Soft Dictatorship, Big Tariffs

After a month-long hiatus recovering from illness, Jacob Shapiro returns to the podcast joined by recurring guest Elohim Monard. Together, they examine the transactional nature of U.S.–Latin America relations, debating whether the region is part of a declining American empire and how leaders like Claudia Sheinbaum and Lula navigate Washington’s shifting policies. Their discussion ranges from Brazil’s geopolitical role to Venezuela’s fragility, highlighting the Latin Americanization of U.S. politics and the uncertain trajectory of American power -- Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro & Personal Update (00:59) - Elohim and Conversando de Política (02:46) - Discussion on US-Latin America Relations (03:51) - The Decline of the American Empire (19:58) - Brazil's Role in Latin America (38:01) - US Foreign Policy Contradictions (38:58) - Historical Context of US Alliances (39:36) - China's Strategic Interests (39:52) - US Transactional Relationships (41:04) - Latin America's Shift Towards China (41:58) - Colombia's Balancing Act (43:27) - Peru's Growing Chinese Influence (45:45) - US-Latin America Relations: A Historical Perspective (47:45) - The Latin Americanization of US Politics (51:17) - Soft Dictatorships and Media Relations (01:00:07) - US Military Actions in Latin America (01:06:10) - The Future of US-Latin America Relations -- Referenced in the Show: Elohim's Podcast - https://www.conversandodepolitica.com/ -- Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416 Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe -- The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com -- Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world. --