The Chinese balloon controversy continues to feature prominently in the US news media, as Navy divers search for debris on the South Carolina seabed. The saga captivated the US public, prompting fevered commentary on social media and a mention in President Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.
By comparison, very little has been said of the other Chinese balloon, spotted floating in recent days across Costa Rica and Venezuela, and later loitering above Colombia’s northern region. In the United States, China’s air mission – described as a brazen act of espionage by Washington and as a misdirected meteorological mission by Beijing – showcased US-China tensions. In Latin America, the relative indifference was equally telling.
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