President Donald Trump’s political impact is extending beyond the borders of the United States. Several Latin American countries are moving toward right-leaning leadership. Brazil is emerging as a key example of this shift.
Marcelo Sandrin, originally from Argentina, has lived in the U.S. for nearly 30 years. He believes Trump’s influence is significant. Speaking to Fox News Digital outside the T. Ed Garrison Arena near Clemson, he emphasized the influence of Argentine President Javier Milei. The prospect of a rightward shift in Brazil also reflects Trump’s growing impact. The Trump administration’s assertive stance in the region is seen in actions like the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Sandrin praised Trump, highlighting Milei as a forceful libertarian and right-wing figure. He noted the shift in South America toward conservative policies during the Trump era.
Trump deserves a lot of credit,Sandrin told Fox News Digital. He emphasized the importance of Milei’s influence and the general move to the right in South America.
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Argentina has seen Milei emerge as a key ideological ally of Trump. Milei pursues significant economic reforms and challenges the dominant political establishment.
Brazil’s political journey is still in progress. Allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro aim to bring back right-wing leadership. Despite this, the future remains contested, highlighting that Latin America’s political shift is not uniform.
The Trump administration’s influence extends beyond elections. The capture of Maduro in Venezuela underscored Washington’s power. According to Venezuela native and Manhattan Institute researcher Santiago Vidal Calvo, this weakened the political order Maduro symbolized.
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President Donald Trump, along with several Latin American leaders, participated in the “Shield of the Americas” Summit in Doral, Fla., in March 2026. Leaders from the Dominican Republic, Argentina, El Salvador, Guyana, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Chile attended.
Calvo praised Trump’s effective policies, which encouraged right-leaning governments in Latin America. He noted that the capture of Maduro highlighted the U.S. as an influential force, counteracting China’s expanding role in the region.
Calvo emphasized that Trump, Milei, and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele inspire right-wing movements. These movements influence immigration, trade, Chinese influence, and national security.
China expanded its influence in the region through unconventional loan agreements. These differ from North American banking transactions and allow Beijing leverage in domestic affairs.
Mexico, led by the left-wing Morena movement, is a contrast to Trump’s network of allies. Uruguay also remains on the left, serving as exceptions to the trend noted by Sandrin.
Calvo credited Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the administration’s strategic approach in Latin America as a foreign-policy achievement.
Fox News Digital’s Reagan Schroeder contributed to this report. Schroeder has worked in both the New York and Washington bureaus for Fox News since 2013.