The United States always misses its opportunity in Latin America.  They could've helped guide these countries to a more democratic future years ago but instead decided paternalistic gunboat diplomacy was the answer.  

They could have forged trade deals with a market of hundreds of millions of people but instead turned their back and now Latin America looks to Asia and Europe. 

The current government demonizes Hispanics and can't understand why that might create a problem 

And now they don't understand why they have zero influence.