CSD Policy Brief №. 153: Countering Kremlin’s Global Influence in Latin America
CSD Policy Brief №. 153: Countering Kremlin’s Global Influence in Latin America

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Subject(s): Supranational / Global Economy, Economic policy, International relations/trade, Fake News - Disinformation
Published by: Център за изследване на демокрацията
Summary/Abstract: Russia has reengaged with Latin America, offering state-sponsored projects and using tools of economic coercion, sharp power, and information warfare, often exploiting governance deficits and reinforcing state capture. The Kremlin Playbook in the region has targeted key sectors such as energy and agriculture. Russia’s largest oil and gas companies have gained significant footprint in Latin America, bringing in around $14 billion in revenues from selling discounted petroleum products to the region since 2022. Some of the 100 largest Russian companies, including many sanctioned by the West, have expanded the stock of their financial assets held in Caribbean offshore hubs to $70 billion. At the same time, Russia has deployed sharp power instruments to co-opt political elites, civil society organizations, cultural and academic networks, and media outlets to promote narratives that undermine the region’s social and political cohesion. // The current analysis examines Russia’s economic and political influence in Latin America, which is based on the entrenchment of asymmetrical dependencies in the region. To counter these strategies, CSD proposes targeted reforms for improving the quality of governance, accelerating economic diversification and boosting international cooperation.

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