{"id":1354,"date":"2025-05-16T12:30:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T12:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=1354"},"modified":"2025-05-16T12:30:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T12:30:35","slug":"why-colombia-joined-chinas-bri-at-celac-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=1354","title":{"rendered":"Why Colombia Joined China&#8217;s BRI at CELAC Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Welcome back to <em>Foreign Policy<\/em>\u2019s Latin America Brief.<\/p>\n<p>The highlights this week: The <strong>Community of Latin American and Caribbean States<\/strong> holds a meeting in China, Panama\u2019s leaders wrestle with a wave of <strong>anti-government protests<\/strong>, and Uruguay remembers <strong>Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode-fallback\">\n<h2 class=\"dek-heading\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/category\/latin-america-brief\/\">Sign up<\/a>  to receive Latin America Brief in your inbox every Friday.            <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-shortcode-newsletter=\"latin_america_brief\" class=\"newsletter-unit-signup newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode email-capture--step-1 newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode-latin_america_brief\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-latin_america_brief newsletter-shortcode-latin_america_brief\">\n<div class=\"show-on-email-capture--signed-up hide-from-newsletter-subscriber newsletter-unit-signup--shortcode--container\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-unit newsletters-page newsletter-row\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-latin_america_brief\">\n<h2 class=\"dek-heading\">Sign up to receive Latin America Brief in your inbox every Friday.<\/h2>\n<p>\n                        <button class=\"button\">Sign Up<\/button>\n                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"grid--flex newsletter-latin_america_brief newsletter-signup-container\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Latin America Brief sign up form\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<div class=\"buttons\">\n<div class=\"hide-from-newsletter-subscriber privacy-policy-container\">\n<div class=\"privacy-policy-acknowledge\">\n<p><small>By submitting your email, you agree to the <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/termsofuse\/\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Use<\/a> and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.<\/small><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n    <label for=\"email-latin_america_brief\">Enter your email<\/label><br \/>\n    <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" class=\"hide-from-reg hide-from-sub\" id=\"email-latin_america_brief\" aria-required=\"true\" required=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>    <button class=\"button button--signup \" data-newsletter-id=\"latin_america_brief\" data-sourceid=\"In-article unit\">Sign Up<\/button>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<p>On Tuesday, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held a joint <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china-latin-america-trade-exceeded-500-billion-2024-2025-05-13\/\">forum<\/a> with China in Beijing. Although the event was described as a ministerial-level meeting, the presidents of Brazil, Colombia, and Chile attended, as did Chinese President Xi Jinping.<\/p>\n<p>The high-profile guest list and a series of side events highlighted how many Latin American countries are deepening ties with Beijing amid the economic uncertainties provoked by U.S. President Donald Trump. At the forum, Xi said China would extend more than $9 billion in new yuan-denominated credit to Latin America and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n<p>One of the day\u2019s most dramatic announcements came from Colombia. The country is historically a close U.S. military partner and one of the top regional recipients of U.S. aid. But this week, Colombia officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2025-05-14\/petro-inks-china-investment-deal-in-test-of-colombia-us-ties?sref=vxSzVDP0\">joined<\/a> China\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2023\/10\/19\/china-xi-jinping-putin-bri-debt\/\">Belt and Road Initiative<\/a>, an infrastructure partnership <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/pompeo-in-latin-america-has-criticism-for-venezuelaand-for-china-11555101952\">long<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.southcom.mil\/MEDIA\/NEWS-ARTICLES\/Article\/4175433\/hegseth-says-deterring-china-important-for-hemispheric-security\/\">viewed<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/WHAAsstSecty\/status\/1923052472383439134\">with suspicion<\/a> in Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s cuts to U.S. foreign assistance since taking office in January have had dramatic impacts on Colombia. Bogot\u00e1 \u201cdepended heavily on millions of dollars in U.S. funds to carry out all kinds of official government operations\u201d\u2014including support for recently arrived Venezuelan migrants and refugees, Christina Noriega <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/05\/14\/us-aid-cuts-colombia-venezuela-migrants-trump-immigration\/\">reported<\/a> in <em>Foreign Policy<\/em> this week.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2025-04-26\/imf-suspends-colombia-s-flexible-credit-line-on-fiscal-concerns?sref=vxSzVDP0\">suspended<\/a> a credit line to Colombia late last month, citing concerns about the country\u2019s deficit. As a result, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has looked elsewhere for partners.