The United States (US) government has submitted a notice to its Congress that at least five of its diplomatic offices, including an embassy, would face permanent closure.
The offices, across Africa, Asia and North and Latin Americas, would be closed as part of the United States government’s efforts in realigning its budgets on its foreign policies elsewhere.
According to initial reports, the US is set to close its consulates in Nagoya, Japan and in Medan, Indonesia, as well as in Winnipeg, Canada, while the US embassy in the Caribbean Island of Grenada and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon, are to be shut permanently.
The notice was raised by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, arguing that the move would save Washington at least USD4.4 million annually and could be used for other pressing issues.
The move indicated a rare decision from Washington in readjusting its international presence despite having no geopolitical rift with the mentioned countries.
Moreover, the decision was in line with the campaign of the administration of US President Donald Trump with an “America First” agenda.
Fear of China stepping up
The decision was met with some strong opposition, especially from the Democratic Party, which argued that reducing the presence of the US in some regions would give leverage to the Chinese government to further expand its influence and eventually weaken Washington’s presence and relations with its long-time allies.
Canada, in particular, has gradually opened its doors to China, seeking better and stronger trade ties as the US raises its tariff rate on its once-strongest ally up to 50%.
The closure of Washington’s diplomatic office in Winnipeg, categorized as an American Presence Post, attracted more attention amid the declining relations between the US and Canada, with some saying that the move would further drift the neighboring nations apart.
The previous administration of former President Joe Biden has hastened in establishing more US consulates and embassies across the globe, especially in the Pacific region, to counter the growing global influence of China.
Democrats warned that Trump’s decision to reverse Biden’s move would bring the US a step backward on its international identity, with nearly half of the US’ ambassadorial posts in critical regions remaining empty, according to the American Foreign Service Administration.
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Shift to other international relations
A statement from the spokesperson of the US State Department has denied the allegations of the Democrats and defended that the move was to ensure a diplomatic footprint that is efficient and effective in serving Americans abroad.
The spokesperson said that the US government remains committed to adhering to congressional steps before closing its consulates and embassies abroad.
Moreover, Washington has also confirmed plans to boost its presence in other key areas, including in Caracas in Venezuela, Damascus in Syria and in Tripoli in Libya.
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Newsjustnews writers 
Levi Mora 
Hyacinth Estrada