ST. PETERSBURG, October 1. /TASS/. Washington’s objective is to impose tight control over Latin America and exclude China, Russia, and even Europe from the region, stated Russian high-ranking diplomat Sergey Ryabkov at the 7th International Forum "Russia and Ibero-America in a Turbulent World: From Shared Challenges to Joint Solution" held in St. Petersburg from October 1 to 3.

"The key task of Washington, neo-colonial in nature, remains unchanged: strict control over the region regarded as its domain and its resources, pushing out China, Russia, and even Europe," the senior diplomat noted.

Ryabkov explained that this task is aided by the region’s persistent macroeconomic challenges, the continued dependence of most countries on the Bretton Woods institutions, a Western-influenced model based on free trade that has shown its shortcomings in the face of new challenges, the lack of internal growth drivers, reliance on foreign investments and technologies, as well as international credit institutions, and the weakness of local innovation capabilities.

The high-ranking diplomat emphasized that turbulence on the international stage is fueled not only by the collapse of the effectively obsolete unipolar world order and the rapid emergence of a new polycentric global architecture but also by the strong resistance from established powers, primarily American and European, to accept this historically inevitable process and cease attempts to turn back time. He added that they cannot devise anything new and continue to act using old methods, which in the Western Hemisphere has manifested in attempts to revive the "notorious Monroe Doctrine, presenting its new edition - the 'Donroe Doctrine.'"

"The approach is clear. It’s blunt pressure on any states and regions indiscriminately, whether they are allies, strategic partners, or non-loyal states defending their sovereignty. It’s interference under fabricated pretexts in internal affairs, up to military intervention. It’s wielding sanctions as a tool, acting on the principle of 'if you’re not with us, you’re against us,'" Ryabkov added.

The forum runs in St. Petersburg from October 1-3 and is organized by St. Petersburg State University and the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences.