The North Atlantic Alliance is interested in developing partnerships with Latin American countries, Stoltenberg said on April 4 in an interview with Reuters. To date, NATO has signed a partnership agreement with only one state in the region - Colombia.

“Of course, we are ready to consider the possibility of establishing partnerships with other Latin American countries, which will create a platform or basis for close practical and political cooperation,” said Stoltenberg

The Secretary General recalled that NATO is recognized as a partner of a country that is not part of the alliance, but closely cooperates with it.

Sergei Yermakov, head of the RISI Center for Defense Studies Sector at the Center for Defense Studies, said in an interview with RT that for the governing structures of NATO, the partnership system is a way to increase one’s own importance and influence.

“Therefore, the alliance develops and expands the global partnership program. He seeks to play the most important role in solving world security problems, the role of the most important defense alliance, ”the expert believes.

However, the initiative of the alliance to develop partnership with Latin American countries comes from the United States, experts believe.

“Washington is behind this decision. The United States is pursuing a clear policy of promoting its interests through the alliance in Latin America, ”said American Sudak, a member of the Academy of Military Sciences, a member of the Academy of Military Sciences, in an interview with RT.

American interest

NATO is primarily interested in expanding NATO partnerships. According to Yermakov, it was the Americans who initiated the Latin American turn of the alliance, to which the European countries-allies of Washington do not really strive, since they have no special interests in Latin America.

“US President Donald Trump is putting pressure on European allies to spend more money on defense, more participation in joint projects. He put the Europeans before a choice: either to follow the American course, or NATO will cease to exist for the Americans, ”said the expert.

He also draws attention to the fact that the South American country, which is the most likely candidate for becoming a partner, Brazil was not first named by the leaders of the alliance structures and not by the European countries-members of NATO, but by the American president.

Recall, March 19, 2019, Donald Trump at a meeting with Brazilian President Zhaire Bolsonar suggested that this Latin American country cooperate more closely with NATO. Moreover, according to him, this cooperation should be parallel with the expansion of the country's military contacts with the United States.

“I also intend to nominate Brazil as the“ main ally outside NATO ”, or, perhaps, if you think, even a NATO ally. We'll have to talk with many people, but perhaps still a “NATO ally,” which will greatly enhance security and cooperation between our countries, ”said Trump.

Stoltenberg, in an interview with Reuters, also does not deny that Brazil can become a NATO partner.

“Someone must make such a proposal, and, in addition, a request from Brazil itself is necessary,” said the Secretary General.

He stressed that for the assignment of NATO partner status, the consent of all 29 countries of the alliance is necessary.

At the same time, the status of the main US ally outside NATO, about which Trump spoke at a meeting with Bolsonar, is granted solely by the decision of the American authorities. This "privilege" is received by those states that are not part of the North Atlantic Alliance, but who systematically participate in joint military actions with the United States: exercises, counter-terrorism operations, and scientific defense developments. Today, only Argentina is the main ally of the United States outside NATO in Latin America. She received this status in 1998.

Against Venezuela and BRICS

Americans want to expand the presence of NATO in Latin America in order to better control this region, experts say.

“The US needs such Latin American leaders as, say, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, not to act contrary to American interests, not to come up with integration projects alternative to those approved by Washington. To do this, Latin America must be under the control of the United States and the structures in which Americans play the main role. Such as NATO, ”explained Alexander Chichin, dean of the faculty of economic and social sciences at RANEPA, in an interview with RT.

According to analysts, the alliance is now actively used in the confrontation between the United States and official Caracas. Thus, for Colombia, the procedure for obtaining NATO partner status began in 2017 and was completed in May 2018, at the height of the conflict with neighboring Venezuela, where the presidential election took place in the same month, which was won by Nicolas Maduro. Colombia did not recognize the results of the people's will. Its president, Juan Manuel Santos, condemned Maduro’s election. In February 2019, Colombia and Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations.

“Washington’s tactical goal is to quickly get to Venezuela, pick up its valuable resources.

Venezuela remains the only country in the region that today resists America, ”said Sudakov.

Brazil also takes a tough stance against President Maduro. At the Washington meeting of Trump and Bolsonard, both leaders expressed the need for a change of power in Venezuela. On this occasion, the official Caracas made a protest.

  • Brazilian President Jair Bolsonar and US President Donald Trump (left to right)
  • Reuters
  • © Kevin Lamarque

“The Venezuelan government strongly disagrees with the dangerous statements made by US presidents Donald Trump and Brazil's Zhair Bolsonard on March 19,” RIA Novosti quoted the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry. “The US influence on Brazil and Donald Trump on Zhair Bolsonar is overly concerned.”

In addition, according to Yermakov, the expansion of partnership with NATO should seriously change the nature of Brazil’s foreign policy: it can stop its contacts in the framework of BRICS.

“The five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. - RT ) have a desire to coordinate their actions on certain issues, although they have not created a full-fledged economic or political union. Therefore, of course, membership in the BRICS seriously limits Brazil’s membership or aspiration for membership with NATO, ”the expert believes.

He argues that by strengthening cooperation with Latin America through Euro-Atlantic structures, the United States is seeking to oust Russia and China from the region, as well as to interrupt the integration of Brazil within the framework of BRICS.

"This is one of the main goals of Washington," - says Yermakov.

Vector change

According to experts, the invitation of Latin American countries for close cooperation in NATO is a new page in the history of the alliance. It will change: it will become more pro-American, it will stop expanding exclusively at the expense of European countries and, perhaps, it will be bolder to use force.

“The US now needs an alliance to go beyond the North Atlantic area. Americans want to strengthen their positions in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, because it guarantees them global leadership. NATO will be used as a tool to achieve this goal, ”says Yermakov.

Chichin believes that the likelihood that a number of Latin American countries will become full-fledged members of the alliance is quite high.

“First of all, Colombia and Brazil can join NATO, which pursue pro-American policies in South America,” the expert believes.

According to him, if Latin American countries appear in NATO, the alliance will become more pro-American.

“Washington wants its allies to be unanimous. But there is no unanimity in NATO now. France and Germany raise the question of creating a unified European armed forces, the United States does not get along with Turkey seriously. Under these conditions, the more pro-American countries in the alliance, the stronger Washington’s voice in NATO, ”Chichin is sure.

  • Colombian soldiers at a military parade in Bogota, July 20, 2018
  • Reuters
  • © Carlos Julio Martinez

The expert also notes that in the face of Latin American countries, the United States will receive additional combat power. Moreover, these new partners or members of NATO will be easier than the Europeans to convince to take part in the hostilities.

“At first, there will be a transition to NATO armament, then - joint maneuvers with NATO countries. Soon, I think we will witness the American-Brazilian or American-Colombian teachings on the border with Venezuela. And then, perhaps, the same troops of Colombia or Brazil will participate in the invasion of Venezuela, and maybe, over time, in Nicaragua or Cuba, ”concluded Chichin.