"Things will be very bad for Latin America. You only have to consider the ambitions and the doctrines of the empire, which regards this region as its backyard"

In the quote by José Saramago, "Things will be extremely bad for Latin America. You only need to think about the ambitions and the teachings of the empire, which regards this area as its yard", the author is critiquing the historically stuffed and typically unequal relationship between Latin America and more dominant worldwide powers, particularly the United States. Here, Saramago employs the metaphor of "backyard" to encapsulate the idea that powerful countries view Latin America as an area they can influence and manage for their own strategic and financial interests, instead of as a sovereign region with its own firm.

Saramago's words suggest a cynical outlook for Latin America, asserted on the intents and ideologies of external powers. Historically, many Latin American countries have experienced interventions, both obvious and covert, by foreign powers looking for to protect their own interests. This has actually often led to economic exploitation, political instability, and social turmoil within the region. For example, the teaching of American exceptionalism and manifest fate has sometimes been used to validate interventionist policies in Latin America.

The referral to "aspirations and doctrines" suggests an intentional and calculated strategy by these effective nations to maintain dominance over Latin America. These ambitions could include control over natural resources, influence over political systems, or the imposition of economic policies that favor the interests of the effective. Teachings like the Monroe Doctrine or the Roosevelt Corollary historically placed the United States as a cops power in the Western Hemisphere, indicating a willingness to intervene in Latin American affairs when U.S. interests were viewed to be at danger.

In sum, Saramago's statement is a cautionary reflection on the imbalance of power and the enduring tradition of imperialism and neocolonialism. It encourages a crucial evaluation of worldwide politics and a call for higher autonomy and self-determination for Latin American nations in the face of external pressures.