Washington's Institute of Inter-American Studies reported last week that more than half the return on U.S. investments abroad now comes from Latin America.
The U.S. investment in Latin America totals about $3 billion,* the annual return $400 million. Favorite U.S. investment area: Cuba with $590 million (sugar); Argentina, $497 million (meat packing); Mexico, $422 million (mining); Venezuela, $399 million (oil); Chile, $388 million (copper, nitrates), and Brazil with $334 million (public utilities). Nicaragua, with only $4 million, comes last.
Mostly, the investments were made years ago. Since the war new private capital has fought shy of Latin America. By putting up bars...