I think you've probably spent too much energy already on this conversation and are leaving out the Conquistadors and Spaniards and Portuguese who literally raped South America and brought slaves centuries before the first ones came to America. THEY have your gold.

I can't buy into your arguments because they only say how weak the South American is, how unable to form businesses of their own, without US help. It's like you are wanting to blame the USA for every ill in SA when you have your own independent corruption, strongmen, bandits, conmen, dictators, corrupt cops, shady businessmen, drug dealers, cartel bosses, etc. that go back to well before the USA existed. I've read plenty on who's deforesting the Amazon and its Brazilian business heads powered by the Bolsanaro mindset. Each has personal responsibility for their own actions. That's why there are also Good people who DON'T do those things and fight for what's right.

History doesn't work the way you think it does even though extreme rape rhetoric can seem an effective analog. It's not. History is a result of the previous history tracing back to Feudal Times and extreme brutality. You think we invented brutality? Read up on Genghis Kahn or any number of Kings and Emperors and Pharaohs. We don't do kings here. Our contributions to history are a mixed bag of good and evil. Fewer people are in poverty than any time in history. The Dutch have invented a solar powered car that can drive for free. We are providing new understanding of the Universe with the Webb Telescope. Diseases are being cured.

Of course, it's what we do with that understanding that matters. Will we give women full equality? Will we make whole our indigenous and African-American populations? Take up South American reparations with Spain and Portugal, we have our own to take care of. But you still haven't persuaded me that we are not improving and learning to be more holistic and fair and bending toward justice for all, however gradually, due to the powers that be. There you are right, the old monied interests have the power but it is weakening year by year. It's a battle going on around the world.

No, the downfall is not coming as you think but a rapid evolutionary phase is coming and people like you will play an important role. I commend you and respect you, to be honest, and I have nothing but good wishes for you and I apologize for anything you construed as ad hominem. I'm a nice guy, a musician and an artist and a programmer but I care deeply about the world and the future for my children and their friends and the animals too.