Dear John,
Just over three weeks ago, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States for a second term. During his campaign, Trump promised even more extreme and discriminatory policies. Beyond the concerning impact of his pledge to carry out mass deportations, a second Trump term could pose significant dangers for Latin America through potentially harmful alliances with authoritarian leaders like Javier Milei in Argentina and Nayib Bukele in El Salvador. Alliances with these governments and other ultra-conservative politicians in the region could lead to greater democratic backsliding in Latin America, including withdrawing support for addressing the climate crisis and advancing anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQI+ movements, among other issues. Trump 2.0 also risks deepening dangerous policies such as increased militarization in the fight against drugs, the imposition of tariffs, and a general reduction in foreign aid and cooperation.
The Republican Party will also hold control over both chambers of Congress. At WOLA, relationships with lawmakers and their staff are a cornerstone of our work. While this legislative period may present challenges, we remain firmly committed to finding creative and innovative ways to foster bipartisan collaboration to advance policies that prioritize human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Latin America.
As we begin this new chapter in the United States, with a president-elect aiming to weaken democratic institutions at home and likely to strengthen anti-democratic actors (including authoritarian leaders of varying ideological leanings) in Latin America and other parts of the world, it is essential to reaffirm the value of our partnerships and cooperation with those committed to democracy. Over the past months, I have had key conversations with political leaders, civil society organizations, and allies in the region and Europe to unite our efforts. It is vital for civil society to continue evaluating the impact of traditional advocacy strategies to address the challenges posed by disinformation and to develop our own new playbook to counter how authoritarian actors coordinate their messages globally.
For decades, WOLA’s research and advocacy work has been instrumental in mitigating the negative impacts of U.S. policies on the Americas. Our commitment to defending human rights and amplifying the voices of civil society organizations remains our core mission. We anticipated this moment and are now prepared to act. We are in the process of finalizing WOLA’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 which provides a good opportunity to fine-tune strategies to expand bipartisan relationships with Congressional offices and to strengthen our role as a source of evidence-based information on key developments in Latin America and U.S. policies. Today more than ever, our work is crucial in confronting the threats that jeopardize these fundamental values. We know that only together, in partnership with those who share this mission, can we overcome these challenges.
