Russian roar on Ukraine rings hollow to Latin America allies

By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Russia has been threatening to expand military ties with allies Venezuela and Cuba amid rising tensions with the U.S. over Ukraine. But even if talk of troop deployments is mostly bluster, out of step with Russia’s post-Cold War military capabilities, its strategic buildup in Latin America is real, posing national security threats in what generations of U.S. policymakers have considered to be Washington’s backyard. In the past decade, as the U.S. influence in the region has waned, Moscow — as well as other outside actors like China and Iran — have quietly cemented ties with Latin American friends and foes alike through a mix of weapons sales, financing deals and intense diplomatic engagement.