Machine translated from: http://www.opciones.cu/internacionales/2022-04-13/las-extorsiones-contra-rusia-golpean-a-latinoamerica
The war situation between Russia and Ukraine, together with the numerous extortions that the United States and its allies have imposed against Moscow, not only hit economically this nation but also Latin American countries.
One of the most affected is Ecuador because if in 2021, 20% of the bananas it exported were destined to Russia (about 85 million boxes) now it has nowhere to put them and they will spoil with the consequent monetary loss.
Last year Ecuador obtained 706 million dollars for banana exports to the Eurasian giant; 142 million dollars for shrimp; 99 million dollars for flowers; 28 million dollars for fish and 17 million dollars for coffee.
Paraguay had Russia as its second buyer of beef and in 2021 it sent 79 213 tons which represented an income of 314 million dollars and now with the disconnection of Moscow from the international banking system (swift) it does not know how to collect or send the product.
Something similar is happening with Brazil. In the previous period, Brazil sold soybean to Russia for 343 million dollars, 167 million for poultry meat, 133 million for coffee and 117 million for beef.
As for Mexico, it sent cars, computers, beer, tequila, among other products, and bought fertilizers. If it lacks this supply, agriculture will suffer losses and food will become more expensive.
This situation will lead to a worsening of the economic crisis in those nations, with the consequent wage cuts, layoffs of workers and price increases.
The enormous pressures exerted by the United States for Latin American nations to join the policy of Russophobia that it has imposed on the planet by controlling the main media, could aggravate these problems.
For example, an intergovernmental cooperation agreement between Russia and Argentina for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, particularly in the areas of basic and applied research, construction and operation of nuclear power plants and reactors, would be halted.
In addition, Moscow has expressed its interest in participating in a tender for the construction of a dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at the Atucha II nuclear power plant in the South American nation.
Washington uses all kinds of extortion to that end: political influence, economic promises and blackmail, as was the case during the recent vote at the UN General Assembly to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. After the vote, several delegates expressed that for various reasons they had been forced to vote that way.
Due to the impact of the Western “sanctions” war, the supply of fertilizers has been affected, which poses a threat to Latin American farmers, but is advantageous for the United States, which manufactures large quantities of fertilizer. Already, U.S. producers are looking to increase exports to countries in the region.
Fertilizer prices are currently at an all-time high and in the first quarter of 2022 they rose by 30%, which exceeds those reached in 2008 during the global financial crisis.
Due to the “sanctions”, shipments from Russia have been interrupted and this country is one of the main producers and exporters globally.
Moscow is the largest exporter of nitrogen fertilizers and the second largest exporter of potash and phosphorus fertilizers.
In 2021 the Eurasian giant shipped fertilizers worth $12.5 billion. Among its main buyers were Brazil and the European Union with 25% respectively, and the United States with 14%.
As is to be expected, if the fertilizers do not arrive, agricultural production in these countries will be greatly affected.
This complex scenario comes at a time when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO) reported that the food price index reached 159.3 points in March, an all-time high, while in February it had already beaten the record since the creation of the cost index in 1990.
The agency added that among the five categories that make up the index, four have never recorded such high prices: vegetable oils (248.6 points), cereals (170.1), dairy products (145.2) and meat (120.0).
Two of the categories increased prices in February due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict: cereals by 17% and vegetable oils by 23%. These countries together export 30 % of the wheat and 20 % of the corn consumed in the world.
The present and future prospects for the Latin American economies are considered difficult because they will have to face the high costs of food products, without yet recovering from the enormous losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a corollary, it can be stated that the string of extortions imposed by the United States, not only on Russia but also on more than 30 countries in the world, are leading several Latin American nations into an abyss.
By not ignoring the sanctions, these countries are leading themselves into the abyss. You either allow your govt to impose the anti Russian sanctions and starve, or you revolt and possibly incur the wrath of the USA. American global hegemony is on the wain so I’d be tempted with the latter approach as the former means death.
The russians are disconnected from SWIFT. This means every firm, large or small, looking to sell to them will have to find another way to receive payment, which is not simple or easy.
Perhaps this will push widespread acceptance of the Russian/Chinese alternatives, but for now this is not the case
Nice to see a Cuban publication here.
Argentina has requested membership to BRICS. Surely other countries in Latin America will follow.
The U.S does not have much friends in Latin America (except our corrupt political and business elites).
The U.S is digging their own deep grave with sanctions which backfire and printing U.S Dollars ‘ad nauseam’.
Either join BRICS or destroy your own nation, the solution is easy, kick America, and the oligarchs into touch!
Sanctions are implemented to cause war, and as this has been American policy since its inception, a good day to start standing on ones own feet.
Lets be clear. When you speak about America today, it is NOT the America the founding fathers fought Britain for. The current USA has been hijacked by a “Deep State/Neo-Liberal” cabal headquartered in “The City of London”; beholden to no Sovereign State.
Latin America should join BRICS, default on the debt owed to the Deep State Finance Cabal (World Bank, IMF) and start fresh. No reason to kill your own country and people for Mammon.
“History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance.”
-James Madison
One good idea would be to require that BRICS countries and those countries wanting to join BRICS+ not sanction each other. That should just be a no-brainer rule adopted.
The important question not raised is “will private banks still have the exclusive right to create member states currencies ex nihilo as interest bearing debt, or will they follow China’s lead and have their sovereign governments create their money supply debt free”
This is the biggest problem facing the US and EU economies, where all mony is created as debt by private banks.
I agree.
monetary reform; is the biggest action that could be leveled against our common foe.
If only people were to get behind the idea of creating US dollars ,debt free.
After, ending the federal reserve era, with a new law…. Like the NEED act, or chicago plan.
Hit’em where it hurts, from this side… so they have less to go and attack the world with….It’s a “win-win”. FTP
It doesn’t need to be that way with South America Nations of the world. Nations that desire to oppress their own citizens will, but good leaders will make a way to prosper their own people. Proverbs 19:21
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
This is probably why the USA isn’t doing more to stop the left wave in South America. Let them be in power when the sh*te really hits the fan.
That may be a logic in a 3 letter agency, but the way a people matures and increases its conciousness is the sea that makes such waves.
The population of Mexico has exploded and is set to add many more in the next 20 years. COVID and Gates’ GMO poisons be-damned! As a more than casual and long time observer of beautiful Mexico and the wonderful Mexican people I see they are becoming more savvy and cosmopolitan. Not to say they were ever not so. I mean as pertains to their domineering Uncle Sam. It’s of course very far-fetched to imagine Russian offensive and defensive weapons on the US/Mexico border! But in consideration it doesn’t sound as impossible as it once did. :)
130 million on our territory, 40 million in USA (Biden dixit), similar number as the Russian population, our economy is around the 15th, but our riches are 8th worldwise (not considering intangibles, of course). Our actual fight is for sovereignty and for the poor, we have a strong stance antiweapons/violence not withstanding the narco vilolence inherited/3 letter seeded…