At a time when the global geopolitical landscape is undergoing rapid reconfiguration, the recent confrontation between the Trump administration and the South African government reveals ideological tensions and opens a strategic window for Latin American countries. Beyond the reasons that have led the U.S. president to politically attack South Africa, the truth is that this African country is consolidating itself as a key actor and a defender of the interests of the most vulnerable countries of the Global South. Therefore, Latin America, instead of limiting its focus to the traditional poles of power, would do well to deepen its relationship with Pretoria as part of a comprehensive strategy for development, peace, and sustainable trade.
Why is Trump Attacking South Africa?
Since Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, his decisions have been marked by an exacerbated economic nationalism, a transactional view of diplomacy, and a critical stance against governments he considers opposed to Washington’s geopolitical interests. South Africa has not escaped this logic.
The most recent breaking point was the South African government’s decision to move forward with a policy of land expropriation without compensation as part of its land reform program, aimed at addressing the deep inequalities inherited from apartheid. While this law may be perceived as problematic, the truth is that the South African government has made it clear that it would only apply in specific cases, gradually, and with multiple safeguards to protect the rights of both landowners and the subsequent recipients of the land. However, Trump, with his traditional provocative style and based on a narrative promoted by far-right media like Fox News and white nationalist groups, called this measure an act of “reverse racial discrimination” and an assault on private property, which led to a political and economic offensive against the African country.
But this is not the only issue that bothers Trump. South Africa has taken a critical stance toward Western powers on key issues like the Gaza conflict, NATO’s role in Ukraine, and the hegemony of the dollar in global trade. This is compounded by its lawsuit against Israel for genocide before the International Court of Justice and its prominence in the BRICS, a group it is part of along with Brazil, Russia, India, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. This group has consolidated an agenda opposing the unipolarity that the United States led for decades.
In response, the Trump administration has suspended over 400 million dollars in aid to South Africa, blocked trade agreements, and offered a “fast track” to U.S. citizenship for white South African farmers, portrayed as victims of the new land reform law. This move is both symbolic and strategic, aiming to reinforce his nationalist narrative.
Beyond the Conflict: What South Africa Represents
South Africa is not just another country in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the most industrialized economy on the continent, a member of the G20, a regional power, and a natural bridge between the interests of the Global South and the debates of the developed North. In addition, it has a robust — though imperfect — democracy, consolidated institutions, and a vibrant civil society that has faced complex challenges such as post-apartheid reconciliation, corruption, and structural inequality.
From an economic perspective, South Africa is an actor with the capacity to foster strategic alliances in sectors like responsible mining, renewable energy, agribusiness, higher education, and technology. Its active participation in multilateral forums such as the UN, the African Union, the SADC, and the BRICS itself makes it a privileged interlocutor for any country seeking to diversify its global alliances.
In summary, far from being a “problematic” nation, South Africa embodies many of the aspirations of a more equitable, inclusive globalization based on South-South cooperation. And this is where Latin America has much to gain.
Latin America: Between Pragmatism and Audacity
For decades, the foreign policy of many Latin American countries has been marked by alignment with Washington. While this alliance has brought significant benefits in terms of security, trade, and international cooperation, it has also limited the region’s ability to build a more autonomous and diversified agenda. Today, when the United States finds itself embroiled in an ideological and strategic confrontation with a key country of the Southern Hemisphere, Latin America has the opportunity — and the duty — to rethink its priorities.
Establishing a closer and more multidimensional relationship with South Africa would not only help consolidate a regional strategic autonomy, but also open up concrete opportunities in various areas:
1. Trade and Market Diversification
South Africa represents a potential market of over 60 million people with a growing demand for agricultural, energy, and industrial products. Latin American countries, with their wealth in natural resources, agricultural capacities, and a growing service sector, can position themselves as key suppliers of food, inputs, and services. Strengthening this relationship would reduce the excessive dependence on trade with the United States, the European Union, or China.
2. Knowledge Transfer and South-South Cooperation
South Africa has developed innovative public policies in areas such as public health, inclusive education, sustainable urban planning, and natural resource management. Latin America could greatly benefit from technical and academic exchanges with South African institutions, especially in areas related to social equity, sustainable mining, and rural development.
3. Security and Peace
Both South Africa and several Latin American countries have gone through complex national reconciliation processes. The African country became a global reference with its Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its model of restorative justice. In Latin American contexts marked by internal conflict, inequality, or structural violence, bilateral cooperation focused on peacebuilding, memory, and reparations can generate valuable synergies.
4. Alliances in Multilateral Forums
South Africa’s growing influence in blocs like the BRICS and its leadership in the African continent can open new diplomatic doors for Latin America as a whole. In a multipolar world, building alliances with countries like South Africa allows the region to expand its global influence without being trapped in rigid geopolitical bloc logic or loyalties.
What is at Stake
The crisis between Trump and South Africa is not an isolated episode. It is another example of how the international order is rapidly changing. In this new scenario, countries that manage to navigate with flexibility and strategic vision will have greater chances of securing their welfare and stability.
Latin America has the chance to read this historical moment correctly, abandon excessively reactive foreign policies, and build an agenda based on cooperation, equity, and plurality. Moving closer to South Africa does not mean breaking with the United States, but rather adding new voices and allies to a global conversation where the South can — and must — play a leadership role.
In times of global tensions, diplomatic audacity is a valuable example of a region that believes in an international system based on peace, development, and sovereignty. South Africa is not an enemy to avoid, as Trump suggests, but a strategic partner to value. And Latin America, if it acts with collective intelligence, can find in Pretoria a great ally in these times of geopolitical uncertainty.
*Machine translation proofread by Janaína da Silva.
Autor
Profesor de Estudios Africanos, Sur Global, Gobernanza Global, Agenda Internacional Contemporánea y Cooperación Sur-Sur de la Universidad Externado de Colombia. Doctor en Geografía de la Universidad de Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica.
