In its first 100 days, the Trump administration has radically reoriented U.S. policy toward Latin America—upending decades of bipartisan consensus, weakening democratic norms, and reshaping relationships across the region. From mass deportations and the dismantling of foreign aid to escalating militarization and punitive rhetoric, Trump 2.0 is already leaving a profound mark on the region. WOLA broke it all down in a new piece, Latin America and Trump’s Frenzied First 100 Days: Taking Stock. Below is a summary. Read the full piece here.
- Shifting alliances in Latin America
- The Trump administration is focusing on U.S. allies with conservative values and strengthening ties with countries like El Salvador, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic while straining relationships with historical partners like Colombia and its neighbor to the south, Mexico.
- Migration, militarization, and fear mongering
- Mass deportations, military border enforcement, the use of centuries old laws like the “Alien Enemies Act” and the possible invocation of the “Insurrection Act” to expand the powers of U.S. security forces on migration enforcement have marked the first 100 days.
- The administration has carried out unlawful removals to third countries like Costa Rica and Panama, and sent at least 288 people from Venezuela and El Salvador to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, without ever having received due process.
- There has been a virtual end to asylum for those seeking to enter the U.S., in violation of the Refugee Act of 1980.
- ‘War on Drugs’ revival
- To stem the illicit production and flow of fentanyl into the country, the Trump administration has escalated pressure on Mexico with tariffs, military threats, and potential drone strikes, undermining U.S.-Mexico relations and potentially impacting future cooperation for actions that could sustainably weaken organized crime’s power.
- The administration has signaled readiness to push Colombia to crack down on coca cultivation, while it appears eager to support Ecuador’s war on drug trafficking with infusions of U.S. security aid.
- The decimation of foreign aid
- Following the 90-day foreign aid freeze, most assistance has ended and the administration has dismantled the majority of the U.S. foreign aid infrastructure. The Trump administration has eliminated 84 percent of USAID funding for Latin America, apart from significant reductions in assistance to the region from other State Department bureaus and offices.
- Aid cuts, combined with the restructuring of the State Department and streamlining of the annual human rights report, signal a dramatic retreat from the long-professed U.S. role of supporting human rights and democracy worldwide and could have repercussions for decades to come.
- Looking forward
- Congress’s role under the Republican leadership will be crucial in the coming months as it debates FY2026 funding, including for foreign assistance, and confronts an executive branch that has disregarded Congress’ role in setting funding priorities.
- U.S. policies under Trump 2.0 are already affecting communities across the region. Beyond the impacts of reduced U.S. assistance, Latin America will now need to brace for the consequences of the policies the new U.S. administration has already put in motion, including mass deportations and tariffs, and for the likelihood of ongoing impulsive decision-making by Trump himself. Latin American civil society has long been a powerful force for democracy and human rights. As U.S. foreign policy lurches into a new era under Trump 2.0, civil society organizations throughout the hemisphere should strengthen alliances and work to assess advocacy strategies to adapt to the current moment, examining best practices and lessons learned in the region and globally.
