Hello from Singapore,

A few weeks before Donald Trump began his second term, Brian Winter predicted that his presidency would “focus more attention on Latin America than any U.S. administration in perhaps 30 years.” A year later, the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Today, the United States is putting immense pressure on Cuba, including by blocking its access to oil. Winter warned Latin American leaders, who for years had lamented a lack of attention from Washington, “Be careful what you wish for.” He was right that Trump would turn to “tariffs, sanctions, and perhaps limited military action” to achieve his goals—but his essay is also a useful reminder that U.S.–Latin American relations could still change course, depending on whether Trump comes to see the region “as more of an opportunity than a threat.”

Until next week,