US Relations with Latin America

Background (1800s-1945)Overview of Cold War policy relevant to unit 4

(1945-2001)Overview of US policy relevant to unit 7 (1974-

2001)

Monroe Doctrine - 1823

• Announced at James Monroe’s State of the Union Address. – European powers were no longer to colonize or interfere

with the affairs of the newly independent states of the Americas

– The U.S. would not interfere with existing colonies or their dependencies in the Western Hemisphere.

– However, any attempt by a European nation to oppress or control any nation in the western hemisphere would be seen as an act of aggression and the U.S. would intervene.

• No European nation cared about statements 1 and 3.

Spanish-American War - 1898

• First US foreign war• US ends up with colonies (Philippines, Guam,

Puerto Rico) and dominance in Cuba • Enforces the idea that the US will dominate

the Western Hemisphere

Platt Amendment 1901• Stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of

United States troops remaining in Cuba since the Spanish-American War, and defined the terms of Cuban-U.S. relations until the 1934 Treaty of Relations. – Cuba would not transfer Cuban land to any power other

than the United States, – Cuba would contract no foreign debt without guarantees

that the interest could be served from ordinary revenues, – ensured U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs when the United

States deemed necessary, – prohibited Cuba from negotiating treaties with any country

other than the United States

Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine - 1904

• Issued in 1904 as a result of European intervention in Venezuela (international dimension) and to safeguard US presence in Central America and the Caribbean.

• Fully-fledged unilateral intervention became official US foreign policy toward Latin America: 1904-1934.

Panama Canal – built 1904-1914

• Key to expansion of US trade within the US and between the US and the Pacific rim

• Controlled by the US 1903-1999• Requires US to ensure shipping in Caribbean is

open and safe for US trade

Good Neighbor Policy 1933-45

• In President Franklin Roosevelt's inaugural address, he promised to improve relations with Latin America by stating:– "In the field of world policy, I dedicate this nation to the policy

of the good neighbor — the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others."

• FDR’s Sec. of State, Cordell Hull– Sought to ensure non-hostile neighbors south of the border and– secure Latin American cooperation in the war effort by

maintaining the flow of petroleum & raw materials.

Good Neighbor Policy

• Under Hull’s stewardship:– Low tariffs improved the economies of the Latin American

countries that had been hurt by the Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930, especially for Cuban sugar.

– Hull convened the Seventh Montevideo-Pan-American Conference in 1933 in Uruguay, where he committed to a policy of non-intervention into the affairs of Latin American countries. As evidence of his commitment, U.S. Marines were removed from Haiti in 1934 and Congress signed a treaty with Cuba nullifying the Platt Amendment

Cold War concerns for the US in Latin America

• Hemispheric security – no Communism in the region; continued dominance of the US and maintenance of the region as a US sphere of influence

• Maintenance of Latin America as a source for raw materials and place for the sale of US products – this economic dominance must be unchallenged and uninterrupted

US Cold War policy towards Latin America

• Support for pro-US governments – primarily financial support for Latin American militaries

• Pro-US governments are governments that:– Promise to be anti-Communist– Promise to promote stability (meaning to support economic and social

systems that allow continued profitability for US businesses)• Some leaders claim to be anti-Communist in order to receive US

economic support to maintain their own power in the face of local demands for change and more equal societies

• Confusion over demands for more equal, just and democratic societies in Latin America by Latin Americans – these are interpreted as Communist or Soviet influence rather than the needs of local people

Truman’s Latin America policies (1945-53)

• 1946-50: 2% of US foreign aid went to Latin America (mostly to support militaries) – US foreign policy much more focused on Europe and Asia and Communism

• Rio Treaty – 1947• Creation of the Organization of American States – 1948• No regional economic assistance like the Marshall Plan

despite significant need for economic development in the region

• Mutual Security Act of 1951

Eisenhower’s Latin America policies (1953-61)

• Assumption that domino theory applies in Latin America as well

• Due to aftermath of Korean War, desire to avoid direct US military involvement in the region– Use CIA to intervene (by covertly funding local

groups, propaganda campaigns and military organizations)

– Train local militaries in counterinsurgency tactics

Eisenhower’s Latin America policies (1953-61)

• 1954 – Guatemala– Covert CIA support to overthrow democratically

elected reformist president Jacobo Arbenz Gúzman

– Support for leaders who will maintain dominance of United Fruit Company in the country

• 1959 – Cuban Revolution- Resistance to revolution once nationalization begins

Kennedy’s Latin America policies (1961-63)

• Cuba – Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis and its aftermath – the Cuban model must not spread elsewhere in Latin America

• Alliance for Progress 1961 – ten year plan to:– Increase per capita income– Diversify trade– Industrialize & increase employment– Stabilize prices– Eliminate adult illiteracy– Social and economic reform

Kennedy’s Latin America policies (1961-63)

• Alliance for Progress is not particularly successful– US aid was $10 per person over ten years– Required Latin American governments to spend

four times more than US government did– Latin American governments resisted spending

money to redistribute wealth and power– Some of the money ended up supporting the

growth of military and police forces used to suppress dissent and rebellion

Lyndon Johnson’s Latin America policies (1963-69)

• Maintain the Alliance for Progress• The Cuban model must not spread• Cooperate publicly and actively support all anti-

Communist governments, whether or not they were dictatorships– 1964 – support for military coup in Brazil– 1965 – sent troops to support dictator in Dominican

Republic• Clandestine support for pro-US democratic

governments in Chile

Richard Nixon’s policies in Latin America (1969-74)

• End the Alliance for Progress (1973)• The Cuban model must not spread• Clandestine support for pro-US democratic

governments in Chile• Clandestine and public opposition to Salvador

Allende, socialist president of Chile• Clandestine support for the overthrow of

Allende in 1973 and the military dictatorship that followed

Gerald Ford’s policies in Latin America (1974-76)

• The Cuban model must not spread• Continued support for the military dictatorship

in Chile• Support for the military dictatorship in

Argentina (took over in 1976)

Jimmy Carter’s policies on Latin America (1977-81)

• Focus on human rights and support for developing democracy rather than automatic support for any anti-Communist government

• The Cuban model must not spread• Torrijos-Carter Treaty (1977) – promised to give

control of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999• 1979 – revolution in Nicaragua and civil war in El

Salvador (US does not automatically oppose the Nicaraguan rebels even though they are Communist)

Ronald Reagan’s policies in Latin America (1981-89)

• Restore previous assumptions about the dangers of Soviet and Communist influence

• The Cuban model must not spread• Support for counterrevolutionary forces in Nicaragua

(Contras)• 1983 invasion of Grenada• Support Argentine military dictatorship until 1982 and

Chilean dictatorship until mid-1980s• Support for right wing government and death squads

in El Salvador

George H.W. Bush’s policies in Latin America (1989-93)

• Cold War ends – Soviet influence is no longer a danger but Cuban influence is

• Continued support for Nicaraguan counterrevolutionaries (Contras)

• Invasion of Panama in December 1989

Bill Clinton’s policies towards Latin America (1993-2001)

• NAFTA• Haiti 1993-95• Summit of the Americas 1993-94• Cuba:1. 1992 Torricelli Act2. 1996 Helms-Burton Act3. 1999 Elian Gonzalez case4. Sale of food, agricultural products begins5. US news organizations permitted to open bureaus in

Cuba