General Richardson draws focus to relationships with Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, U.S. Southern Commander Army General Laura Richardson outlined concerns regarding the Chinese influence in Latin America. She stated that the U.S. has neglected the countries nearby while focusing on superpowers like China and Russia. She is currently working to engage with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean less as a “big brother,” and more like a “neighbor.”
“We have respect for them, and we need to show that,” General Richardson said. “Our competitors are picking up the phone. [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is picking up the phone and calling these leaders and meeting with them and corresponding with them all the time, and we need to do the same. And I think we can do better in that respect.”
“The SOUTHCOM area of responsibility… this is a very, very important region,” she continued. “We need to strengthen our neighborhood, and we need to realize how resource-rich this neighborhood is and how close our competitors and our adversaries are in the region.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For General Richardson as she promotes collaboration in Latin America.
- For wisdom for Pentagon officials regarding the countries in close proximity to the U.S.
- For the president and his military advisors as they assess opportunities to work with neighboring nations.
Sources: Department of Defense, Fox News
