South America shows up in the story Frankenstein when the creation asks Victor to make him a companion. This pops up in chapter 17 when the creature locates Victor and they have this conversation. The creature promises that he will run away with a woman creation to South America. The British saw South America as a major economic opportunity in the 1800s, and after assisting the newly independent countries in separating from Spain and Portugal, they sought to establish open trade markets and make investments in these countries. Despite not pursuing official colonization, Britain developed strong commercial and financial ties, establishing an "informal empire" through economic domination as opposed to direct control. In order to support trade and guarantee ongoing access to South America's resources, this entailed lending money, establishing shipping lines, and constructing infrastructure like railroads. Through my research I have learned that South America was also a place of trade. 

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/monroe#:~:text=For%20their%20part%2C%20the%20British,have%20had%20imperial%20motivations%20themselves.