<\/p>\n<p>Colombian officials say they aim to have positive relationships with both China and the United States. But Colombian public opinion toward China has <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GRamsey_LatAm\/status\/1917739896313372763\">improved<\/a> since Trump took office, according to pollster Invamer.<\/p>\n<p>Similar sentiment is seen elsewhere in South America. Last week, the <em>Economist<\/em> published <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/the-americas\/2025\/05\/08\/xi-jinping-tries-to-press-chinas-advantage-in-south-america\">polls<\/a> conducted in late April and early May in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. When asked whether China or the United States had \u201cmore fair and transparent trade practices\u201d in the latter three countries, more respondents answered with China. In all four countries, respondents said China respected Latin American countries more.<\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s events particularly showcased Brazil\u2019s changing economic ties with China.<\/p>\n<p>In recent decades, China\u2019s demand for Brazilian raw materials has been so great that it led some scholars to <a href=\"https:\/\/funag.gov.br\/biblioteca-nova\/produto\/1-638-brasil_e_china_no_reordenamento_das_relacoes_internacionais_desafios_e_oportunidades\">warn<\/a> that the relationship could be contributing to deindustrialization in Brazil. If Brazil can make easy money selling soybeans and other commodities to China, the argument goes, policymakers have little incentive to strengthen the industrial sector.<\/p>\n<p>In response to those concerns, Brazilian officials <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2023\/04\/21\/brazil-china-lula-xi-trade-lavrov-russia-ukraine\/\">say<\/a> they are being more intentional about China policy than they were during President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva\u2019s previous tenure, from 2003 to 2011.<\/p>\n<p>Since Lula\u2019s current term began in 2023, the country has <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2024\/01\/26\/brazil-lula-industrial-policy-economy-mission-mazzucato\/\">launched<\/a> new industrial policies for target sectors and sought foreign investments in those areas, including from China. The sectors include green energy, transportation, and health technologies.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the nearly $5 billion in Chinese <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/politica\/noticia\/2025\/05\/12\/delivery-carros-eletricos-energia-limpa-mineracao-veja-onde-a-china-pretende-investir-r-27-bilhoes-no-brasil.ghtml\">investments<\/a> in Brazil announced this week fall within Brazil\u2019s industrial policy goals. They include a sustainable aviation fuel project, the expansion of an auto plant, and a joint venture to make pharmaceutical ingredients. Brazil and China are also in <a href=\"https:\/\/agenciagov.ebc.com.br\/noticias\/202505\/projeto-ferrovia-bioceanica-avanca-em-negociacoes-com-china-diz-simone-tebet\">talks<\/a> about building a railroad that would connect Atlantic and Pacific ports.<\/p>\n<p>Brazil\u2019s approach to China has become \u201cmore ambitious\u201d in terms of \u201cseeking industrialization and the benefits of the energy transition,\u201d said Larissa Wachholz of the Brazilian Center for International Relations.<\/p>\n<p>China, meanwhile, is trying to grow renewable energy domestically\u2014and has extended that focus to its foreign trade and investments, Tulio Cariello of the Brazil-China Business Council told <em>Foreign Policy<\/em>. Last year, Cariello <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cebc.org.br\/2024\/09\/03\/investimentos-chineses-crescem-33-no-brasil-em-2023-com-foco-em-energias-verdes-e-carros-eletricos\/\">found<\/a> that the oil sector had accounted for under 1 percent of new Chinese foreign direct investment in Brazil in 2023\u2014a marked decrease from previous years.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>Saturday, May 24:<\/strong> Daniel Noboa is inaugurated for a second term as Ecuador\u2019s president.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sunday, May 25:<\/strong> Venezuela holds legislative and regional elections.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sunday, May 25:<\/strong> Suriname holds general elections.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The pope\u2019s past.<\/strong> Cardinal Robert Prevost\u2019s election to the papacy last week has focused global attention on Peru. The Chicago-born Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, served as a <a href=\"https:\/\/elcomercio.pe\/perfil-papa-leon-xiv-robert-prevost-peru\/?ref=ecr#google_vignette\">missionary<\/a> in the country in the 1980s and 1990s and as a bishop in the 2010s. He was based for several years in the northwestern coastal city of Chiclayo, which now <a href=\"https:\/\/elcomercio.pe\/provecho\/tendencias\/chiclayo-y-la-ruta-del-papa-que-le-dara-mayor-vitrina-a-la-gastronomia-de-lambayeque-robert-prevost-noticia\/?ref=ecr#google_vignette\">hopes<\/a> to attract tourists.<\/p>\n<p>Leo lived in Peru during a tumultuous time. In the 1980s, the Peruvian countryside suffered frequent attacks by the <a href=\"https:\/\/insightcrime.org\/peru-organized-crime-news\/shining-path-profile\/\">Shining Path<\/a> Maoist guerrillas. That was followed by a heavy-handed government crackdown under President Alberto Fujimori in the 1990s. Prevost <a href=\"https:\/\/revistaforum.com.br\/global\/2025\/5\/9\/papa-leo-xiv-foi-voz-contra-cruel-ditador-alberto-fujimori-comparado-bolsonaro-178968.html\">criticized<\/a> the human rights abuses of the Fujimori era; he also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.articulo14.es\/internacional\/prevost-nuevo-papa-si-eres-victima-de-abuso-sexual-de-un-sacerdote-denuncialo-20250508.html\">encouraged<\/a> victims of sexual abuse by priests to publicly denounce the incidents.