Donald Trump's attitude towards Maduro's government may be a cause of concern because of its cynicism, but it is not a new event. American governments from the 20th century have a tradition of intervention in Latin America.
The historical background
South America is the soft underbelly of the United States. The intervention started in 1898-99 during the American-Spanish War with which the country conquered, among others, Cuba. In addition to this, business growth led American businesses abroad and more specifically, in South America,- fruit trading companies were particularly active.
However, at the beginning of the 20th century, many Latin American countries experienced on their territory riots, revolutions and political instability. These events had a negative impact on US interests that were directly affected. At the same time, they favored the intervention of European powers. Thus, Theodore Roosevelt's government launched a campaign to prevent the rise of influence of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere and to safeguard the interests of the American state. His policy called for military intervention where necessary.
Thus, a series of wars broke out which called "Banana Wars" due to US involvement in states that produced large quantities of bananas and to which American fruit companies had interests. In 1904, US soldiers landed in the Dominican Republic and after a series of war incidents took possession of it from 1916 to 1924. Nicaragua was placed under American rule in the period 1912-1933, and the same Haiti in the period 1915-1934. The US also intervened in Mexico during the period 1910-1917 to prevent the establishment of revolutionary political formations and the growth of the German influence.
A major turning point was made in 1933-34 with Franklin Roosevelt. Inaugurating the Good Neighbor Policy, he stopped the occupation of foreign lands and tried to improve Washington's relations with the Latin American states. His policy had a positive effect during the Second World War, when these countries either participated on the side of the Allies or remained neutral. However, they did not cause any problems in the US.
The start of the Cold War would change the situation. The influence and power of the USSR had risen greatly to dangerous levels for US tolerance. Indeed, Moscow was attempting to expand communism around the world. The US had to react. Truman's government announcing the homonymous doctrine was aiming at curbing Soviet influence in Europe and Turkey. His successor, Dwight Eisenhower, with the homonymous doctrine, sought to repel communism in the Middle East in every way. South America, for the time being, was not a subject of primary interest.
But in the 1960s it became. Pro-communist forces began to appear affected by the dominance of the left-wing Fidel Castro's government in Cuba. Communism and the "long hand" of the USSR were established in the US's neighborhood. The new president, J. F. Kennedy, could not be a spectator. In 1961, the Kennedy Doctrine was adopted, which was a continuation of the Truman and Eisenhower doctrines, and aimed at limiting Soviet influence in the country's soft underbelly. He also set up the Alliance of Progress aimed at economic co-operation with states in the southern part of the American continent. In addition, the US government called on the governments of the countries to undertake economic and social reforms, while American financial aid rose sharply to theirs.
The Kennedy Doctrine, although it made the US position clear, was not enough. The Communist presence was not diminished with the Cold War being at its peak. The new President, Lindon Johnson, designed the homonymous doctrine to stop the spread of communist ideas in the Western Hemisphere. In relation to his predecessor, he was more dynamic, since in 1965 US forces intervened in the Dominican Republic, which was under the influence of a political crisis. The operation resulted in the establishment of a US-friendly government.
The next president, Richard Nixon, launched a new campaign of invasiveness. US interests were not safeguarded and "red" fear continued to exist. Nixon acted vigorously. The United States organized the "Condor" Operation from 1968 to 1989, which concerning the support of authoritarian regimes in the Latin American countries that could stifle local communist parties. Still, covert intelligence agencies' operations were funded against communist political factions. Part of this operation was also the overthrow of Socialist President Salvador Allende in Chile. Because he had important popular support and because of his ideology, he was an enemy of the United States. In 1970, in the elections, the American government supported his opponent, who lost them. Political demonstrations that took place failed. In 1973, a group of officers headed by Augusto Pinochet underwent a violent coup which ended with the fall of the government, the death of Allende and the imposition of a totalitarian military dictatorship.
The next presidents continued the operation, but other events attracted their attention. The culmination of interference came with the election of Ronald Reagan. With the homonymous doctrine he adopted, he escalated the Cold War in order to dissolve the USSR and eliminate communist factions throughout the world. Latin America could not be an exception. He continued the implementation of the "Condor" operation, supporting the anti-Communist faction of Contras in Nicaragua, who fought against the left-wing Sandinistas's government and other anti-communist forces in Guatemala and El Salvador, while he supported the political transition to states such as Brazil, Bolivia and others. At the same time, he did not hesitate to take a military action against the left government of Grenada in 1983 on the pretext of its good relations with Cuba. At the end of his term, the "Condor" Operation ceased, leaving tens of thousands dead and at least 400,000 political prisoners.
