Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to several Latin American countries last week was a disappointment when compared with his earlier visits to the region. Ahmadinejad had sought to counter Iran’s growing international isolation during his five-day trip to Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, Ecuador, and Guatemala, but the trip only served to highlight the shrinking number of allies that Iran has left. Nevertheless, the trip probably served to bolster the Iran-Venezuela relationship, which poses a security concern for the United States and the region.

Moreover, the absence of any notable policy agreements meant that Ahmadinejad’s journey served only hollow propaganda purposes, since Ahmadinejad used every opportunity to defend his country’s nuclear program and attack the United States and capitalism.