MONTEVIDEO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2021) Russia's "important role" in Latin America is balancing out the influences pursued by the United States in the region, Bolivian Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta said in an interview with Sputnik on Monday.
"Russia plays an important role. It can maintain the necessary balance [in the region]. Latin America used to be under certain influences which led to the weakening of integration processes, such as UNASUR [Union of South American Nations] or CELAC [Community of Latin American and Caribbean States] under foreign interests," Mayta said.
The diplomat noted that while "certain powers" seized the disunity of Latin American nations as an opportunity to obtain resources, the Russian presence "creates a tendency to create new balances," that is to say a restraint of the United States' excessive influence in the region.
Mayta expressed hope that the new US administration would "reconsider" its policies towards Latin America overall and Bolivia in particular.
"In relation to the United States, we are looking for something very simple and at the same time very complex - we are looking for mutual respect, respect for our sovereignty so that there is no interference in our affairs. On this basis, we can develop productive and positive relations," the minister said.
At the same time, he pointed to history as showing that the United States has in the past proved troubled to engage in a format of dialogue with Latin American countries that would also be acceptable for them.
