SEVERAL global experts have suggested the Caribbean and Latin America region may be subject to a new style of "transactional" relationship with its powerful northern neighbour, as Donald Trump prepares to ascend to the United States presidency after his November 5 win.
Much focus was on Venezuela.
At least two commentators have suggested this region may be subject to a new way of doing business with the 47th president, who as a businessman had famously authored a book, The Art of the Deal.
The Latin American Advisor, published by think-tank The Dialogue, recently quoted several experts in an article, What will Trump's return mean for Latin America?
Former US ambassador to Panama John Feeley, said Trump is "permanently transactional and he usually telegraphs his punches."
Feeley expects Trump to bring "a new era of chaos and iconoclasm (breaking traditional beliefs)" in the conduct of government-to-government relations.
He expected regional and bilateral trade deals to come under an "America First" review.
"The region can expect unpredictable tariffs and cross-sectoral quid-pro-quo transactional proposals – blending migration, organised crime and trade concessions." He believes migrants from Central America, Haiti and Venezuela will face massive deportations from the US.
"But in perhaps the cruellest twist, the biggest loser in the region will be the democratic Venezuelan opposition.
"Given Trump’s predilection for cutting deals with adversarial strongmen like North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, it is highly likely that, despite (Venezuelan opposition leader) Edmundo González’s congratulatory tweet, Trump will not reimpose oil sector sanctions on Maduro, but rather insist on some kind of performative exit controls from Venezuela, thus claiming he has solved the border crisis.”
Former Mexican deputy foreign minister Andrés Rozental viewed Trump as "bad news" for most of Latin America especially Mexico.
"Although experience has shown that Trump often uses rhetoric and intimidations as a negotiating tactic, rather than as policies to be implemented, this time around, his resounding win and knowing some of the individuals he is likely to name to his cabinet, all portend a complicated and aggressive set of bilateral relationships between the US and Latin America." He noted Trump's threat of tariffs on imports and deportations of illegal migrants.
"Drugs, undocumented immigration flows, trade disputes, border security and a general disdain for many of the region’s governments will probably result in unhealthy interactions with most of the current left-leaning leaders in Latin America."
US National Security Council former director for Latin America G Philip Hughes said Trump in his first term had backed Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Guaidó to try to de-legitimise and leverage Maduro out of power, but had seemed to lose interest when the effort proved to be difficult.
"He might again back efforts to leverage the Maduro regime out of power in Venezuela – a perceived competitor to Trump’s oil p
