Federal policy on Latin America, 2017-2018

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See also: Federal policy on trade, 2017-2020

President Donald Trump's main focuses in Latin America have been renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), modifying U.S. border policy, changing U.S. policy toward Cuba, and monitoring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government.

This page tracked major events and policy positions of the Trump administration and the 115th United States Congress on Latin America from 2017 and 2018. This page was updated through 2018. Think something is missing? Please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Major events and policy announcements appear below.

June 4, 2018: Secretary Pompeo calls for Venezuela’s removal from the OAS

On June 4, 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered remarks at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington, DC. Pompeo focused on transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) in Mexico, economic opportunity in Cuba, democratic reform in Nicaragua, and the humanitarian situation in Venezuela. Pompeo said, “We seek only what all the nations of the OAS want for our people: a return to the constitutional order, free and fair elections with international observation, and the release of political prisoners.” Echoing Vice President Mike Pence, Pompeo called for the removal of Venezuela from the OAS.^[1]

June 4, 2018: Pence calls for Venezuela’s removal from OAS

On June 4, 2018, Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech at the Organization of American States (OAS) in which he addressed the humanitarian situation in Venezuela. Citing human rights abuses, government corruption, and doubts over the validity of the country’s recent election, Vice President Pence argued for the suspension of Venezuela’s membership to the organization.^[2]

May 26, 2018: American missionary released from Venezuelan prison

On May 26, 2018, Joshua Holt, a Mormon missionary from Utah, was released from a Venezuelan prison after being held for nearly two years. Holt was accused of stockpiling weapons in his wife's family's apartment. The State Department called the weapons charges questionable, according to NBC News.^[3]

While meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Holt said, "I'm just so grateful for what you guys have done — and for thinking about me, and caring about me, just a normal person. So it really touches me, and thank you."^[3]

Trump thanked Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) for working to secure Holt’s release.^[4]

May 21, 2018: Trump executive order prohibits Venezuelan transactions

On May 21, 2018, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that prohibited people in the U.S. from participating in certain financial transactions with the Venezuelan government. Amid growing concerns over human rights abuses and governmental corruption in Venezuela, the Trump administration’s executive order prevented “the purchase of any debt owed to the government of Venezuela,” and kept the Venezuelan government from liquidating assets.^[5]

April 13, 2018: State Department announces aid for Venezuelans

On April 13, 2018, the U.S. Department of State released a statement announcing $16 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuelans who have fled the country. The statement said that the funding will go in part to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist Venezuelans and their Columbian and Brazilian host communities. According to the statement, “This assistance will help provide the people of Venezuela safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter, protection from violence and exploitation, and work and education opportunities.” Since 2017, the U.S. government has given a total of $21 million in aid to Venezuelans.^[6]

March 19, 2018: President Trump bans dealings in Venezuelan cryptocurrency

On March 19, 2018, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that prohibited Americans from trading in the petro, the new Venezuelan cryptocurrency announced by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in December 2017. This, as well as other sanctions placed on Venezuela, garnered bipartisan support, as many raised concerns over the validity of President Maduro’s claims that the cryptocurrency is backed by Venezuelan oil.^[7]

September 19, 2017: Trump criticizes Maduro; warns of more sanctions

On September 19, 2017, in his first speech to the United Nations, Trump criticized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for his socialist policies, corruption, and human rights abuses. He also said that the U.S. was "prepared to take further action if the government of Venezuela persists on its path to impose authoritarian rule on the Venezuelan people." Trump's remarks appear below.

August 25, 2017: Trump signs executive order imposing sanctions on Maduro

On August 25, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing financial sanctions on Venezuela. The order prohibited "dealings in new debt and equity issued by the government of Venezuela and its state oil company" and "dealings in certain existing bonds owned by the Venezuelan public sector, as well as dividend payments to the government of Venezuela."^[10]

In a statement, the White House said, "The Maduro dictatorship continues to deprive the Venezuelan people of food and medicine, imprison the democratically-elected opposition, and violently suppress freedom of speech. The regime’s decision to create an illegitimate Constituent Assembly—and most recently to have that body usurp the powers of the democratically-elected National Assembly—represents a fundamental break in Venezuela’s legitimate constitutional order. In an effort to preserve itself, the Maduro dictatorship rewards and enriches corrupt officials in the government’s security apparatus by burdening future generations of Venezuelans with massively expensive debts. Maduro’s economic mismanagement and rampant plundering of his nation’s assets have taken Venezuela ever closer to default. His officials are now resorting to opaque financing schemes and liquidating the country’s assets at fire sale prices."