<\/p>\n<p>But that is not Leo\u2019s only connection to Latin America and the Caribbean. Since last week, genealogists have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nola.com\/news\/pope-leo-new-orleans-heritage-explained\/article_2747e016-b148-43e0-9bd1-026a371f4b91.html\">uncovered records<\/a> in which his maternal grandfather\u2019s birthplace is listed as Haiti. Leo\u2019s backstory appears connected to a <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/pope-leo-xivs-link-to-haiti-is-part-of-a-broader-american-story-of-race-citizenship-and-migration-256425\">migration trail<\/a> between the island of Hispaniola and New Orleans. His ancestors were described in different records as both people of color and white, which scholars say suggests <a href=\"https:\/\/history.stanford.edu\/publications\/chosen-exile-history-racial-passing-american-life\">racial passing<\/a>. That\u2019s a story that <a href=\"https:\/\/thebaffler.com\/latest\/passing-for-racial-democracy-reist\">spans the Americas<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1195416\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone none\">            <span style=\"padding-bottom:66.75%;&#10;        \" class=\"image-attachment -ratioscale\"><br \/>\n        <br \/>\n        <\/span><figcaption style=\"height:0;opacity:0;\">A riot police officer clears highway barricades during clashes with protesters demonstrating against the government of Panamanian President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino in Veraguas, Panama, on May 13.<\/figcaption><p id=\"caption-attachment-1195416\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A riot police officer clears highway barricades during clashes with protesters demonstrating against the government of Panamanian President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino in Veraguas, Panama, on May 13.<span class=\"attribution\">Mauricio Valenzuela\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><!-- caption placeholder --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Panama\u2019s protests.<\/strong> Anti-government street protests in Panama have <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/rest-of-world\/panama-enters-third-week-of-protests-all-you-need-to-know\/photostory\/121158127.cms?picid=121158164\">entered<\/a> at least their third week. Among <a href=\"https:\/\/americasquarterly.org\/article\/panamas-protests-test-president-mulino-on-multiple-fronts\/\">several grievances<\/a>, demonstrators oppose a new deal to grant the U.S. military access to Panamanian bases. The agreement was made after Trump threatened to take ownership of the Panama Canal.<\/p>\n<p>Though the deal may have temporarily appeased the Trump administration, it touched off local sensitivities about the 1989 U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/02\/03\/nx-s1-5272624\/trump-panama-canal-1989-us-invasion-noriega\">invasion<\/a> of Panama.<\/p>\n<p>Demonstrations can have big political implications in Panama. In 2023, the country was rocked by street <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/e6991976-bd73-4d5c-9002-393138e5f179\">protests<\/a> against a copper mine; when a court later <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/panama-copper-mine-canada-environment-d418ca75212ce706d9e116ba0571fad9\">ordered<\/a> the mine\u2019s closure, the government did not intervene.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unconventional interview.<\/strong> His popularity sagging, Colombia\u2019s Petro allowed himself to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=26qifhdDCfA\">interviewed<\/a> by prominent\u2014but uncouth\u2014YouTuber and comedian Alejandro Ria\u00f1o in the presidential palace. The video has racked up more than 3 million views on YouTube since it was posted two weeks ago.<\/p>\n<p>Some commentators thought the interview was a good tactic for reaching young people who are not necessarily engaged in politics. But others called the video inappropriate\u2014especially because the comedian made jokes about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/63488516-45b9-47a8-876c-94ed9e9062a1\">accusations<\/a> that Petro has a drug habit, which the president has indirectly dismissed in the past. The comedian dangled what he said was cocaine in front of Petro\u2019s face, to which Petro replied, \u201cDon\u2019t come here with temptation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If any popularity boost came from the interview, it was not visible in Colombia\u2019s Congress this week, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/americas\/colombia-senate-blocks-presidents-labor-reform-referendum-2025-05-14\/\">voted down<\/a> Petro\u2019s attempt to put his flagship labor reform up for referendum.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fp-quiz\">\n<div class=\"fp-quiz-question\">\n<div class=\"fp-quiz-question-text\">\n<p>Which of the following countries is <em>not<\/em> an official member of the Belt and Road Initiative?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"fp-quiz-question-response is-answer\"><\/p>\n<p>Brazil<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"fp-quiz-question-response \"><\/p>\n<p>Chile<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"fp-quiz-question-response \"><\/p>\n<p>Ecuador<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"fp-quiz-question-response \"><\/p>\n<p>Peru<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"fp-quiz-question-result\">\n<div class=\"fp-quiz-question-description\">\n<p>Brazil decided not to officially join the partnership in an effort to preserve a balanced position between China and the United States.