Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s recent tour of Latin America aimed to build on Moscow’s previous successes among pro-Russian regimes there—Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela—as well as to establish stronger ties with pro-US countries like Colombia. But beyond bilateral relations, Lavrov also endeavored to enhance Russia’ standing in Western Hemisphere organizations as an equal pole to the United States. Thus, the Russian foreign minister traveled to Guatemala, normally a state of marginal importance to Moscow. He attended a conference of foreign ministers of the Central American Integration System (SICA) to obtain the status of an extra-regional observer, a move in concert with …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation