Trump’s coercive tactics in Latin America evoke era of gunboat diplomacy – and the rise of anti-imperialism it helped spur

The interwar years in Latin America saw a remarkable flourishing of left-wing political thought aiming to challenge US dominance. That could offer lessons for today.

By: Tony Wood, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 17, 2026

Words: 1,455

Last Updated: 3 months, 1 week ago

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By Tony Wood, University of Colorado Boulder

In Latin America, as in other parts of the world, the second Trump administration has adopted an increasingly aggressive policy.

From drone strikes on purported drug traffickers to increased tariffs on imports, and from the blockade on fuel shipments and threats of invasion in Cuba to the Jan. 3 military incursion into Venezuela, the U.S.’s more coercive approach to its hemispheric neighbors evokes …

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