Secretary Mike Pompeo has announced that he will travel to Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Colombia.

His trip to South America is a step in the right direction, as Ana Quintana wrote:

The four countries Pompeo will visit this week are leading international efforts against Maduro's dictatorship. In the history of Latin America, this sort of cooperation and consensus is unprecedented.

There is symbolism attached to the trip as well.  Three of the four countries — Chile, Paraguay, and Peru — have known oppression firsthand.  All were formerly governed by dictatorships and are now democracies.  The State Department is highlighting how their democratic transitions can serve as an example for a post-Maduro Venezuela.

Chile today can boast of being Latin America's most prosperous nation, based on per capita income.  This year marks the 30th year anniversary of the plebiscite that started Chile's transition to democracy[.] ...

Paraguay is a dynamic example of a small country punching above its weight.  This landlocked South American nation has overcome a history of political instability and dictatorships and is now emerging as a free-market-oriented democracy[.] ...

Peru suffered through decades of military and authoritarian rule, yet the last two decades have seen an emergence of stable, democratic governance.  After more than a generation of armed conflict with the narco-communist Shining Path insurgency, the fighting has finally calmed down. ...

The final stop on Pompeo's trip is Cucuta, Colombia.  This border town is the primary crossing point for Venezuelans fleeing Maduro's dictatorship.  Since 2015, over 3 million Venezuelans have left their country.  Nearly 2 million have resettled in Colombia, while 700,000 have resettled in Peru.

Also, these four countries have serious leadership.

During the Obama years, Latin America never received the attention it deserved.  The Obama administration was only interested in "Latinos" who wanted to walk into the U.S. illegally.

It's nice to see that the Trump administration is supporting democracies and also standing up to Maduro.

Good move and another demonstration that Secretary Pompeo was a brilliant choice.

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