New Books Network Renata Keller, "The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)
Nov 25, 2025
Renata Keller, an Associate Professor of History at the University of Nevada, Reno, explores the Cuban Missile Crisis from a hemispheric perspective in her new book. She reveals how the crisis affected ordinary people in Latin America, showing that the potential activation of missiles would have put millions at risk. Keller discusses the varied regional responses, from deadly riots in Bolivia to pro-Castro demonstrations in Nicaragua. She also examines the long-term impacts on Latin American politics and the disillusionment of leftist movements, connecting these historical tensions to contemporary issues.
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Three Priorities Shaped Hemispheric Responses
- Keller identifies three recurring priorities across Latin America during the crisis: security, sovereignty, and solidarity.
- These 'three S's' shaped decisions and created shared values beyond Cold War binaries.
Cuban Revolution Fueled The Crisis
- Keller argues hemispheric reactions to the Cuban Revolution helped cause the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Regional opposition to Cuba, including expulsion from the OAS and the Bay of Pigs, pushed Castro toward Soviet missiles.
Crisis Was A Hemispheric, Not Just Bilateral, Event
- Keller reframes the missile crisis as a hemispheric event involving the OAS, UN, and Latin American publics.
- She traces protests, pamphlets, sabotage, and diplomatic moves across the region, not just US–USSR talks.
