Partners of the Alliance may be granted certain Latin American countries, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Now he is at the Columbia, in March, the President of the United States Donald trump has offered to cooperate with the bloc of Brazil. For an initiative to expand relations of NATO with the countries of South America are Americans, experts say. They also believe that in this way the US intends to increase its influence and to reform the Alliance, making it the global that can defend the interests of Washington around the world.

  • Reuters
  • © Yves Herman

The Alliance is interested in developing partnership relations with countries in Latin America, said on 4 April Stoltenberg in an interview with Reuters. To date, NATO has signed a partnership agreement with only one state in the region — Colombia.

“Of course, we are ready to consider the possibility of establishing partnerships with other Latin American countries, which will create the basis for closer political and practical cooperation”, — said Stoltenberg.

The Secretary General recalled that a NATO partner recognized country and is not part of the Alliance, but working closely with him.

Head of sector of regional security issues Centre for defence studies of the RISS Sergei Ermakov in an interview with RT said that the governing structures of NATO and the partnership system is a way to increase their own importance and influence.

“So the Alliance develops and expands global partnership program. He seeks to play a more important role in solving global security problems — the role of the main defence Union”, — the expert believes.

However, the initiative of the Alliance to develop partnerships with Latin American countries comes from the United States, experts believe.

“This decision is Washington. The United States is clearly pursuing a policy to promote their interests through the Alliance for Latin American countries”, — said in an interview with RT correspondent member of the Academy of military Sciences americanist Sergey Sudakov.

The American interest

In extending partnerships NATO is primarily interested in the United States. According to Ermakova, the Americans initiated a Latin American twist of the Alliance, to which the European allies of Washington are not thrilled, as special interests in Latin America they have.

“The US President Donald trump puts pressure on European allies to spend more money on defense, more involved in joint projects. He gave Europeans a choice: either to follow the American course, or NATO will cease to exist for Americans,” — said the expert.

He also drew attention to the fact that Brazil, the South American country, which is the most likely candidate for the status of partner of the first not called the heads of the structures of the Alliance and non-European member countries of NATO and the American President.

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We will remind, on March 19, 2019 Donald trump at the meeting with the President of Brazil Jairam Bolsonaro suggested this Latin American country to cooperate more closely with NATO. Moreover, according to him, this cooperation should be parallel with the expansion of military contacts with the countries of the United States.

“I also intend to appoint Brazil as the main ally outside NATO, or perhaps if you think about it, even a NATO ally. Will have to talk with many people, but, perhaps, after all, a NATO ally that will greatly strengthen the security and cooperation between our countries”, — said trump.

Stoltenberg in his interview to Reuters also denies that Brazil can become a partner of NATO.

“Someone has to make such a proposal, and, in addition, the request from Brazil itself,” — said the Secretary General.

He stressed that the status of NATO partner requires the consent of all 29 member countries of the Alliance.

The status of the main ally outside NATO, which said trump at a meeting with Bolsonaro, is provided solely by the decision of the us authorities. This “privilege” given to those States that are not included in the Alliance, but it is systematically involved in joint United States military action: exercises, counterterrorism operations, research defense development. To date, the main US ally outside NATO in Latin America is just Argentina. It received this status in 1998.

Against Venezuela and BRICS

The Americans want to expand NATO’s presence in Latin America, to better control the region, experts say.

“US need to Latin American leaders did not act contrary to American interests, has not made the integration of projects alternative to those endorsed by Washington. For this Latin America should be under US control and the structures in which Americans play a major role, such as NATO,” — said in an interview with RT, the Dean of the faculty of economic and social Sciences of Ranepa Alexander Chichin.

According to analysts, now the Alliance is actively used in the confrontation of the USA with the official Caracas. So, for Colombia, the procedure for obtaining partner status with NATO were initiated in 2017 and completed in may 2018, in the midst of conflict with neighbouring Venezuela, where in the same month, presidential elections were held, which were won by Nicolas Maduro. The results Colombia was not recognized. Its President, Juan Manuel Santos condemned the Maduro. In February 2019 Colombia and Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations.

“The tactical objective of Washington is in a hurry to get to Venezuela to pick up its valuable resources. Venezuela remains the only country in the region, which today opposes America,” said Sudakov.

Brazil also takes a hard stance against President Maduro. At the Washington meeting trump and Bolsonaro both leaders stated the need for regime change in Venezuela. For this reason, the official Caracas protested.

  • The President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro and the President of the United States Donald trump (left to right)
  • Reuters
  • © Kevin Lamarque

“The government of Venezuela expresses its strong rejection of the threat of the statements of the presidents of the United States Donald trump and Brazil Jaira Bolsonaro made March 19, — quotes RIA Novosti statement by the Venezuelan foreign Ministry. — Overly concerned about US influence in Brazil and Donald trump on Jaira Bolsonaro”.

In addition, according to Ermakov, the expansion of partnership with NATO should seriously change the nature of Brazilian foreign policy: it can stop its contacts within the BRICS framework.

“The five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. — RT) a commitment to coordinate their actions on certain issues, although they have not created a full-fledged economic or political Union. So, of course, belonging to BRICS seriously limits the Brazil membership or desire for membership of NATO”, — the expert believes.

According to him, strengthening cooperation with Latin America through Euro-Atlantic structures, the United States seeks thereby to displace from the region Russia and China, as well as to interrupt the integration of Brazil within the BRICS.

“This is one of the main goals of Washington,” says Ermakov.

The change of the vector

According to experts, the invitation of the Latin American countries to cooperate closely in NATO will be a new page in the history of the Alliance — it will be more Pro-American, finished expanding solely at the expense of European countries and will probably not hesitate to use force.

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“States now need to Alliance broke over the Northern Atlantic. The Americans want to strengthen its position in Latin America, Asia and the middle East, because it guarantees them a global leader. NATO will be used as a tool to achieve this goal,” says Ermakov.

The probability that a number of Latin American countries to become full members of the Alliance, quite large, said Chichin.

“First of all, NATO can join Colombia and Brazil, which carry out Pro-American policy in South America”, — the expert believes.

In his view, if NATO appears Latin American countries, the Alliance will become more Pro-American.

“Washington wants to ensure that his allies were unanimous. But NATO is now there is no consensus. France and Germany raise the question of the creation of a single European armed forces, the United States is seriously at odds with Turkey. In these conditions, the larger the Alliance of Pro-American-minded countries, the stronger the voice of Washington in NATO,” — said Chichin.

  • Colombian soldiers at a military parade in Bogota July 20, 2018
  • Reuters
  • © Carlos Julio Martinez

Also the expert notes that in Latin American countries, the United States will receive additional combat power. Moreover, these new affiliates or members of NATO will be easier than the Europeans could be persuaded to take part in the fighting.

“First is the transition to NATO weapons, then — joint exercises with NATO countries. Soon I think we will see the us-Brazil or us-Colombian military drills near the border with Venezuela. And then, perhaps, the same forces of Colombia, or Brazil will participate in the invasion of Venezuela, and can, over time, in Nicaragua or Cuba,” concluded Chichin.