1997 Chevy Blazer red liquid

No part of your auto transmission fluid system runs through your dash. If it is not anti-freeze. The only thing I can think that it could possibly be is if somebody spilled a drink on your dash board in the past and some of the fluild got trapped in your dash. Taking a sharp turn or a big bump could have dumped it into your ashtray. If that was the case it would smell pretty bad maybe even like burnt nasty tranny fluid.

But if it is really transmission fluid you're smelling check for a trans leak (trans fluid could be dripping on your exhaust)