Why the USA’s Success in Overthrowing Governments in Latin America During the Cold War Faded in Cuba and Venezuela

During the Cold War, the United States often successfully overthrew governments in Latin America by leveraging intelligence agencies to sway local military commanders. However, in Cuba and Venezuela, similar attempts have largely failed, highlighting the complex interplay of political, economic, and strategic factors.

Factors Behind Successful Regime Change Attempts: Lessons from Chile and Panama

Under normal circumstances, the USA can successfully overthrow any government where its intelligence agencies can influence local military commanders. For instance, during the Cold War, the US covertly supported coups in several Latin American countries, including Chile and Panama.

Chile (1973)

During the early 1970s, US intelligence agencies played a crucial role in supporting General Augusto Pinochet’s eventual overthrow of the socialist government of Salvador Allende. The intelligence community operated through a network of informants and covert operations, ultimately leading to a successful military coup, which installed Pinochet as the head of state.

Panama (1989)

Similarly, during the early 1990s, the United States supported General Manuel Noriega’s removal from power. The US Intelligence Community worked to unify Panama’s military and political factions, ensuring support for the US-backed opposition. This strategic maneuvering culminated in a successful military operation that resulted in Noriega’s arrest and exile.

Failures in Other Countries: Cuba and Venezuela

While the USA was successful in toppling several regimes, the attempts in Cuba and Venezuela offer different lessons. When the US attempted to topple Fidel Castro with exiled Cubans in 1961, the Cuban military rallied around Castro, thwarting the invasion. This event led to the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis, during which the Soviet Union installed long-range missiles in Cuba, forcing the USA to halt its plans and negotiate a peaceful withdrawal.

Venezuela (2002 and 2019)

Fast forward to 2002, the USA tacitly supported a coup against former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. However, loyalist military officers intervened, rescuing Chávez and thwarting the coup. More recently, in 2019, the USA supported anti-government forces against Nicolás Maduro, with Juan Guaidó being the opposition leader. Despite the USA’s intelligence agencies working on securing military support, their efforts failed as Guaidó was eventually incarcerated and his financial transactions frozen, leading to the regime change’s failure.

Post-Cold War Challenges: Venezuela and Cuba

Following the end of the Cold War, the USA’s strategic priorities shifted. In countries where regime change was deemed to be less critical, efforts were scaled back. For example, in Cuba, the USA did not attempt another invasion after the failed Bay of Pigs incident in 1961.

Post-Cold War, the USA faced challenges in Venezuela due to its complex economic and social structures. The collapse of economic stability made the country less vulnerable to quick regime changes. Moreover, the USA found that intervening in Venezuela could be politically costly and that sustaining a new regime would require significant resources. The same applied to Cuba, where the collapse of its economy and strategic interests diminished the USA’s desire to exert further influence.

Instead of toppling governments, the USA has often supported existing right-wing regimes or various factions, as seen in Panama. The Bush administration did give some verbal support to the 2002 coup attempt but took no concrete actions to aid the overthrow of the government.

Conclusion

The USA’s varying success in overthowing governments in Latin America during and after the Cold War reflects a complex interplay of political, economic, and strategic factors. The outcomes in Cuba and Venezuela highlight the challenges of foreign intervention and the importance of local support and civilian resilience.