The Roots of US-LatAm Relations

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The Roots of US-LatAm Relations
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Four Broad Systems

• 1790s-1930s The Imperial Era
• The European Game
• Regional Hegemony
• 1940s-1980s The Cold War
• 1990s-2001 The Decade of Uncertainty
• 2001-Present The War on Terror

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Key Theme
Each era has been shaped as much, if not more, by
the basic conditions of the international system
as they have any element inherent to the Western
Hemisphere itself.
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The Imperial Era

• International System Dominated by Europe
• US Wants to Get into the Act
• THE CONTEXT
• Imperialism
• Mercantilism

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"The European Game"

• THE RULES OF THE EUROPEAN GAME
• States as actors
• Balance of Power
• Colonization
• Mercantilism
  
  
  
  
  

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Monroe Doctrine (1823)
With the existing colonies or dependencies of
any European power we have not interfered and
shall not interfere. But with the Governments who
have declared their independence and maintain it,
and whose independence we have, on great
consideration and on just principles,
acknowledged, we could not view any interposition
for the purpose of oppressing them, or
controlling in any other manner their destiny, by
any European power in any other light than as the
manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward
the United States.
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"The European Game The US Gets Into The Act

• Manifest Destiny
• Security
• Portions of Mexico
• 1836 Texas independence, 1837, US recognition,
  1845 annexation.
• 1846 Mexican-American War and the resultant
  territorial additions (see 22)
• Gadsden Purchase
• Attempts at Cuba (pre Civil War)

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The Rise of US Hegemony
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"The European Game The US Gets Into The Act

• The Spanish-American War 1898 Guam, Puerto Rico
  and the Philippine Islands and Cuba fell under
  the protectorate of the US

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Source http//history.howstuffworks.com/american
-history/panama-canal.htm/printable
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The Olney Doctrine (1895)
RICHARD OLNEY TO THE BRITISH Today the United
States us practically the sovereign on this
continent, and its fiat is law upon the subjects
to which it confines its interposition. Why? It
is not because of the pure friendship of good
will felt for it. It is not simply by reason of
high character as a civilized state, nor because
wisdom and justice and equity are the invariable
characteristics of the dealings of the United
States. It is because, in addition to all other
grounds, its infinite resources combined with its
isolated position render it master of the
situation and practically invulnerable as against
any or all other powers.
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Cuba Timeline

• 1868-78 - Ten Years War of independence ends in a
  truce with Spain promising reforms and greater
  autonomy - promises that were mostly never met.
• 1895-98 - Jose Marti leads a second war of
  independence US declares war on Spain.

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Cuba Timeline

• 1898 - US defeats Spain, which gives up all
  claims to Cuba and cedes it to the US.
• 1902 - Cuba becomes independent with Tomas
  Estrada Palma as its president however, the
  Platt Amendment keeps the island under US
  protection and gives the US the right to
  intervene in Cuban affairs.

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SELECTIONS FROM THE PLATT AMENDMENT

• Article I. The Government of Cuba shall never
  enter into any treaty or other compact with any
  foreign power or powers which will impair or tend
  to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any
  manner authorize or permit any foreign power or
  powers to obtain by colonization or for military
  or naval purposes, or otherwise, lodgment in or
  control over any portion of said island.
• Article II. The Government of Cuba shall not
  assume or contract any public debt to pay the
  interest upon which, and to make reasonable
  sinking-fund provision for the ultimate discharge
  of which, the ordinary revenues of the Island of
  Cuba, after defraying the current expenses of the
  Government, shall be inadequate.
• Article III. The Government of Cuba consents that
  the United States may exercise the right to
  intervene for the preservation of Cuban
  independence, the maintenance of a government
  adequate for the protection of life, property,
  and individual liberty, and for discharging the
  obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the
  Treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be
  assumed and undertaken by the Government of Cuba.
  . . .
• Article V. The Government of Cuba will execute,
  and, as far as necessary, extend the plans
  already devised, or other plans to be mutually
  agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of
  the island, to the end that a recurrence of
  epidemic and infectious diseases may be
  prevented, thereby assuring protection to the
  people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the
  commerce of the Southern ports of the United
  States and the people residing therein....
• Article VII. To enable the United States to
  maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect
  the people thereof, as well as for its own
  defense, the Government of Cuba will sell or
  lease to the United States lands necessary for
  coaling or naval stations, at certain specified
  points, to be agreed upon with the President of
  the United States.

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Another Example1891 Chilean Civil War

• US ships off the coast
• Showing preference for the government
• The Baltimore incident.