2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenSCMPPublished: 11:00pm, 1 Apr 2026We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. As Trump ramps up pressure on Cuba, China has ‘very limited options’Photo: AFPAs Washington stepped up rhetoric and pressure on Cuba after the start of its campaign in Iran, Beijing found itself torn between geopolitical reality and ideological affinity.
As Jose Antonio Kast prepared for his inauguration, his government’s first crisis was already unfolding behind the scenes, as the US forced Chile to cancel a Chinese undersea cable. The region was left asking who gets to decide what infrastructure Latin America builds.
China denied that it had intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels in retaliation for Panama’s decision to strip a Hong Kong-based conglomerate of port concessions at both ends of the Panama Canal, accusing Washington of seeking to seize control of the strategic waterway.