August 9, 2017: State Department says it is investigating incident involving unexplained hearing loss of U.S. diplomats in Cuba

On August 9, 2017, the Associated Press reported that the U.S. was investigating what caused unexplained hearing loss and other physical problems resembling concussions in several U.S. diplomats who were in Cuba during the fall of 2016. Some of the diplomats ended their tours early and returned to the U.S. for medical care. According to AP, "After months of investigation, U.S. officials concluded that the diplomats had been exposed to an advanced device that operated outside the range of audible sound and had been deployed either inside or outside their residences. It was not immediately clear if the device was a weapon used in a deliberate attack, or had some other purpose."^[11][12]

During a press conference on August 9, 2017, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "We don’t have any definitive answers about the source or the cause of what we consider to be incidents. We can tell you that on May 23rd, the State Department took further action. We asked two officials who were accredited at the Embassy of Cuba in the United States to depart the United States. Those two individuals have departed the United States. We take this situation very seriously. One of the things we talk about here often is that the safety and security of American citizens at home and abroad is our top priority. We’re taking that situation seriously and it’s under investigation right now."^[13]

On August 9, 2017, the Cuban government said in a statement, “Cuba has never permitted, nor will permit, that Cuban territory be used for any action against accredited diplomatic officials or their families, with no exception.” The government also addressed the expulsion of two Cuban diplomats saying that it was “unjustified and baseless.”^[11]

Cuba has allowed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on the island to investigate the incident. The AP noted that investigators were examining whether "the incidents were carried out by a third country such as Russia, possibly operating without the knowledge of Cuba’s formal chain of command."^[11][12]

August 24, 2017: State Department confirms at least 16 U.S. government officials harmed by health attacks

During a press conference on August 24, 2017, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that "at least 16 U.S. Government employees, members of our embassy community, have experienced some kind of symptoms," including hearing loss, headaches, and nausea, as a result of what was described as a health attack. Nauert added, "This is something that we have not experienced in the past." The attacks were carried out on U.S. diplomats who were in Cuba during the fall of 2016. Nauert also told reporters that the officials were getting medical treatment and that the attacks were not ongoing.^[14][15]

September 29, 2017: State Department reduces embassy staff in Havana; confirms at least 21 were harmed by health attacks

On September 29, 2017, the State Department "ordered the departure of nonemergency personnel assigned to the U.S. embassy in Havana, as well as all family members" in response to the health attacks that harmed at least 21 embassy employees, according to a State Department official. Emergency personnel are the only individuals who will remain in Cuba until the source of the attacks is identified. The attacks caused "ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, balance problems, visual complaints, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping."^[16]

The State Department official also said that a travel warning would be issued to U.S. citizens advising them not to travel to Cuba because of the attacks carried out on U.S. embassy staff. When asked by a reporter why the State Department thought Americans traveling in Cuba could be at risk, the official said, "With regard to the threat to American citizens, the – there’s no more important mission for the State Department or a U.S. embassy overseas than to protect and advise Americans on potential threats to their safety, health, and well-being. The fact that some of these attacks have occurred in hotels where American citizens could be at and that we have no way of advising American citizens on how they could mitigate such attacks, we felt we must warn them on not to travel to Cuba until we understand and know more about the source and means and ways to mitigate these attacks that are occurring."^[16]

October 3, 2017: State Department orders 15 Cuban officials to leave embassy; confirms at least 22 were harmed by health attacks

On October 3, 2017, the Department of State "informed the Government of Cuba it was ordering the departure of 15 of its officials from its embassy in Washington, D.C.," and confirmed that 22 U.S. government officials were harmed by health attacks carried out in Cuba, according to a State Department official. The official noted that the "move does not signal a change of policy or determination of responsibility for the attacks on U.S. Government personnel in Cuba. We are maintaining diplomatic relations with Havana."^[17]

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, "The decision was made due to Cuba’s failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations. ... We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks."^[18]

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez commented on the move, saying, “This is a political decision, a retaliatory measure." He added that Cuba “has never perpetrated or would ever perpetrate attacks of any type against diplomats or their families, without any exception.”^[19]

The attacks were reported in November 2016, April 2017, May 2017, and August 2017.^[19]

June 16, 2017: Trump signs memorandum concerning U.S.-Cuba relations

See also: Federal policy on Cuba, 2017

On June 16, 2017, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum concerning the administration's stance toward relations between the United States and Cuba. The memorandum outlined policies that banned travel from the U.S. to Cuba and that supported the economic embargo of Cuba that the Obama administration had taken steps to end. The memorandum specified that the U.S. government would not reinstate the Wet Foot, Dry Foot immigration policy. The U.S. and Cuba would retain diplomatic ties, according to the policies outlined in the document.^[20]

In a speech in Miami, Florida that same day, Trump said, "I am canceling the last administration's completely one-sided deal with Cuba. ... They made a deal with a government that spread violence and instability in the region and nothing they got, think about it, nothing they got, they fought for everything and we just didn't fight hard enough, but now, those days are over."^[21]

