The International Affairs and Relations Commission of the Partido Comunista del Trabajo (PCT) organized a discussion on the international situation and its impact on Latin America and the Caribbean. Experts such as Dr. Ángel Veras, professor of International Law, and Elvin Calcaño, Latin American political scientist, presented on current geopolitical conflicts and their repercussions in the region, including the Dominican Republic.
Global conflicts affecting the region
During the event, held in Santo Domingo, it was addressed how wars, blockades and sanctions against nations such as Venezuela, Iran and Cuba alter the international situation. Veras warned of a worldwide reshuffling marked by imperialist interventions and the rise of neofascism. The PCT defends non-intervention, self-determination of peoples and global peace, promoting internationalist solidarity.
Recently, the PCT warned about the crisis in the Persian Gulf and tensions with Iran, which threaten the economic stability of dependent countries. A military escalation would raise fuel prices, spur inflation and worsen the lives of the working class, according to the party’s analysis.
Impact on Latin America and the Caribbean from a critical perspective
Documented economic and social effects
The international situation aggravates regional vulnerabilities. The CEPAL reports that the war in Ukraine reduced growth to 1.8% in 2022, with food inflation and capital flight due to rate hikes in the U.S.. In 2024, the OMM recorded the warmest year in the Caribbean, with droughts, hurricanes and fires that devastated local economies.
- Between 2000 and 2024, the region faced 1,676 extreme weather events, the second most affected globally.
- Social conflicts in 2019, with more than 325 deaths from protests, reflect fatigue from post‑2008 economic crises and corruption.
- U.S. naval operations in the Caribbean generate diplomatic alarms, added to pressures in the elections of Argentina and Bolivia.
Challenges for the Dominican Republic
Aquiles Castro, general secretary of the PCT, emphasized that these forums foster anti‑imperialist debate and critical training. The international situation requires the Dominican Republic to navigate between external pressures and internal needs, such as energy and food stability. Facing persistent blockades and Gulf tensions, the PCT calls for solidarity to mitigate impacts on the working class.
This PCT analysis of the international situation and its impact on Latin America and the Caribbean highlights the urgency of sovereign positions in a volatile world.
