Brazil gold, Peru’s China scandal, post-Venezuela worries: 7 Latin America relations reads
From China’s rise in Latin America to a US$1 billion gold push, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in January 2026
1. US won’t rule out pressuring Venezuela to curb China, Russia ties
In the wake of the abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3, the White House stopped short of denying reports that America had urged Venezuela to cut ties with US adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran.
2. US ousting of Maduro prompts region to reassess China – and Trump’s next move
The US military operation that captured Venezuela’s president in early January is likely to force governments across Latin America to reassess how far China and Russia can protect their partners when Washington decides to act, analysts said, as the United States signalled a more assertive approach to the region.
3. How China’s 15-fold rise in Latin America dents US influence: Francisco Urdinez
One of the leading scholars of China-Latin America relations, Francisco Urdinez is known for coining the concept of “economic displacement”, describing how China’s rise has reduced US relevance in the region. Now, in the wake of the abduction of Nicolas Maduro, Urdinez examines how Venezuela could upend that framework and reshape perceptions of US-China competition in Latin America and beyond.