US President Donald Trump’s efforts to expand the influence of his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) political movement across Latin America could face one of their biggest tests in Brazil, where President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, are emerging as opposing forces ahead of the country’s political contest. Trump has increasingly sought to build relationships with conservative leaders and political figures across the region, backing candidates who broadly align with his worldview and using US diplomatic and economic influence to strengthen those ties. Trump’s approach has already produced a network of relationships with right-wing leaders and conservative political figures across Latin America.
His administration has openly supported politicians whose positions on issues such as immigration, security, economic policy and opposition to the political left are broadly compatible with the MAGA agenda. The growing links have given Trump a stronger political presence in a region where the United States has traditionally sought influence through diplomatic, economic and security partnerships. Chile’s President-elect José Antonio Kast has emerged as one of Trump’s prominent allies in the region. Kast, a conservative politician, won his election by a significant margin after receiving public backing from Trump. His victory strengthened the position of conservative forces in Chile and gave the US president another political partner in Latin America.
The relationship reflects Trump's strategy of cultivating ties with leaders and candidates who share his preference for conservative policies and a tougher approach to issues such as migration and crime. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has also developed a close relationship with Trump. Bukele's government has worked closely with Washington on migration and security issues, including an agreement under which the United States paid $4.7 million to El Salvador to hold deportees suspected of gang activity. The arrangement demonstrated the willingness of Trump's administration to pursue unconventional partnerships with governments that are prepared to cooperate with its immigration and law-enforcement priorities. Argentina's President Javier Milei is another important figure in Trump's Latin American network. Trump publicly endorsed Milei during Argentina's political transition and has maintained close ties with the libertarian leader.
Also Read: Trump Signals Cautious Iran Talks As Hormuz Standoff Tests Diplomatic Efforts
The US administration also offered Argentina a $20 billion bailout package as the country faced significant economic pressure. The relationship between Trump and Milei has become an example of how ideological alignment can translate into closer political and economic cooperation between Washington and governments in the region. Honduras has also featured in Trump's efforts to build conservative partnerships. Nasry Asfura benefited from Trump's public backing during a closely fought election and subsequently won the contest. His success added another government to the group of leaders with political connections to the Trump administration. Together, these relationships illustrate the breadth of Trump's efforts to promote a more conservative political alignment in Latin America. Brazil, however, presents a substantially more complicated challenge. Lula remains a major figure on the Latin American left and has pursued an independent foreign policy while maintaining Brazil's position as the region's largest economy and most influential political power.
Flávio Bolsonaro, meanwhile, represents the political legacy of his father, Jair Bolsonaro, whose conservative movement has remained an important force in Brazilian politics. A contest involving Lula and Bolsonaro's son would therefore carry significance beyond Brazil's domestic politics and could become a test of how far Trump's influence extends in the region. The outcome could reveal whether the political model associated with Trump and his conservative allies can gain further ground in Latin America's largest country or whether Brazil will continue moving along a different political path. While Trump's relationships with Kast, Bukele, Milei and Asfura demonstrate his ability to cultivate ideological allies, Brazil's political landscape is larger and more complex. Any attempt to reshape the region around MAGA politics will therefore face its most consequential challenge in a country where the left and Bolsonaro's conservative movement remain powerful competing forces.
Also Read: Gaza Peace Hopes Face Setback As Israel Rejects Plan Without Hamas Disarmament