China Increasing Military Ties in Latin America

Published: Mar 15, 2006
Source: www.globalsecurity.org



The commander of U.S. forces in Latin America says countries in the region are increasingly turning to China for military training because of a U.S. law that has forced a reduction in a previously robust American training program. General Bantz Craddock made the comment at a U.S. Senate committee hearing Tuesday, where several senators expressed concern about the situation and called for the law to be changed. The general also expressed concern about what he called the 'destabilizing' influence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the region.

General Craddock says the problem has been caused by a U.S. law that prohibits sending military trainers into countries that are part of the new International Criminal Court. Under the court's rules, the American military personnel could be subject to charges and trials for any alleged wrongdoing, and would not have diplomatic protection or other immunity. The U.S. law requires such countries to sign agreements with the United States promising not to use the court against the American military trainers.

Some countries have signed such agreements, but General Craddock, the head of the U.S. Southern Command, says 11 countries in Latin America have not, hurting efforts to build relations with those countries. He says many of them are finding China to be an attractive alternative. The general was asked to characterize China's military involvement in training Latin American militaries.continue..