Trump troubles: how Latin America became a battleground in the US-China rivalry

China has been deepening its ties with Latin America, making strategic investments in key infrastructure to boost its influence in the resource-rich region. It’s not the only thing that has President Donald Trump worried. He sees countries like Mexico as weak links in America’s defences, blaming them for allowing in drugs, migrants, and foreign imports that threaten American jobs. Increasingly, those threats involve China. David Rennie, The Economist’s geopolitics editor, and Sarah Birke, our Mexico bureau chief, ask: how did Latin America become a front line in Donald Trump's confrontation with China? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.