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<hr\/>\n<div id=\"attachment_1195417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone none\">            <span style=\"padding-bottom:66.625%;&#10;        \" class=\"image-attachment -ratioscale\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" alt=\"A banner with an image of former Uruguayan President Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica hangs in front of the parliament building as his remains lie in state in Montevideo on May 15.\" class=\"image wp-image-1195417 size-text_width -fit\" src=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?w=800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=550,367 550w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=401,267 401w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=800,533 800w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=1000,667 1000w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=275,183 275w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=325,217 325w, https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pepe-Mujica-Uruguay-GettyImages-2214584589.jpg?resize=600,400 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/span><figcaption style=\"height:0;opacity:0;\">A banner with an image of former Uruguayan President Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica hangs in front of the parliament building as his remains lie in state in Montevideo on May 15.<\/figcaption><p id=\"caption-attachment-1195417\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A banner with an image of former Uruguayan President Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica hangs in front of the parliament building as his remains lie in state in Montevideo on May 15.<span class=\"attribution\">Mariana Mendez\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><!-- caption placeholder --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Leaders from across Latin America traveled to Uruguay\u2019s capital of Montevideo this week for the funeral of former President <a href=\"https:\/\/english.elpais.com\/international\/2025-05-13\/former-uruguayan-president-jose-pepe-mujica-the-quiet-revolutionary-dies-at-89.html\">Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica<\/a>, who died on Tuesday at 89.<\/p>\n<p>Mujica was a unique political giant in the region. A left-wing guerrilla in his youth, he was imprisoned for 14 years before entering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.busqueda.com.uy\/actualidad\/jose-mujica-imagenes-su-carrera-politica-n5399780?utm_source=B%C3%BAsqueda&amp;utm_campaign=46f2fa5e82-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_10_21_07_05_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-a9fb099d7a-264050078\">politics<\/a>. Once released, he did not seek revenge on his jailers but rather promoted civil democratic debate.<\/p>\n<p>Mujica served as president between 2010 and 2015, a period during which Uruguay legalized same-sex marriage, abortion, and marijuana. As head of state, he chose to keep living on his chrysanthemum farm on the outskirts of Montevideo and drove a blue Volkswagen Beetle.<\/p>\n<p>Though Mujica was nicknamed the \u201cworld\u2019s poorest president,\u201d he said he did not feel poor. \u201cPoor people are those who always want more \u2026 because they are in an endless race,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c0j71402z58o\">said<\/a>. His <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/08\/23\/world\/americas\/pepe-mujica-uruguay-president.html\">humility and philosophical reflections<\/a> won admirers far beyond Uruguay.<\/p>\n<p>In an <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/05\/13\/uruguay-jose-pepe-mujica-death-obituary\/\">obituary<\/a> for <em>Foreign Policy<\/em>, Guillermo Draper, the managing editor of Uruguayan news magazine <em>B\u00fasqueda<\/em>, discussed Mujica\u2019s role in the heyday of Latin American regionalism in the early 2010s, as well as his careful work to maintain positive relations with the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike many other left-wing leaders of his era, Mujica became a critic of Venezuela\u2019s authoritarianism. And his support for decriminalizing marijuana as a security policy remains a largely untapped innovation in Latin America, even as it has become normalized in rich countries.<\/p>\n<p>Mujica celebrated the ability to think independently, live collectively, and be playful in a simple way that seems anathema in today\u2019s world of constant screens and scrolling. (He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/08\/23\/world\/americas\/pepe-mujica-uruguay-president.html\">threw away<\/a> his cellphone.) He was inseparable from his wife, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elpais.com.uy\/informacion\/politica\/la-historia-de-amor-de-pepe-mujica-y-lucia-topolansky-un-refugio-de-mas-de-40-anos-y-que-unio-dos-utopias#google_vignette\">Luc\u00eda Topolansky<\/a>, a former guerrilla and vice president of Uruguay, until the end.<\/p>\n<p>Mujica never stopped being a revolutionary. \u201cThe world will always need revolution. That doesn\u2019t mean shooting and violence,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2013\/dec\/13\/uruguay-president-jose-mujica\">told<\/a> the <em>Guardian<\/em>. \u201cA revolution is when you change your thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2025\/05\/16\/china-colombia-brazil-bri-economy-celac-us-aid-trump\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to Foreign Policy\u2019s Latin America Brief. The highlights this week: The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States holds a meeting in China, Panama\u2019s leaders wrestle with a wave of anti-government protests, and Uruguay remembers Jos\u00e9 \u201cPepe\u201d Mujica. Sign up to receive Latin America Brief in your inbox every Friday. 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