During the first two post-Cold War decades, South America experienced major events, although American direct intervention was virtually nil. Above all, it was expressed through international financial institutions. Many states in the region suffered economic shocks and there was a political transition. New political forces, from those the United States tried to eliminate in the Cold War, claimed power and succeeded in most countries to take it democratically. In Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay and in others leftist or socialist governments were elected. The phenomenon concerned Washington, but the rise of international Islamic terrorism and the desire to topple unfriendly governments, especially in the Middle East, prevented US governments from actively intervening.
However, a gradual change began to take place from 2010 onwards. Leftist and socialist forces had exhausted their momentum and despite all efforts, in most cases, their performance was not good. This development has favored the United States, which support, friendly countries. A political transition is in process, and the IMF has returned to the region, especially in Argentina. Now most South American countries have right-wing, pro-Western leaderships. The only country in which the Americans have no presence nor is it an easy opponent is the rich in oil and mineral resources, Venezuela.
In recent months, the crisis that broke out in Venezuela, which appeared shortly after the death of Hugo Chavez and the assumption of the presidency by Nicolas Maduro, has caused international complications. The White House realizes that a first-class opportunity is given to overthrow the "chavism" and take the power pro-American governments. Already, the US backs Maduro's political opponent, Juan Guaido, and has warned of a coup. At the same time, it has created a coalition of "willing" states with the countries of the region, but also with countries on the other side of the Atlantic, in order to legitimate Guaido and overthrow the present government. Also, Washington has imposed tariffs and sanctions, which makes it hard for the Venezuelans to live and exert strong pressure on Maduro's government.
But why is Trump's government being so cynical? The answer lies in the fact that Trump wants to "clean up" the soft underbelly of his country, so that there is no other power to challenge the American hegemony. Secondly, exploitation of the country's wealthy resources by US multinational companies will stimulate the US economy and the energy sector. The stance of Trump is based on an old recipe, which has been drawn. The past is repeated as present. The US will make every effort to change the regime in Venezuela. When this is completed and their "southern neighborhood" is "clean," then the US government will also turn to meet the other challenges.
The next presidents continued the operation, but other events attracted their attention. The culmination of interference came with the election of Ronald Reagan. With the homonymous doctrine he adopted, he escalated the Cold War in order to dissolve the USSR and eliminate communist factions throughout the world. Latin America could not be an exception. He continued the implementation of the "Condor" operation, supporting the anti-Communist faction of Contras in Nicaragua, who fought against the left-wing Sandinistas's government and other anti-communist forces in Guatemala and El Salvador, while he supported the political transition to states such as Brazil, Bolivia and others. At the same time, he did not hesitate to take a military action against the left government of Grenada in 1983 on the pretext of its good relations with Cuba. At the end of his term, the "Condor" Operation ceased, leaving tens of thousands dead and at least 400,000 political prisoners.
Trump and Latin America
During the first two post-Cold War decades, South America experienced major events, although American direct intervention was virtually nil. Above all, it was expressed through international financial institutions. Many states in the region suffered economic shocks and there was a political transition. New political forces, from those the United States tried to eliminate in the Cold War, claimed power and succeeded in most countries to take it democratically. In Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay and in others leftist or socialist governments were elected. The phenomenon concerned Washington, but the rise of international Islamic terrorism and the desire to topple unfriendly governments, especially in the Middle East, prevented US governments from actively intervening.
However, a gradual change began to take place from 2010 onwards. Leftist and socialist forces had exhausted their momentum and despite all efforts, in most cases, their performance was not good. This development has favored the United States, which support, friendly countries. A political transition is in process, and the IMF has returned to the region, especially in Argentina. Now most South American countries have right-wing, pro-Western leaderships. The only country in which the Americans have no presence nor is it an easy opponent is the rich in oil and mineral resources, Venezuela.
In recent months, the crisis that broke out in Venezuela, which appeared shortly after the death of Hugo Chavez and the assumption of the presidency by Nicolas Maduro, has caused international complications. The White House realizes that a first-class opportunity is given to overthrow the "chavism" and take the power pro-American governments. Already, the US backs Maduro's political opponent, Juan Guaido, and has warned of a coup. At the same time, it has created a coalition of "willing" states with the countries of the region, but also with countries on the other side of the Atlantic, in order to legitimate Guaido and overthrow the present government. Also, Washington has imposed tariffs and sanctions, which makes it hard for the Venezuelans to live and exert strong pressure on Maduro's government.
But why is Trump's government being so cynical? The answer lies in the fact that Trump wants to "clean up" the soft underbelly of his country, so that there is no other power to challenge the American hegemony. Secondly, exploitation of the country's wealthy resources by US multinational companies will stimulate the US economy and the energy sector. The stance of Trump is based on an old recipe, which has been drawn. The past is repeated as present. The US will make every effort to change the regime in Venezuela. When this is completed and their "southern neighborhood" is "clean," then the US government will also turn to meet the other challenges.
![General view of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018 [File: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2019/2/9/a7061685bd9f4971adfd96b6dbb16546_18.jpg)
