Ambassador Tom Shannon Comments on U.S. Relations in Latin America in Newsweek, The Guardian
Senior International Policy Advisor and former U.S. Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. was recently quoted in the Newsweek article, “Will Venezuela Be the First Target of Trump’s New MAGA Monroe Doctrine?” and The Guardian article, “Jair Bolsonaro faces justice over alleged attempt to usurp Brazilian democracy,” discussing U.S. foreign policy developments in Latin America.
In a conversation with Newsweek, Ambassador Shannon commented on President Donald Trump’s recent focus on Venezuela, including deploying ships to its coast and authorizing the use of force against drug trafficking organizations, to reduce the flow of narcotics into the U.S.
“[Trump] has said he is going to use American power to protect American interests, and he is not tied by diplomatic niceties, or by practice, or even by what we could consider to be the norms of international law,” he said. “He believes that if you are powerful, you should use your power.”
Separately, in a conversation with The Guardian, Ambassador Shannon discussed U.S. tariffs on Brazil, noting that, despite the economic pretense, they are largely a political tactic. He also told the publication that he was skeptical the tariffs would help former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro regain power.
“It’s a political intervention with an economic cudgel,” Ambassador Shannon said. “I think what [Trump] is doing at the behest of the Bolsonaros is actually going to harm the Bolsonaros in a really significant way.”
