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- Scientific vector: Latin America is increasingly relying on Russian nuclear innovations
Scientific vector: Latin America is increasingly relying on Russian nuclear innovations
The escalation between the United States and Iran has cut off the global market from 15 million tons of fertilizers, putting Latin America's agricultural sector at risk. The sowing season will begin in September, and temperatures above normal are expected from August, the World Meteorological Organization under the auspices of the United Nations warned. In 2026, the drought has already destroyed up to 90% of the corn and bean crops in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua: thousands of impoverished families moved in caravans towards the United States due to famine. Countries need innovations, and here Russia has a unique experience in implementing nuclear technologies: Peru, Cuba and Ecuador cooperate with us. A research nuclear reactor is already being prepared for launch in Bolivia, Izvestia found out. How exactly the Russian Federation helps the region in extreme conditions is described in the Izvestia article.
Why will Latin America suffer because of the war between the United States and Iran
The administration of Donald Trump and the leadership of Iran were once again unable to sit down at the negotiating table. Tehran has reportedly rejected Washington's cease—fire proposal - they are not interested in an interim agreement that does not resolve the issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Thus, the key transport artery of the region remains virtually closed to free commercial shipping.
The blockade has long hit global commodity markets. However, while problems in the oil and gas sectors are the main concern of the international community, another critical aspect of the crisis often remains in the shadows — the impact on global supply chains of mineral fertilizers.
Before the war, up to 30% of the world's fertilizer trade, including carbamide, sulfur, and ammonia, passed through Hormuz. According to the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers, over the spring, the global agro—industrial complex lost more than 15 million tons of nutrients for the soil, which is a third of the total trade. Latin America, the world's main exporter of agro—industrial products, is becoming the main victim of this logistical collapse.
For example, the Brazilian agricultural sector traditionally imports up to 85% of the necessary fertilizers, where the Gulf countries provided about 17% of imports of nitrogen compounds. At the same time, the sowing season in the region will begin in a month. Rising prices and a physical shortage of fertilizers are putting future crops of soybeans, corn, coffee and sugar cane at risk.
Global warming is exacerbating the situation. Due to El Nino, the Latin American region is increasingly being hit by extreme droughts. In 2026, one of these has already destroyed up to 90% of the corn and bean crops in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Due to the lack of irrigation, small farmers were left without food, and grain prices soared by half. The famine provoked a mass migration of people: thousands of bankrupt families united in caravans and moved to the borders of the United States.
In Mexico, the drought has also hit agricultural states and shallowed reservoirs. "Water riots" have begun in the suburbs of Mexico City, with highways blocked and utilities stormed due to a shortage of clean water. In Brazil, the shallowing of the Amazon River has paralyzed river logistics, making it difficult for grain barges to pass, and the authorities' decision to deepen the bottom has provoked powerful protests from indigenous peoples. The logistical crisis in Brazilian ports has jeopardized the purchase of sugar and meat by countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Moreover, due to the strengthening of El Nino in August and October, temperatures above the climatic norm are expected in the world, the World Meteorological Organization warned recently. As a result, Latin America's agricultural sector is in a bind: on the one hand, the geopolitical stubbornness of Washington and Tehran is depriving the region of affordable fertilizers, on the other, climate change requires innovation to maintain yields.
Nuclear technologies cannot be dispensed with here, which in no way depend on the weather or logistical difficulties. They help to increase yields, control pests, control soil quality and extend the shelf life of products. Such technologies, and "turnkey" ones, are now provided by Russia: from the extraction of isotopes necessary for all this at its own reactors to the design of accelerators and training of personnel on the ground.
Cooperation between Russia and Latin America in the peaceful atom
The Russian presence in the region in this area is constantly expanding. In particular, a memorandum of cooperation has been in force with Ecuador since 2018, including the supply of isotopes, the education of students at universities in the Russian Federation and the transfer of radiation installations. Similar equipment was supplied in Peru. Currently, the state corporation, together with the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy (IPEN), is implementing nuclear technologies in agricultural protection projects. Since 2019, a Multifunctional Radiation Treatment Center (MCE) for processing food and medical products has been under construction in Cuba, which is critically important for the island's food security in the face of US sanctions. The state corporation has also discussed options for using nuclear technologies for agriculture with Brazil.
Droughts are already causing billions of dollars in losses to Latin America due to falling yields, as well as rising costs for water and food imports, Yaroslav Kabakov, Director of Strategy at Finam IC, explained to Izvestia. According to him, Russian isotopic methods help reduce pest losses by 20-50%, increase yields by 5-15% and reduce irrigation water consumption by 15-30%. For clarity: treatment with gamma rays or electron beams destroys bacteria, allowing bananas, mangoes and grains to be stored many times longer without loss of taste and vitamins. For Peru, Cuba and Ecuador, these are not just abstract innovations, but the preservation of export earnings and protection from climate risks.
The construction of the Nuclear Research and Technology Center in Bolivia is currently in an active stage. Some of the facilities have already been put into operation, Rosatom's structures told Izvestia.
— The remaining nuclear power plant facilities, including the nuclear research reactor, are in a high state of readiness. At the same time, the timing of the reactor's commissioning primarily depends on the readiness of the Bolivian operating organization ABEN to start the relevant work," GSPI JSC noted.
The organization added that they provide all necessary expert support to the Bolivian partners. At the same time, Rosatom's interests in the country are not limited to projects in the field of nuclear technology development: the state corporation aims to launch a large lithium project at the Uyuni salt marsh with YLB. With the arrival of Rodrigo Paz, the government in April issued Decree No. 5600 prohibiting direct government contracts without tenders and launching a large-scale audit of previous agreements. The new administration promises to preserve the deal provided it is fully transparent.
— At the working level, we hold regular consultations with our Bolivian colleagues, discussing the technical details, stages and deadlines of the project. These consultations are fruitful," added the Uranium One Group.
And while there are some obstacles in the development of the mining industry, Russia holds a stable position in the field of nuclear innovation. In addition to agriculture, the Russian Federation is also developing nuclear medicine in the region: the Brazilian Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research receives isotopes for cancer treatment on a monthly basis under a five-year contract. Meanwhile, there are plans to create a Center for nuclear Research and Medicine in Nicaragua with Russian participation.
The integration of Russian systems into national healthcare also makes changing the supplier of nuclear technology too expensive and politically sensitive an operation, Kabakov noted. And it is problematic to do this through external pressure. According to Andrei Kortunov, an expert at the Valdai Club, such projects are strictly civil and are monitored by the IAEA. All countries in the region participate in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Tlatelolco Treaty officially makes Latin America a nuclear-weapon-free zone, guaranteeing protection against the creation of atomic weapons.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
