The China, Russia, Iran and North Korea (CRINK) block is attempting to spread in different geographies across the globe. One such region is Central America and the Caribbean; in particular Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela or the “troika of tyranny” a term coined by John R. Bolton , former US National Security Advisor who characterized these countries as “sordid cradle of communism in the western hemisphere” and formulated US foreign policy towards them.

The Troika is potentially primed to get into the lap of the CRINK block. First, Cuba has maintained robust diplomatic and strategic relations with Soviet Union / Russia since the 1962 missile crisis which almost brought a nuclear confrontation between the US led west and the Soviet Union. In current times, Cuba is emblematic of the convergence of interests between the two countries. Besides State level reciprocal visits (Putin in 2014 and 2000 and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez in 2022), Cuba abstained from voting against Russia in UN resolutions on the invasion of Ukraine. Russia has reciprocated by supplying oil to Cuba which has helped this small country to weather the economic embargo imposed by the US. Furthermore, at the peak of the Russia Ukraine war, in July 2024, Russian warships made a port call to Havana for military exercises prompting a view that 1962 Cuban missile crisis is once again being played out.

Interestingly, Cuba made a successful bid to join the BRICS Summit (2024) through the good offices of President Vladimir Putin. The two countries see their bilateral relations through the prism of convergences as also “share an interest in supporting ‘Bolivarian’ states that are hostile to US interests —such as Venezuela and Nicaragua”.

There is strong evidence of Chinese influence in Cuba including reports that this small yet geopolitically and geostrategically important country is home to Chinese intelligence gathering stations. Cuba has been labelled as the potential “beachhead” for great power competition and Russian-Chinese strategic-military foothold, individually, jointly or collectively with other CRINK block members will ring alarm bells in Washington.

Nicaragua is another Central American country in the fold of Russia. Laureano Ortega Murillo, advisor to the top leader was unambiguous in stating that his country is Russia’s “strategic ally”, serves as Russia’s “regional platform in all matters,” and is “committed to enhancing Moscow’s influence and action in our region.” Nicaragua had received Soviet weapons during the Cold War. The country has expressed support for Russia in the latter’s invasion of Ukraine. It, along with Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu, also supported Russia by “recognizing the independence of the Georgian separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia”.

Nicaragua and Russia also signed an agreement for intelligence sharing. According to a member of the Peruvian Congress Intelligence Commission, “Nicaragua has positioned itself as a key player for non-Western nations such as Russia, Iran, and China” and “uses its territory to expand its influence and conduct operations in Latin America,”  Unlike Russia, China has chosen to focus on expanding trade with Nicaragua after have weaned away this small country from Taiwan who had “brought sizable economic aid, including investments in infrastructure, education and health services” in the 1990s under former President Violeta Chamorro.

Moscow aims to use its relationship with Venezuela to enhance its reach into Central America as also to undermine US’ influence in its backyard. The legacy of Hugo Chavez, one of the most respected socialist leader of the world continues and his successor President Nicolas Maduro continues to rule the country for the third consecutive term since July 2024. Venezuela recently signed agreement for cooperation with Russia in multiple areas such as “intelligence and counter-espionage issues” and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko assured his counterpart Vice President Delcy Rodriguez that Russia will equip Venezuela's military with “most sophisticated weapons and military equipment”. It is quite evident that Russia sees Venezuela providing it with geopolitical and geostrategic advantages, and Putin appears to warn the US in its own hemisphere. It merits mention that Maduro too has defended Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Interestingly, since Hugo Chávez days, Iran has positioned Venezuela as the “Center of Gravity for activities in the Americas” and is a “de facto template” for its engagement in the region. Iranian defence minister visited Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela in 2023 and Iran supplied Venezuela missile boats (Chinese anti-ship missiles), drones, rockets and missiles as well as provided training. Likewise, Bolivia signed a defense cooperation agreement for supply of Iranian boats.

Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba are too small and weak to build nuclear and military capabilities like North Korea to challenge the US pressures; but their geographical proximity combined with anti-US sentiments are sufficient incentives for the CRINK block to engage them politically and militarily, even nuclear to put pressure on the US. A Russian law maker has suggested that Moscow consider “deploying nuclear weapons” in these countries.

Dr. Vijay Sakhuja is Professor and Head, Center of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies (CEGIS), REVA University, Bengaluru and is associated with Kalinga International Foundation, New Delhi.