WARNING: China is very close to gaining control of the Organization of American States (OAS) unless President Donald Trump stops it dead in its tracks.
The OAS was created and backed by the U.S. in 1948 to stop communism across Latin America.
But today, after four years of President Joe Biden, it has become a hotbed of left-wing, anti-American vitriol as it backs China's march across the region.
President Trump immediately grasped the threat China poses across the region. He sent a clear message to the Panamanians: Play with China and we'll take back our canal.
Fearing Trump, Panama immediately took steps to break its close ties to China.
Make no mistake: China is seeking to dominate Central and South America — spending money to buy up whole governments.
The U.S. used to be the main trading partner for most Latin countries. Now China dominates trade to much of the region.
Beijing's play is to control natural resources, including oil and gas — all while ringing the U.S. with hostile regimes.
What's China's current move? It wants control of the OAS and it wants its guy in charge of it.
The election for general secretary of the OAS is March 10.
There are two candidates: One is Ruben Ramirez Lezcano, the pro-Trump, pro-American foreign minister of Paraguay. (Paraguay's president, Santiago Pena, is clearly the most pro-Trump leader in Latin America, even more so than Argentinian President Javier Milei).
Challenging Lezcano is Albert Ramdin, foreign minister of Suriname, a tiny former Dutch colony with just 600,000 citizens at the northern coast of South America.
Ramdin is also an avowed leftist.
As foreign minister, his main foreign policy agenda has been growing China's influence in his country and the region.
If you don't believe me, just read what Ramdin told China's Global Times.
Ramdin openly bragged that Suriname was the first Caribbean nation to sign up for China's Belt and Road Initiative and that Beijing could save Latin America. See the interview here.
He then touted how Suriname's "diplomatic missions in Washington, New York, and other locations work together" with China's.
Scary, isn't it?
It's well known that China has been aggressively moving to take over international organizations.
We saw the damage Beijing wreaked during COVID-19 at the World Health Organization, the international health organization it got control of.
And it is well known for placing its spies in these organizations. It's not a rumor, it's a fact.
Here's the bottom-line: We can't let China control the OAS.
The OAS is based in Washington, D.C. Do we really want a Beijing-controlled OAS filled with its spies sitting in the middle of our capital?
The OAS budget is substantial — over $100 million — and the U.S. taxpayers pays for about two-thirds of its budget.
The OAS controls another $2 billion in funding through allied organizations.
Ramdin has made clear his plans.
He opposes Trump.
He's big on China and wants it to counter U.S. influence.
He's big on climate change (that helps China and its solar products and electric batteries).
He's big on supporting migrants, especially illegal migration into the U.S.
He openly says we shouldn't "take sides" by criticizing dictators in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
So who's supporting this guy anyway?
Not surprisingly he has the support of Cuba and Venezuela and a host of left-wing nations, including almost all the tiny Caribbean nations.
These nations have all been bought off by China. That's not a rumor either, it's a fact.
Ramdin also has some surprising backers.
He's also backed by some holdovers in the State Department who want to stick it to Trump.
Some are said to have secret business deals with Suriname and other China-backed Latin countries.
The new Trump State Department needs to override these cronies — and stand up against China, oppose Ramdin, and back Lezcano for the OAS.
The message to Latin America must be clear: If you back Ramdin, the U.S. will pull out of the OAS and boot it from Washington.
China's bold moves, including its latest attempt to control the OAS, is a direct attack on the Monroe Doctrine.
I urge President Trump to review this situation and move decisively to back Lezcano. Trump has the guts and power to do it.
Dick Morris is a former presidential adviser and political strategist. He is a regular contributor to Newsmax TV. Read Dick Morris' Reports — More Here.
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