Welcome to "The New Monroe Doctrine," where I give you an update on what's going on in the Western Hemisphere, south of our border, especially as it relates to the United States.
We've talked a lot lately about how Latin America is swinging to the right, and it might seem like a fluke or some casual occurrence, but it's not. It's not something one person did. It's not something Donald Trump did. It's the culmination of many factors.
It started with the people — they were fed up. They were sick of crime, violence, and narco-activity. They were sick of mass migration into their own countries. They were economically frustrated. They had socialism fatigue, and they were tired of leaders who didn't share their cultural values. I wrote more about this back in February: The Real Reasons Why Latin America Is Moving to the Right.
So those people — at least the ones who live in countries where it was possible — began working to elect new leaders who would usher in that change. Javier Milei. Daniel Noboa. Nayib Bukele. The list goes on.
Trump and Marco Rubio were sort of the final piece in the puzzle. They've given a movement that was already underway a big nudge and some validation, and they're helping the countries that have gone so far to the left that they could no longer help themselves (Venezuela, Cuba to follow etc.).
But this movement would not have happened without all three pieces of this big Western Hemisphere puzzle: passionate populations, unafraid leaders, and a boost from the world's greatest superpower. For the movement to continue, it's going to take this trifecta to continue, and if this week is any indication, I like what I'm seeing. That's why I chose "I won't back down" (h/t Tom Petty) as my theme. Let's take a closer look at who isn't backing down this week.
Nayib Bukele
One person who does not back down and isn't afraid to speak his mind is President Bukele of El Salvador. It's why his constituents love him. It's why people in the United States love him. It's why people from Mexico to Chile crave their very own Bukele-like leader. This week, he made headlines by doing just that on two occasions.
The first was to counter Gustavo Petro. To keep this brief, I'll just say that the socialist Colombian clown isn't a big Bukele fan. Earlier this week, he accused Bukele of crimes against humanity and putting innocent people in "concentration camps." Or, as non-socialists call it, "prison." Bukele responded with an offer: If these people in my prisons are so innocent, why don't I just send them all to Colombia and let you deal with them? Here are his remarks translated from Spanish:
Mr. President Gustavo Petro,
Some time ago, I presented a similar proposal to Hillary Clinton, following her criticisms of the prison system in my country. To this day, I am still awaiting a response.
Allow me, then, to extend the same invitation to you, with the utmost respect.
If, as you maintain, there are 'concentration camps' in our country, we would be facing a situation that brooks no half-measures, but rather firm decisions in favor of human dignity.
In that spirit, El Salvador is willing to facilitate the transfer of 100% of our prison population—all of them, including the so-called political prisoners and any other case you consider violates your policy of 'love and life.'
Solely under one condition that I understand you will share: they must be all of them. Because if we are talking about 'concentration camps,' even a single detainee who remains there would be unacceptable.
This is a historic opportunity to consolidate your legacy as the liberator who extended the firm rope of justice to pull thousands from the abyss of exclusion.
Last I checked, Petro hasn't responded. Shocker.
Bukele also had a message for the United States this week when the man who murdered Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, N.C., was found too incompetent to stand trial. I'll just leave this one right here:
Impeach the corrupt judges. https://t.co/KMPbwMbki2
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 9, 2026
Venezuelan Protesters
Here's something that's awesome about what's happening in Venezuela: While everyone is grateful for what Trump and Rubio started, they're starting to realize that to finish it, it's going to take grassroots efforts. They're not sitting around waiting for the U.S. to fix everything for them. They're losing the fear they've held for years. They're organizing. They're preparing for the elections to come. And they're protesting against the Nicolás Maduro/Delcy Rodríguez regime.
On Thursday, at least 2,000 union leaders, public sector workers, retirees, and students marched in Caracas toward the Miraflores presidential palace. I joked with some of my colleagues that the protesters here in the United States demand handouts and welfare. In Venezuela, they demand jobs and living wages so they can support themselves. The elderly want real pensions. They're also demanding the release of the 500 or so political prisoners who remain behind bars.
This isn't the first time in recent weeks that this group of people has organized like this, but the movement is growing. And they are losing their fear. Despite riot police and tear gas, they even breached barricades. There's actually a video circling on social media of a police officer starting to retaliate but others pull him away.
Clearest example yet that PNB have new orders when dealing with protests since Maduros removal.
— CNW (@ConflictsW) April 9, 2026
A police officer attempting to detain a protestor in Caracas today was stopped and dragged away by other officers #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/RhUaT62jA9
Even so, the regime is still in place, so there's no time for complacency.
In Venezuela, without Maduro, the same dictatorship remains standing; the only difference is that the one ordering the repression now is Delcy Rodríguez, not Maduro. pic.twitter.com/sF4TIDvb7A
— Emmanuel Rincón (@EmmaRincon) April 9, 2026
For what it's worth, the minimum wage in Venezuela is currently about $0.27 in U.S. dollars. Delcy has promised that on May 1, she will raise it to a "responsible amount," but she hasn't specified that amount. It's also worth noting that Diosdado Cabello and some others organized a pro-regime protest, which means they probably paid people to show up.
