The United States’ recent military action in Venezuela has reignited discussion about Washington’s long-standing interventionist policies across Latin America. According to a report cited by Al Jazeera, such actions have historically been driven by goals of containing communism, protecting corporate interests, and maintaining strategic influence in the region.

The report outlines a series of US-backed interventions since the Cold War, including the 1954 CIA-supported coup in Guatemala, the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, and the 1964 military coup in Brazil. Similar allegations of US involvement are noted in the Dominican Republic, Chile, Argentina, and several other nations, where political upheavals and military regimes followed. The 1980s saw US military and financial support in conflicts in El Salvador and Nicaragua, culminating in the Iran-Contra affair, as well as direct invasions of Grenada in 1983 and Panama in 1989.

The situation in Venezuela is described as a new chapter in this long history. Many Latin American countries reportedly fear that such interventions could deepen regional instability and division rather than promote peace.