The Real News Podcast 200 years later, the Monroe Doctrine still haunts Central America
Nov 6, 2023
In this engaging discussion, Mike Fox, a seasoned journalist with two decades of experience in Latin America, dives into the haunting legacy of the Monroe Doctrine. He explores the enduring impacts of CIA-backed coups and U.S. military presence, particularly in Central America, highlighting the historical context of violence and intervention. Fox also discusses the origins of regional gangs linked to U.S. actions, the myth of democracy, and the growing inequality in Costa Rica. Through his narrative project, he emphasizes the importance of audio history for younger generations.
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Monroe Doctrine Casts Long Shadow
- The Monroe Doctrine created a US claim on Latin America as its exclusive 'backyard' for two centuries.
- That policy enabled repeated US interventions, coups, annexations, and economic coercion across the hemisphere.
Tikisate: A Banana Town's Memory
- Mike Fox visited Tikisate, a United Fruit company town in Guatemala, to trace labor and union history.
- He found preserved company buildings and local memory linking banana industry organizing to Guatemala's 1944 democratic revolution.
Past Leaders Shape Modern Elections
- Historical episodes echo into current politics, exemplified by Bernardo Arévalo's election in Guatemala.
- Arévalo's victory connects to his father's 1945 leadership and the 1944 democratic spring, shaping today's legal battles and 'lawfare.'