States are already on board: businesses investing in the region; NGOs working on the ground; and local and state governments with trade partners across the border.
By unleashing the US private sector, collaborating in the fight against organized crime and impunity, seizing the value of an increasingly integrated region, and embracing Latin America’s global emergence, the US administration would be creating a more secure and prosperous United States.
At a time when so much of the world is in upheaval, the United States will fare best if it recognizes the shared values and sympathies of its closest neighbors, and capitalizes on these relationships wherever possible. It is sure to find enthusiastic partners.