Speaking at Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 17, US national security advisor Robert O’Brien wrapped up his visit with a brief statement: “True friends are there for each other when times get tough…thanks to China, unfortunately, these days are very tough.”
O’Brien used his visit to promote the delivery of 50 US-made ventilators, the promise of FBI support in anti-money laundering operations and a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation on infrastructure projects through the US’s América Crece (Growth in the Americas) programme.
His somewhat needless and jarring reference to China on what was essentially an aid visit did little to disabuse the notion that América Crece is a response to the growing number of Latin American countries signing up to the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), the infrastructure plan promoted by the US’ geopolitical rival.
