2022 ended on a tragic note for America in the Caribbean region. Most of the regional nations vehemently started opposing the Biden administration. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic (DR), have come out as the administration’s biggest opposers.
So as soon as 2023 started, the administration decided to pursue aggressively its goal of re-establishing its relationships with the Caribbean and Latin American nations. But it appears that the DR has already rejected the USA’s proposal. How? The DR has decided to cozy up to the Dragon.
As per media reports, the Dominican Republic Senate has presented China with an award for its strong support in combating the COVID-19 pandemic by securing and donating vaccines and other supplies when they were in short supply.
Subtle Message to the USA
Now, this award is conferred at a time when the United States is setting up the negotiation process for its America’s Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) alliance.
The forum was launched back in June 2022 by US President Joe Biden to advance its economic hegemony in South America. However, Latin American governments remain skeptical that the “Made in America” administration is serious about promoting regional economic integration.
The APEP is a far cry from the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas that urges greater collaboration in order to advance labor standards, resolve supply chain bottlenecks, plan pandemic responses, and collaborate on climate issues rather than seeking a hemisphere-wide free-trade agreement.
Nations like Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Barbados were included. But, in the case of the DR, the agreement and negotiations are hanging in a predicament.
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The Reluctance
The DR appears to be reluctant to hold negotiations. It is clearly visible by Dominica’s conferring with USA’s arch nemesis, China. Over the last few months, the DR and USA have been at odds with each other over a variety of issues. In the DR, there have been worries about immigration, drug trafficking, and human rights. However, the US refutes Dominican claims that it is not responsible for the mess.
The US and UN have ignored the Dominican Republic’s security, territorial integrity, and autonomy by disseminating xenophobic and bigoted propaganda. Despite all heckling and maligning by the US, the DR still boomed in the 2022 year-end, giving a befitting reply to the USA.
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The previous conflicts between the nations have become a source of resentment. This might explain why the DR has recently formed an alliance with China, reminding the United States that they have other allies.
The Americas Plan for a New Era of Prosperity is a crucial opportunity for President Biden to regain influence in the Americas and the Caribbean before his potential bid for re-election in 2024. However, the Dominican Republic’s actions highlight the difficult road ahead for the United States to regain its standing in the region.
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