US will block all financial support from multilateral banks for Chinese projects in Colombia
Washington affirms that financing Chinese companies in Latin America threatens regional security and rejects the use of US taxpayers' resources to support them.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro
The US State Department's Bureau for Western Hemisphere Affairs issued a direct warning Thursday against international financing of Chinese companies operating in Latin America, coinciding with the official visit of Colombian President Gustavo Petro to China. According to the statement, Washington will "strongly" oppose any project backed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) or other multilateral entities if they benefit state-owned companies or those controlled by the Chinese regime.
In a statement released on X, the U.S. office stated that "American tax dollars SHOULD NOT be used in any way by international organizations to subsidize Chinese companies in our hemisphere." The warning is especially directed to projects linked to the Silk Road, the global infrastructure strategy promoted by China and with a growing presence in several Latin American countries.
One of the most visible cases is the second line of the Bogota Metro, developed by the Chinese company Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), which is currently financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Washington argues that with this type of financing "these projects endanger the region's safety and security," in what represents an attempt to curb the expansion of Chinese influence in strategic infrastructure sectors in Latin America.
Geopolitical tensions amid Petro's agenda
The warning coincides with Petro's participation in the IV Ministerial Meeting of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), in which Colombia currently holds the presidency. His approach to Beijing has been received with concern by both the United States and important Colombian economic associations.
A position consistent with U.S. foreign policy
Donald Trump's administration, had already issued an executive order to review the role of the United States in international organizations, evaluating possible withdrawals if its actions run counter to US interests.
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