The Old Playbook of 'Cordial Diplomacy' with Latin America
The Pattern Hiding in Plain Sight: Adversaries Become Allies of Convenience FIRST INSTANCE: The Rise of 'Dictator Diplomacy' (1970s) Following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, successive U.S. administrations, while publicly condemning communism, often maintained working relationships, or even supported, right-wing dictatorships across the region, from Pinochet in Chile to Videla in Argentina. The
strategic interest in containing perceived Soviet influence and protecting U.S. corporate interests (e.g., United Fruit Company, 1954 Guatemala) consistently trumped democratic principles. For example, despite widespread human rights abuses, the U.S. provided significant military aid to the Argentine junta during Operation Condor (1970s-mid-1980s), a coordinated campaign of state terror,
indicating that 'good meetings' were often euphemisms for transactional alliances. REPETITIONS: Shifting Alliances Post-Cold War (1990s-2000s) After the Cold War, the narrative shifted, but the core dynamic remained. Allegations of drug trafficking, initially a pretext for intervention and leverage, could pivot into cooperation when convenient. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. engaged
in complex relations with figures like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, initially seeking to co-opt rather than confront, until his anti-U.S. rhetoric became too pronounced. The 2002 failed coup attempt against Chavez, openly supported by elements within the U.S. government, illustrates the precariousness of these 'cordial' periods. OUTCOMES: Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Instability These tactical