China’s Belt and Road Reaches Central America

China’s state-run Global Times on Wednesday celebrated the inauguration of leftist dictator Daniel Ortega – beginning his fourth term as president of Nicaragua after a rigged election denounced by worldwide democracy activists and the Organization of American States – as a big victory for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The Global Times touted the support of China’s Xi Jinping for fellow dictator Ortega and swooned over the latter’s dubious “re-election” as a sign of global political realignment, as Beijing’s influence stretches deep into the Latin American “backyard” of the United States.

The Chinese Communists were delighted with Nicaragua severing its diplomatic ties to Taiwan and embracing Beijing instead – the “right choice in keeping with current trends,” according to Chinese “experts” – but the real prize was Ortega’s embrace of BRI in a meeting with Chinese special envoy Cao Jianming before his inauguration ceremony.

#Nicaragua has signed a MoU with #China to join the Belt&Road Initiative on Monday, China’s National Development and Reform Commission said on Wed. By far, China has inked #BRI cooperation deals with 146 countries and 32 intl organizations. pic.twitter.com/BVuUq0sD4s

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) January 12, 2022

According to Chinese state media, Ortega told Cao he “totally supports and is willing to join the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative to build a better future for the China-Nicaragua bilateral relations.” – READ MORE