Jorge Heine
Says More…
This week in Say More, PS talks with Jorge Heine, a research professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University.
Project Syndicate: Last year, you warned that Latin America would be the region most affected by a second Donald Trump presidency. What must Latin American governments do to cope with the effects of Trump’s policies on the regional and global economy, and, more broadly, to escape the “deepest economic downturn” the region has faced in 120 years?
Jorge Heine: Trump’s actions – including mass deportations, unpredictable tariffs, and the threat of a US “takeover” of the Panama Canal – pose monumental challenges to Latin America.
How leaders approach bilateral engagement is clearly important. Contrast Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s measured yet firm response to Trump’s tariffs with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino’s capitulation to Trump’s demands, including that the country accept deportation flights carrying nationals from other countries and reduce China’s “influence” regarding the Panama Canal.