海角大神

A version of this post ran on . The views expressed are the authors' own.

Most Latin American leaders publicly reacted with caution to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump鈥檚 victory in last week鈥檚 US elections, but reactions will sharpen quickly if Mr. Trump tries to convert his campaign rhetoric about the region and Latino immigrants into policy.

Mexico and Central America showed clear anxiety over the implications for their economies and regional migration pressures.聽 Some South American presidents expressed mild enthusiasm and voiced hope for a positive relationship with the new administration, although Trump鈥檚 avowed opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord 鈥� under discussion at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation聽summit in Lima this week 鈥� has fueled concerns about the future of free trade.聽 Fear that the new US president, who takes office on Jan. 20, will deport millions of undocumented migrants from Mexico and Central America and force US firms to shut factories in those countries has seized the media there.

鈥� Mexican聽newspaper headlines screamed 鈥淏e afraid!鈥� and warned of a 鈥済lobal shakedown.鈥� Reports recited the many promises Trump had made against Mexico, including his proposal to build a border wall (and make Mexico pay for it); revising the North American Free Trade Agreement and raising taxes on Mexican imports; putting conditions on remittances; and charging more for visas. The peso suffered three consecutive days of losses before recovering slightly following interviews by Trump and his team suggesting a softer stand on the wall and free trade. 聽Mexican President Enrique聽Pe帽a Nieto phoned Trump with congratulations and agreed to meet soon to discuss bilateral issues, including presumably the wall.

鈥� Guatemala鈥檚聽Prensa Libre聽reported businessmen are worried Trump鈥檚 rejection of free trade could have a direct impact on the economy, and described the possible mass deportations as a 鈥渟ocial bomb鈥� for the country. In聽Nicaragua, newspapers speculated that Trump鈥檚 victory will give a boost to US legislation, the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act, which calls for economic sanctions if President Daniel Ortega doesn鈥檛 take 鈥渆ffective steps鈥� to hold free and fair elections.聽 In聽El Salvador, the main concern is the deep economic stresses of mass deportations of Salvadorans in the United States.聽聽Honduras聽shares those concerns but apparently was more wrapped up in President Juan Orlando Hern谩ndez鈥檚 announcement confirming his intention to make a controversial bid for reelection.

鈥� Venezuelan聽President Nicol谩s Maduro, often given to bombastic rhetoric, has focused on working with Washington in the closing months of the Obama Administration. In a phone conversation with Secretary of State John Kerry, he stressed the need to establish an agenda with the next administration that favors bilateral relationships, but he specifically called on Obama to 鈥渓eave office with a message of peace for Venezuela鈥� and rescind a determination that Venezuela is a 鈥渢hreat to the United States.鈥� Obama himself last April said the designation was exaggerated.

鈥� Media in聽Colombia聽speculated that Trump will be less committed to aid and support for finalizing and implementing a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Argentina, 听叠谤补锄颈濒, and Chile offered calm reactions to the news.聽 For Buenos Aires and Santiago, the biggest concern was potentially strained commercial relationships and free trade agreements with the United States, according to press reports.聽 Brazil offered little reaction to the news, but Trump鈥檚 win brought four consecutive days of losses for the聽real聽鈥� weakening 7.6 percent since the election.

The political leaders鈥� cautious reactions conceal a broad and deep rejection for President-elect Trump鈥檚 values and intentions as he stated them during the campaign. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox once again tweeted his disapproval for Trump, while Jos茅 Mujica, former President of Uruguay, expressed dismay on Twitter, summing up the situation in one word: 鈥淗elp!鈥澛� Press reports and anecdotal information indicate, moreover, that large segments of Latin American society have shown a widespread distaste for Trump鈥檚 win.聽 Their general wait-and-see attitude will end when and if Trump proves himself the unpredictable and reactionary he seemed on the campaign trail.聽 Latin American leaders have a lot of work ahead as they navigate a new relationship with the United States.

Catie Prechtel and Carlos D铆az Barriga are graduate assistants at American University's .