OBELA Analysis

Latin America is caught in the middle of a great power conflict. On the one side is Washington and on the other Beijing. At the G20 meeting, Xi Jinping played a leading role thanks to his ally Brazil. On the other hand, former president Biden went almost unnoticed since Trump had been elected and his policies were contrary to what was discussed in Rio de Janeiro.  In this, international institutions play a major role. In this way the author sees the concept of spheres of influence where there is one dominant and one subordinate. In this article we will look at the alignment of Latin American countries with the great powers, and see which way the balance tips.

During 2024, the planet, specifically the northern hemisphere, showed worrying temperature anomalies. After record-breaking summer heat, the scientific community is confident that 2024 will be the hottest year on record. Droughts and forest fires remained the most prevalent weather phenomena during the first six months of Year 24, but they are not the only weather events exacerbated by climate change.

In 2024, the price of gold increased significantly, driven by China, which reduced its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds and expanded its gold reserves. In the same vein, interest rates have fallen globally, which also boosts the price of gold. On the other hand, demand for the yuan as an exchange currency in intra-Asian trade has grown, especially in transactions between the Red Dragon and its trading partners or with countries sanctioned by the U.S., such as Russia, which reduces the use of the dollar. On the other hand, demand for the yuan has increased for international trade as a result of Washington's sanctions against 26 countries, showing a loss of the dollar as a medium of exchange. This article will analyse the rise in the price of gold during 2024, driven by the strategies implemented by the People's Bank of China (BPdeC), such as the issuance of dollar bonds and whether they consolidate the yuan as a reserve currency and turn the country into a global financial power.