Laura Richardson, commander of the US Southern Command (Southern Command), said giant Chinese-funded projects are “damaging” the environment in Latin America, which is also plagued by organized crime and drug trafficking. The Republic of China is also hurting our region.”
“Independent studies by Latin American organizations have concluded that many Chinese-funded mega-projects are causing river erosion, water pollution, the destruction of fertile land, and the destabilization of fragile ecosystems,” she added.
She pointed, in particular, to the fact that the Chinese fishing fleet is constantly outside the exclusive economic zone of the Galapagos Islands, threatening their fragile ecosystem, inscribed on the UN World Heritage List, and also accused Chinese companies of building substandard hydroelectric power plants in Ecuador. like exploiting the oil and minerals there.
South American Defense Conference Southdeke 2022, which will be attended by representatives of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay, ends on Thursday in the Ecuadorian capital.
It is supposed to solve a number of issues, such as drug trafficking, illegal mining, fishing, organized crime and information protection.
Laura Richardson said that China-linked organizations are trying to manipulate the population through disinformation campaigns and malicious cyber activities and continue to support authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
