On January 21, 2025, Donald Trump returned to the White House as the 47th president of the United States, thus marking a return to politics with his first decisions generating both support and criticism. Among the main guests at the inauguration ceremony was Argentine President Javier Milei, along with other leaders such as Santiago Peña from Paraguay, Daniel Noboa from Ecuador, Nayib Bukele from El Salvador, and Edmundo González Urrutia from Venezuela.
One of the most notable measures of his return to power was the declaration of a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico, aimed at concentrating resources to combat illegal immigration, a central issue of his campaign. Despite his previous comments on immigration, Trump has engaged in dialogues with Latin American leaders, which contrasts with the emergency declaration.
During a press conference, Trump responded emphatically to a question from a Brazilian correspondent about the future relationship with Latin America, stating: "We don't need them. They need us." Additionally, he expressed his desire for the United States to regain control of the Panama Canal, which generated outrage from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino.
The initial decisions of the Trump administration could have significant repercussions on the politics and economy of Latin America, such as the inclusion of Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism and the intention to classify drug cartels as terrorist organizations. Trump also announced plans to cease purchasing oil from Venezuela to indirectly weaken Nicolás Maduro's regime.
In less than 24 hours, he revoked more than 78 executive orders from the Biden administration, granted clemencies to 1500 individuals linked to the Capitol attack, and implemented measures such as the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, he mentioned the possibility of increasing tariffs for Mexico and Canada starting February 1, which could impact the prices of goods and services in the region.
