US influence wanes as Latin America tilts towards the Left

by As'ad Abdul Rahman
In the past few years, the world has witnessed a gradual erosion of American hegemony. American military power is bogged down in two of the world's most ungovernable countries, with no end in sight. While Russian, European and Chinese fortunes are on a slow but steady upward trajectory, America is spinning downward. As a testament to that, the US finds itself helpless in dealing with the Iranian nuclear stand-off. The once compliant Security Council is showing increased signs of independence. And Latin America is a clear example of waning US influence.

Political observers can easily detect a full blown tilt towards the Left in Latin America. There is no doubt about an unmistakable and fundamental shift in the region's politics. Once described as America's backyard by President Harry Truman, Latin America is steering clear of American hegemony. Some may caution that it is too early to draw broad regional conclusions about a huge area driven by many disparate political forces, but there is no denying the increasingly leftist tilt of Central and South American politics.

Take Chile and Bolivia, for instance. In Chile, a paediatrician, Michelle Bachelet, won the elections after defeating the right-wing Sebastian Disera, thus becoming the first woman president of the country. A moderate socialist, she campaigned on a platform of continuing Chile's free market policies, while increasing social benefits to help reduce the gap between rich and poor.
...