‘Donroe doctrine’: understanding Trump’s new policy for Latin America |
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, United States President Donald Trump outlined the reasoning for why his military had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: he claimed the country had “unilaterally seized and sold American oil,” that its criminals were coming to the U.S., and that it was “hosting foreign adversaries.”
“All of these actions were in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy dating back more than two centuries […] it dated to the Monroe Doctrine,” he said. “And the Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot. They now call it the Donroe Doctrine.”
But what is the Monroe Doctrine — and why does Trump want to rename it after himself?
The Monroe Doctrine is the U.S. foreign policy position that foreign powers should not seek to expand their influence in, or colonize, the Americas — and that the U.S. can intervene to stop them if they do.
It’s named after former U.S. President James Monroe. In an 1823 speech, he said that the U.S. would not interfere with European countries’ internal conflicts or their remaining colonies, but that any attempt to expand into the Americas or retake the newly independent nations would be treated as “dangerous to our peace and safety” and a “manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.”
Monroe’s comments established spheres of influence and a passive........