Peru is preparing to join the Shield of the Americas, a coalition convened by U.S. President Donald Trump that is presented as a tool to fight crime and unchecked migration in the region, columnist Ramiro Escobar wrote. He noted it was telling that both issues are treated as equal threats.
Escobar wrote that Peru's incoming government appears ready to join the bloc, and tied the initiative to the United States National Security Strategy, published in November 2025, which sets out what Washington wants, dislikes and fears regarding Latin America.
China's growing influence
According to Escobar, the strategy refers, in literal but somewhat vague terms, to political alliances between certain Latin American governments and unnamed foreign actors, which he identified as China. He said Trump has recognized that China has overtaken the United States in Africa and in this region, and that the shield concept is partly meant to reverse that trend.
Escobar argued the shield should not be seen only as a force against crime, but also as a way to limit the influence of non-hemispheric competitors that, according to the Strategy, attract Latin American countries by offering low-cost business deals.
Possible costs of joining
Escobar questioned what price countries would pay for joining a group of governments positioned on the right of the political spectrum and closely aligned with Trump. One cost, he said, could be having to accept attacks on boats of suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, which he described as contrary to international law.
He also noted that membership does not guarantee lower tariffs, pointing to Argentina under President Javier Milei, whom he called the most Trump-aligned leader in the region, whose country was still hit with tariff penalties. Escobar asked how feasible it was to join the coalition given these factors, unless Congress and experienced diplomats were consulted first.
