Power, Influence, and Access: How Latin America Is Shaping U.S. Policy Under Trump

In a bold shift of diplomatic strategy, Latin American leaders are investing millions to influence the Trump administration, leveraging personal ties, high-powered lobbyists, and transactional diplomacy to secure key victories on trade, security, and foreign policy.
Since the lead-up to Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election, at least 10 Latin American and Caribbean nations have significantly expanded their lobbying presence in Washington. By registering top officials under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), these countries aim to make their voices heard at the highest levels of U.S. government.
Leading the charge is El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, whose $1.5 million lobbying campaign paid off with an Oval Office meeting, a nuclear energy agreement, U.S. support for his controversial mega-prison expansion, and a critical travel safety upgrade from the State Department.
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa also scored a diplomatic win after hiring Mercury Public Affairs, securing a high-profile photo op with Trump and greenlighting increased arms support to stabilize internal security.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei, branding himself as Trump’s ideological twin, has courted influence with high-profile appearances at Mar-a-Lago and the CPAC conference, smoothing the path for a $20 billion IMF deal and enhanced U.S. engagement.
Behind the scenes, influential lobbyists like Damian Merlo and Mauricio Claver-Carone have shaped these interactions. Merlo, with deep Republican ties, has advised both Bukele and Milei. Claver-Carone, a longtime Trump ally, now serves as Trump’s special envoy to Latin America, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio—signaling a regional policy driven by personal alliances and strategic leverage.
Continental Strategy LLC, a rising powerhouse led by Carlos Trujillo, has signed over 50 clients since Trump’s victory, helping facilitate a $23 billion global port deal to curb Chinese influence—an achievement hailed by Trump as reclaiming control over the Panama Canal.
While Panama, Colombia, and Honduras maintain bipartisan lobbying strategies to balance their interests in Congress, they too have leaned into targeted influence under this administration, seeking military, trade, and immigration-related wins.
Though not historically a top spender in foreign lobbying, Latin America is increasingly claiming its place in Washington’s foreign policy landscape. With Florida’s central role in shaping Trump-era diplomacy, the region is more empowered than ever to align U.S. interests with its own priorities.
As Jake Johnston of the Center for Economic and Policy Research put it: “Now that some of these folks are in government or have direct access to government, Latin American leaders will certainly find more fertile ground to pursue their interests.”