Trump administration officials on Latin America

President Donald Trump

Brazil

• White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on February 21, 2017, that the Trump administration would review all of its trade deals and agreements, including those it had with Brazil. When asked why Trump had not yet spoken with Michel Temer, the president of Brazil, when he had contacted other Latin American leaders, Spicer said, "Well, obviously, we cherish our relationship with Brazil. I think there’s a timing factor here and I think we’ll look forward to speaking with the President soon. So I wouldn’t read too much into that right now. It’s just a matter of getting things on the schedule."^[22]

Colombia

• In a presidential memorandum on September 13, 2017, Trump said that he had considered decertifying Colombia as a partner against the illegal drug trade. He wrote that "the United States Government seriously considered designating Colombia as a country that has failed demonstrably to adhere to its obligations under international counternarcotics agreements due to the extraordinary growth of coca cultivation and cocaine production over the past 3 years, including record cultivation during the last 12 months."^[23]

Cuba

See also: Federal policy on Cuba, 2017

Mexico

See also: Federal policy on immigration, 2017-2020

• On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump said that he would build a wall along the southern border and make Mexico pay for it. On January 27, 2016, he issued an executive order on immigration, “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,” calling for the construction of a wall and additional detention facilities along the United States’ southern border.^[24][25]

• As a presidential candidate, Trump traveled to Mexico in August 2016 and met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. He made the following remarks, in part, at a press conference:

• During a Republican presidential debate in August 2015, Trump said that members of the Border Patrol and others had informed him that Mexico sent criminals to the U.S. "They say this is what's happening because our leaders are stupid, our politicians are stupid and the Mexican government is much smarter, much sharper, much more cunning and they send the bad ones over because they don't want to pay for them, they don't want to take care of them. Why should they when the stupid leaders of the United States will do it for them and that's what's happening whether you like it or not," Trump said.^[27]

• When Trump announced his presidential campaign on June 16, 2015, he accused Mexico of sending criminals to the U.S. "When do we beat Mexico at the border? They're laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they're killing us economically. The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems. Thank you. It's true, and these are the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," he said.^[28]

NAFTA

• On April 23, 2018, Trump wrote in a tweet, "Mexico, whose laws on immigration are very tough, must stop people from going through Mexico and into the U.S. We may make this a condition of the new NAFTA Agreement. Our Country cannot accept what is happening! Also, we must get Wall funding fast."^[29]

• During an interview with The Wall Street Journal on January 14, 2018, Trump was asked if he was considering withdrawing from NAFTA. Trump said, “If we don’t make the right deal, I will terminate Nafta. OK? Now, do I want to? No, I’d rather leave it, but I feel that if that if—you know, the United States has been treated very, very badly. That has been a terrible agreement for us, and if we don’t make a good deal for our country—we lose $71 billion in trade deficits with Mexico. We lose $17 billion with Canada. If we don’t make a fair deal for the United States and the United States taxpayer, then I will terminate it.”^[30]

• During a speech at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, on January 8, 2018, Trump discussed NAFTA, saying, “To level the playing field for our great American exporters — our farmers and ranchers, as well as our manufacturers — we are reviewing all of our trade agreements to make sure they are fair and reciprocal — reciprocal, so important. On NAFTA, I am working very hard to get a better deal for our country and for our farmers and for our manufacturers. It’s under negotiation as we speak. (Applause.) But think of it: When Mexico is making all of that money, when Canada is making all of that money, it’s not the easiest negotiation. But we’re going to make it fair for you people again.”^[31]

• During an interview with the Associated Press on April 24, 2017, Trump said, “I am very upset with NAFTA. I think NAFTA has been a catastrophic trade deal for the United States, trading agreement for the United States. It hurts us with Canada, and it hurts us with Mexico. Most people don't even think of NAFTA in terms of Canada. You saw what happened yesterday in my statements, because if you look at the dairy farmers in Wisconsin and upstate New York, they are getting killed by NAFTA.” When asked if he would renegotiate NAFTA, Trump said, “I am going to either renegotiate it or I am going to terminate it. … If they don't treat fairly, I am terminating NAFTA.” When asked what the timeline was for terminating NAFTA, Trump said, “It's a six-month termination clause, I have the right to do it, it's a six-month clause.”^[32]

• On February 13, 2017, during a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump discussed his plans for NAFTA, saying, “We’ll be tweaking it. We’ll be doing certain things that are going to benefit both of our countries. Our relationship with Canada is outstanding." Trump added that the trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada was better than the relationship with Mexico. He said, “It’s a much less severe situation then what’s taken place on the southern border. For many, many years, the transaction was not fair to the United States. We’re going to work with Mexico. We’re going to make it a fair deal for both parties.”^[33]

• Trade reform was listed as one of Trump's major initiatives, according to his presidential transition website.

