The US has a dark and bloody history of meddling in Latin America, and the latest chapter is no exception. When President Trump ordered a special forces operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the resulting chaos and violence claimed numerous lives. Trump's subsequent declaration that the US would seize control of Venezuela's oil industry, citing a dubious claim of oil theft, is a stark reminder of the country's long-standing imperialist tendencies in the region.
But here's where it gets controversial: Oil is not the only driving force behind US intervention in Latin America. The remnants of the so-called "communist threat" narrative, which fueled decades of dirty wars and coups, still shape US policy. In a recent executive order, Trump echoed Cold War rhetoric, labeling Cuba a threat due to its communist ideas and policies. This order imposes additional tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba, aiming to cripple the country that has resisted US imperialism. The underlying assumption is that without Venezuelan oil, Cuba would collapse.
The focus on Venezuela is not new. In 1972, the US expressed concerns about Venezuela nationalizing its oil resources, and offered incentives to secure its oil market. This culminated in the nationalization of Venezuela's oil industry in 1976, a move that may have prompted Trump's accusations of oil theft. The US has a history of using the Monroe Doctrine to justify its interventions in Latin America, dating back to the 19th century. This doctrine, which sought to prevent European colonial powers from expanding their influence in South America, has been repeatedly invoked to legitimize US actions.
And this is the part most people miss: The Roosevelt Corollary of 1904 expanded the Monroe Doctrine, asserting the US's right to intervene in South American affairs. This led to a series of military interventions in Cuba, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua by 1933. The Lodge Corollary (1912) and the Clark Memorandum (1928) further extended the US's self-proclaimed right to intervene in the region, citing corporate interests and anti-communist sentiments.
The US has continued to use the Monroe Doctrine to exert influence in Latin America. In 1954, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles isolated Guatemala, leading to a CIA-backed coup. In 1962, President Kennedy applied the doctrine to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US has also used the doctrine to justify the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and its recent actions in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has openly embraced the Monroe Doctrine, targeting Venezuela and other countries in the region. In 2020, Trump announced plans to deploy the US Navy to combat alleged drug trafficking involving Maduro. The 2025 National Security Strategy document, released by the Trump administration, reinforces this stance, stating that the US will "reassert and enforce the Monroe doctrine" to protect its interests in the Western Hemisphere.
The US's actions have raised tensions with China, which has significant investments in Venezuela's oil industry. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement, echoing the Monroe Doctrine, warns of potential military action against Colombia, Mexico, and Cuba. As the US tightens its grip on Venezuela, the Cuban government has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue without political concessions. Despite the US's claims of narcotrafficking and terrorism, it is the Cubans who have actively collaborated with the US Coast Guard to combat drug trafficking, while the Trump administration has fabricated cartels to justify its intervention in Venezuela.
What do you think? Is the US's meddling in Latin America a legitimate exercise of power, or a dangerous form of neo-imperialism? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
