Influências cruzadas e disputas no essequibo : a atuação da China e dos EUA na dinâmica geopolítica regional

Abstract

The present study addresses the complex dispute over the Essequibo region, highlighting the regional geopolitical dynamics influenced by the powers of China and the USA. The investigation adopts the geopolitical theory of Realism as its analytical basis in a documentary and bibliographic research applied to the deductive method,aiming to provide insights into the understanding of geopolitical dynamics in South America and identifying opportunities and challenges for Brazil as a sovereign nation and regional leader. Throughout the research, the historical dispersion of Latin America into divergent intentions and objectives was observed, resulting in overlapping cooperation blocs in opposition to national efforts for unified integration. The Guiana Plateau and its Caribbean geopolitical orientation, exacerbated by Brazil's limited integration with its neighboring countries, especially with Guyana, present resistance to Brazilian leadership. The U.S. interest aligns with de-escalating the crisis in a geographically sensitive region for its territorial integrity, where stabilization frees up geopolitical effort for its actions in other critical areas to its global strategy. For this reason, the U.S. shows some tolerance toward Brazil's geopolitical advancement in America, as long as it is limited to an intermediate position of power that does not threaten U.S. regional dominance. Despite its interest in overwhelming its Western rival, China has officially assumed a convenient neutrality to its strategy, based on its economic power and strongly associated with the rhetoric of non-intervention and common development of peripheral states. Finally, it was concluded that Brazilian foreign policy must act assertively in the region, building instruments that support its diplomatic action by enhancing the state's will, investing more in its military capacity, increasing state participation with Guyana and Venezuela, and establishing integrative actions that produce political and economic links with these countries.