Ecuador's Cartel Fight
Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, impresses me more and more each day. He's like part-Bukele, part-Trump. When we first joined his fight to help counter the cartels, I didn't expect it to be so intense.
After spending much of March going hard against cartel activity in specific regions of Ecuador, he's managed to get the homicide rate down 35% from this time last year. Thousands were arrested. In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this week, he said he would welcome U.S. troops on the ground to help continue the fight — something Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum continuously refuses — as long as they worked within the parameters set by his men.
The “Bukele of Ecuador”, President Daniel Noboa, says he would welcome U.S. troops to combat the country’s drug gangs. 🇪🇨🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4xHHViEYkF
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 8, 2026
A lot of Ecuador's violence and organized crime issues stem from Colombia, and, of course, Petro does nothing about it. So, on Friday, Noboa's government announced this week that it would raise tariffs on Colombian imports to 100% beginning May 1. Like I said, part-Bukele, part-Trump.
The Bolsonaro Family in Brazil
I'm going to keep this one brief, but many of you like to email me and tell me that Brazil is a lost cause, destined for socialism for eternity. I say not so fast. As we've talked about, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is up for re-election in October. His main opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro (son of Jair — he's bringing back the family brand) continues gaining ground in the polls. Several polls show them in a technical tie in a run-off situation, and the movement is growing. A lot of you have asked me to continue covering this, and I promise I will as we get closer to election time or if anything big happens in the meantime.
The Peruvian People
But before we get to Brazil's elections, we have to get through a few more. Peru goes to the polls on Sunday, but don't expect any big news. There are something like 35 candidates in the race, and none of them will get the 50% off needed to avoid a runoff. For what it's worth, the right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, leads the polls with just 14% of the vote. This is her fourth time running for president. Conservative comedian Carlos Álvarez and former Lima mayor Rafael López Aliaga, who some media outlets describe as "ultraconservative," are close behind her.
Crime and political instability are the main issues driving people to the polls. As I've mentioned before, Peru's had like nine presidents over the past decade because its Congress can basically just remove one willy-nilly. The guy they have in there now is a real piece of work. You can read more about that here: Please Remain Seated (If You Can).
For the first time in decades, thanks to a 2024 reform, after this election, Peru will have a bicameral Congress with deputies and senators. The thought is that this will help solve the instability problem, but many experts are skeptical.
Peru's laws state that everyone between the ages of 18 and 70 must vote. However, even with it being mandatory, the Peruvian people have not given up on trying to find stability within their current chaos.
Colombia's Conservatives
As I've mentioned in the past, Petro is Colombia's first left-wing president, and much of the country hopes he'll be the last. They have elections coming up at the end of May, but Petro can't run again. Instead, he's supporting the leftist candidate Iván Cepeda, who may be even worse than Petro. Cepeda is leading the polls.
The problem is that the right is divided between the right-wing primary winner, Paloma Valencia, and the "outsider," Abelardo de la Espriella, aka "El Tigre." New polling shows that in a runoff, which will likely take place, Cepeda would lose to either candidate. A lot of you who live in or are from Colombia have emailed me and told me that you're big fans of "El Tigre," and he has promised to support Valencia if she's in the runoff, but I believe there is still some tension between the two.
Either way, I think Colombia is desperate for a rightward swing, especially if the communication I receive from y'all is any indicator. And, as with many countries, crime is the driving factor, and I will be covering this more in the weeks to come.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is coming out swinging against China lately and moving toward the United States as its "favorite partner." And it's not backing down despite China's warnings of: "Sacrificing relations between China and Costa Rica to please other countries does not earn anyone’s respect." We've been watching China bully Panama for turning it away in recent weeks, so we know this is just how it operates.
I wrote a lot about that on Thursday, which you can read here: Tracking China in the Americas: Adiós, Amigos
Something else Costa Rica did this week to show it's not backing down from its desire to move away from China and toward the U.S. was to designate Hezbollah, Hamas, IRGC, and the Houthis as terrorist organizations. Bravo!
BREAKING: Costa Rica officially designates Hezbollah, Hamas, IRGC, and the Houthis as terrorist organizations. pic.twitter.com/ISLea5Zxwk
— Yossi BenYakar (@YossiBenYakar) April 10, 2026
I'd usually do "a few other things" here, but most of what I've written about this week is Cuba, so I'm just going to link all of that:
1. They're so 'Incompetent' That They Can't Even Take Care of the Zoo Animals
2. Rubio and the Cuban Regime May Finally Agree on Something
3. Cuba Threatens ‘Guerrilla-Style’ Fight — Rubio Can’t Keep a Straight Face
4. Why Are U.S. Taxpayers Paying for Members of Congress to Hang Out in Cuba?
And in case you missed it, there was a massive explosion at the Panama Canal this week. That's still under investigation.
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Well, that's it for me. As I say, Rubio isn't handing me exclusives... yet. But I think he should at least hire me to do PR for him when/if he runs for president. I got a head start on that this week with: Rubio's Greatest Hits, Part 1. (Part 2 is coming next week, so stick around!). I mean, I feel like I'm a walking encyclopedia of Rubio quotes and actions from the last 14+ months; may as well put it to good use.
Have a great weekend, y'all!
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