• On December 5, 2016, Anthony Scaramucci, a senior advisor on the Trump transition team, discussed Trump's stance on NAFTA. He said, “I don’t think we’re looking to rip up NAFTA as much as we are looking to right-size it and make it fairer. He’s got a great relationship, by the way, with the Mexican president. They talk regularly. ... I don’t think anybody in the administration from the top to the bottom is looking for protectionism. We understand the economic harm and the impact that would take. I don’t think anybody in the administration is looking for quote-unquote tariffs, but I think they are a cudgel, if you will, to lay out there if we can’t get the trade deals to be right-sided to now benefit the American people.”^[35]

Venezuela

• In response to political instability in Venezuela under the Maduro regime, Trump said on August 11, 2017, "We’re all over the world and we have troops all over the world in places that are very very far away, Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering and dying. We have many options for Venezuela including a possible military option if necessary."^[38]

Vice President Mike Pence

CAFTA

• As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2005, Mike Pence voted in support of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The bill, which became law on August 2, 2005, authorized trade agreements with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.^[39] He said during debate on the bill that "the Caribbean and Central America were inflamed with a virus that we called communism. It was in its ascendancy. Thanks to the courageous vision and leadership of President Ronald Reagan and many on both sides of the aisle in this Congress, the people of the United States of America invested in freedom. Now, 20 years hence, we see fledgling democracies, even democracies that have sent soldiers to stand with our soldiers in Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is that nightmare turned into a dream of democracy that is at stake today in the vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Having stood with those who stood for freedom 20 years ago, let us not in this Congress and in this Nation turn our backs today on those same fledgling democracies that are embracing our principles of free market economics and freedom. Say yes to freedom in Central America."^[40]

Cuba

Mexico

• In December 2016, Pence said that there were "a variety of ways" to make Mexico pay for the construction of a border along the southern border. "We're going to work with the Congress in that regard. Some of it will be negotiation. ... But, you know, in the course of renegotiating NAFTA, there was a—or agreeing to renegotiate NAFTA, there was an agreement that border security is critical and important. We'll have those conversations. But you think about the enormous amount of commerce that flows over that border. There's a whole lot of ways and I'm absolutely confident that our president-elect is going to keep his promise to the American people. We're going to secure the border. We're going to build the wall. We're going to end illegal immigration once and for all and we'll find a way to have our neighbors pay for it," he said in an interview.^[41]

Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Mexico

• On February 23, 2017, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly met with Mexican officials, including President Enrique Peña Nieto, to discuss President Donald Trump’s immigration executive orders, as well as trade, energy, legal migration, security, and education exchanges. In a joint statement, Tillerson and Kelly said, “In our meetings, we jointly acknowledged that, in a relationship filled with vibrant colors, two strong sovereign countries from time to time will have differences. We listened closely and carefully to each other as we respectfully and patiently raised our respective concerns.” After the meeting, Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Luis Videgaray said, “Reaching agreements with the U.S. will be a long road, but today we have taken a step in the right direction. The differences persist, and we will continue to work on issues of interest for Mexicans as they will continue to do so for Americans.”^[42][43]

115th Congress on Latin America

• February 9, 2017: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) requested that the White House sanction Venezuela, including its vice president, Tareck El Aissami, for human rights violations and connections to radical terror organizations. "We are writing to request that your administration take immediate action to sanction regime officials responsible for the ongoing dire humanitarian situation, oppressive human rights conditions, and unconscionable corruption taking place in Venezuela. ... Moreover, Maduro’s recent appointment of Tareck El Aissami puts him next in line to possibly become the next leader of Venezuela, which is extremely troubling given his alleged ties to drug trafficking and terrorist organizations," they wrote in a joint letter.^[44]

The 2016 Republican Party Platform on the Americas

See also

• Federal policy on Cuba, 2017

External links

• WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Tillerson, and U.N. Ambassador Haley at Working Dinner in Honor of Latin American Leaders"
• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

v • e President Donald Trump's policies Overviews Donald Trump • Donald Trump presidential Cabinet • Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016 Polling indexes: Opinion polling during the Trump administration Domestic policy Abortion • Crime and justice • Education • Energy and the environment • Federal courts • Firearms policy • First Amendment • Healthcare • Immigration • Infrastructure • LGBTQ issues • Marijuana • Puerto Rico • Social welfare programs • Veterans • Voting issues Economic affairs and regulations Agriculture and food policy • Budget • Financial regulation • Jobs • Social Security • Taxes • Trade Foreign affairs and national security Afghanistan • Arab states of the Persian Gulf • China • Cuba • Iran • Iran nuclear deal • Islamic State and terrorism • Israel and Palestine • Latin America • Military • NATO • North Korea • Puerto Rico • Russia • Syria • Syrian refugees • Technology, privacy, and cybersecurity