Okay, here’s a breakdown of US interventions in Latin America since WWII, based on the provided text, and expanded with additional examples to give a more extensive overview. I’ll categorize them for clarity, and include a bit of context. I’ll also note the common threads running through these interventions.
Common Themes in US Interventions:
* cold War Anti-Communism: A dominant justification for many interventions was the fear of communist expansion, notably soviet influence. Even governments with moderate leftist leanings were often viewed with suspicion.
* Economic interests: Protecting US business interests (like the United Fruit Company) was frequently a key driver. Nationalization of industries or land reforms that threatened US companies often triggered intervention.
* Regime Change: The goal was frequently enough to replace governments deemed unfavorable with those more aligned with US interests.
* Support for Authoritarianism: The US frequently enough supported right-wing dictatorships, even those with poor human rights records, if they were seen as anti-communist.
* Covert Operations: Many interventions involved secret CIA operations, denying direct US involvement.
Examples of US Interventions (with details from the text and additions):
1. Early Cold War (1950s-1960s):
* Guatemala (1954): (As detailed in the text) The CIA orchestrated a coup to overthrow democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz due to his land reforms that threatened the United Fruit Company. This established a pattern of US intervention to protect corporate interests.
* Cuba (1961): Bay of Pigs Invasion: (As detailed in the text) A failed attempt by CIA-trained Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro. This significantly escalated tensions with Cuba and the Soviet Union.
* Cuba (Ongoing): Following the Bay of Pigs, the US imposed a comprehensive economic embargo on Cuba, which remains in place (with some modifications) to this day. There were also numerous CIA attempts to assassinate Castro.
* Brazil (1964): The US supported a military coup that overthrew the democratically elected leftist President João Goulart. This ushered in a 21-year military dictatorship. US involvement included providing financial and logistical support to the coup plotters.
* Dominican Republic (1965): US military intervention (Operation Power Pack) to prevent what it perceived as a communist takeover after a civil war. The intervention was criticized internationally as a violation of Dominican sovereignty.
2. The Era of “Operation Condor” and Support for Dictatorships (1970s-1980s):
* Chile (1973): (As detailed in the text) the US actively worked to destabilize the government of Salvador Allende, a socialist president.While not directly executing the coup, the US created the conditions for the military, led by Augusto Pinochet, to overthrow him. The US provided financial and logistical support to Pinochet’s regime,which was responsible for widespread human rights abuses.
* Operation Condor (1970s-1980s): This was a covert campaign of political repression and state terror involving intelligence services of right-wing dictatorships in South America (Argentina, chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil). The US provided intelligence and training to these regimes, facilitating cross-border operations to eliminate political opponents. (This is a broader, regional example, not a single intervention).
* Argentina (1976-1983): The US supported the military junta that came to power in Argentina, despite its horrific human rights record (the “Dirty War”). The US provided military aid and training, and downplayed the junta’s abuses.
* El Salvador (1980s): The US provided significant military and economic aid to the Salvadoran government during its civil war against leftist guerrillas. This support was controversial due to the government’s human rights abuses.
* Nicaragua (1980s): The US funded and trained the “Contras,” a rebel group fighting against the Sandinista government, which had overthrown the US-backed Somoza dictatorship. This led to the Iran-Contra affair, a major political scandal.
* Grenada (1983): US military invasion (Operation Urgent Fury) to overthrow a Marxist government. The invasion was condemned by the United Nations.
* Panama (1989): US military invasion (Operation Just Cause) to overthrow dictator Manuel Noriega,who had been indicted on drug trafficking charges.
3. Post-Cold War (1990s-2000s):
* Haiti (1994): US military intervention to restore democratically elected President
