Wednesday 12.15: EPP Group Press Conference - Foreign Interference in Latin America

The EPP Group invites journalists to the following press conference:

What?
“EU-Latin America Relations and Foreign Interference in Latin America” - Press Conference ahead of the EPP Group hearing on Geopolitical Risks in Latin America: Authoritarian Interference from China, Russia, and Iran

Who?
- Gabriel Mato MEP, Chair of Eurolat Parliamentary Assembly
- Francisco Santos, former Vice-President of Colombia

When?
Wednesday, 26 March, 12.15 - 12.45 hrs

Where?
Anna Politkovskaya Press Room, European Parliament, Spinelli Building, Brussels

Journalists are invited to attend physically. It is also possible to ask questions remotely via this link.

The parliamentary hearing can be followed live in Spanish from 14.00 to 16.00 via this link.

Background:

Latin America is facing increasingly critical challenges and instability driven by the growing influence of authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, and Iran. This autocratic axis is actively working to extend its influence in the Western Hemisphere, threatening regional stability, democracy, and development. The strategic importance of the region as a nexus of global trade routes, natural resources, and geopolitical alliances makes it crucial for authoritarian ambitions. China has become the top trading and investment partner for almost every Latin American country and is investing billions of euros in projects and infrastructure, including the construction of key ports. Countries such as Venezuela have played a key role in helping Iran evade Western sanctions, while Russia supplies military resources to the region's most criminal regimes and has sent troops, aircrafts, and naval vessels to Nicaragua, signalling its intent to consolidate a foothold in the hemisphere.

Raising awareness of these developments is essential to effectively addressing the challenges emerging in the region. The growing presence of these three international actors represents a deliberate effort to consolidate their spheres of influence in Latin America, as a counterbalance to what we consider Western liberal democracies. These actors show little regard for human rights, democratic norms, the rule of law, or the well-being and development of their citizens. Nor do they share the core values that guide and inspire us in the European Union. Without a timely and coordinated response, the EU’s presence—and by extension, the advancement of democracy—in the region risks being significantly diminished, and it will be too late to recover the spaces of freedom lost along the way.

"Now more than ever, it is vital that we work with like-minded partners from Latin America. Ties between our regions must be strengthened in the face of growing international challenges. We must uphold democratic values in Latin America to deepen our cooperation," insists MEP Gabriel Mato.