This would be huge: Brazil and China are studying the construction of a 4,500km long South America transcontinental railway that would run from northern Brazilian state of Bahia, cross the Andes, and reach the Chancay megaport near Lima, built with BRI funding.

If built, it could shorten shipping times from Brazil to Asia by as much as 12 days compared with current Atlantic routes that pass through the Panama Canal.

Extremely telling of both countries' contrasting approach to the region, Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump's special adviser on Latin American affairs, had called a few months ago for tariffs of up to 60% on any company using Peru’s Chancay port for trade with China.

One side tries to create value, the other believes that others' gains is their loss... When actually, if you think about it, the US would also gain a lot from a richer and more developed Latin America. For one it'd considerably improve their illegal immigration issues, and create wealth and infrastructure for American goods and services too.

It's like if you have a house in a village somewhere and a guy you dislike seeks to spend an enormous amount of money developing the area, and instead of recognizing that a thriving village benefits everyone - including you - you'd rather keep the whole place poor just to spite him. Pure destructive nihilism.

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