China has spent decades building up trade links and financing projects in the Latin American region to improve transportation connectivity and lower energy costs – this is how it cemented its influence in the region. Now, amid the events in Venezuela, the United States clearly see another target in China that requires a swift response.

Changes in Venezuela are a blow to the partnership that has long sustained economic interaction between Caracas and Beijing. In the event of Maduro’s complete removal from influence, Chinese banks could face large volumes of unpaid debts.

However, Beijing’s view of the situation is much broader: it is not only about financial consequences but also a signal of a wider U.S. policy in the region – launched to reduce China’s influence in Latin America.

“If we hadn’t done this, China would be there, and Russia would be there… but now they won’t be there.”

– Donald Trump

Donro Doctrine: A New Perspective on American Policy in the Region

Washington officially presented a new stance toward the region titled the “Donro Doctrine,” which is a variant of President James Monroe’s 1823 articulation on respecting sovereignty and the spheres of influence in the Western Hemisphere. The name emerged in the context of efforts to narrow China’s influence in Latin America and strengthen the United States’ line of defense in the region.

The United States notes that in its policy toward the region there is a new resolve: to reduce dependence on foreign players in critical sectors and to reduce the vulnerability of strategic assets, including infrastructure and energy.

“Undoubtedly the pressure is mounting; countries are vulnerable to it … and foreign ministries are devising various ways to deal with it,”

– Jorge Heine

Analysts in Beijing warn that the United States could use any convenient tactic – from trade restrictions to sanctions – to force regional countries to choose Washington over Beijing. At the same time they believe that China does not plan to retreat from Latin America, but rather is reassessing its methods of engaging with the continent’s countries.

“The United States is tilting toward the nationalization of infrastructure, supply chains, and strategic assets in the Western Hemisphere – this will undoubtedly raise the political costs of China’s involvement in Latin America,”

– Sun Chenhao

While China continues to build its economic bridges with the region – from ports and power plants to railways and telecommunications – experts warn that the U.S. position could lead to a reassessment of risks and the search for new partners among Latin American countries.

“What is more likely is a reassessment of how China acts, rather than whether it acts at all.”

– Sun Chenhao

Experts also note that regional countries will seek real alternatives to cooperation with China – particularly in green energy, agriculture, and logistics – to reduce dependence on foreign creditors and investors. The view of the conflicts and competition between the United States and China in the region remains sharp, but regions also see opportunities for diverse partnerships that won’t require choosing between Washington and Beijing.

“Now you can’t sell a policy with charm alone – you must stay developed and innovative without slowing the region’s economy.”

– Jorge Heine

In the long term, analysts believe China will remain an important economic partner of Latin America and the Caribbean, but its strategy may become more flexible and oriented toward transparency and mutual benefit, to reduce resistance from regional governments in light of growing U.S. attention to infrastructure and energy sectors.