A policy shift in US foreign policy states that after years of neglect,
the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the US carried out a series of military interventions in the Western Hemisphere to safeguard its strategic and economic interests in the region. However, in 1934, under President Franklin D Roosevelt, the United States (US) introduced the “Good Neighbor Policy,” which pledged not to invade or occupy Latin American countries or interfere in their internal affairs.
But now, the American government wants to regain its lost influence. Much of the last decade, the US focus was shifted somewhere else, and China has become the region’s top trading partner. BBC News reported that China is financing major projects, e.g., the $3.5 bn Chancay mega port in Peru and the Bogotá metro in Colombia, and several other projects are well underway.
A policy shift in US foreign policy states that after years of neglect, the United States will restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere, and protect the homeland and access to key geographies throughout the region. Non-Hemispheric competitors will not be allowed to own or control strategically vital assets in the Western Hemisphere.
According to the 2025- National Security Strategy of USA, America’s core foreign policy interests are to ensure that the Western Hemisphere remains reasonably stable and well-governed. In other words, America will assert and enforce a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, also called a “Donroe Doctrine.”
This is because the region holds great importance both strategically and economically.
According to the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2020 of the US Geological Survey. The region contains important resources of copper, gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, iron, niobium, aluminum, zinc, lead, tin, lithium, chromium, and other metals. Cuba contains some of the largest reserves of nickel and cobalt in the world. Mexico, Peru, and Argentina are the largest silver producers. The region also has several world-class gold mines, e.g., Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic, Veladero in Argentina, and Yanacocha in Peru. Moreover, Venezuela holds special strategic importance for the US in terms of having the largest oil reserves in the world.
The US pursuit of Venezuela’s natural resources echoes the 2025 national security strategy. The ample deposits of rare earth elements are found in Venezuela’s south, which are essential for high-tech and green energy. The problem lies in their extraction because rare earth elements are abundant, but their extraction is not economically viable.
Since China is the undoubted leader in this industry, controlling approximately two thirds of global mineral extraction and 90 per cent of processing capacities used to separate rare earths from minerals. Therefore, the US intention is to block China’s access and influence in the Western Hemisphere. The borders of Venezuela with Brazil and Colombia raised concerns in the White House and Pentagon regarding China’s growing dominance in the region, which could become a strategic vulnerability for the US.
Consequently, for the Trump administration, control of Venezuela’s critical minerals assets located in the hemisphere is considered vital to US interests. Thus, after the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro, the administration of President Donald Trump has stated that it wants to quickly restore the country’s oil production and expand its mining sector.
While talking to reporters, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said, “You have steel, you have minerals, all the critical minerals, they have great mining history that’s gone rusty.” He further added, “President Trump is going to fix it and bring it back.” This has made it clear that interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who succeeded Maduro, can remain in office as long as she continues to grant the U.S. access to oil supplies and follows all its instructions.
President Trump also warned Cuba that after the war with Iran, the administration would cut a deal with Cuba and highlighted an aggressive stance against Cuba’s communist leadership. He said, “Great change will soon be coming to Cuba,” and added, “They’re very much at the end of the line.” In response, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled the summit as “small, reactionary, and neocolonial.”
Another example is of Panama, where the Trump administration forced Panama to withdraw from China’s Belt and Road Initiative and review long-term port contracts held by a Hong Kong-based company. The US also threatened to retake the Panama Canal.
However, many countries in the hemisphere prefer China’s trade-focused diplomacy over President Trump’s decreasing foreign assistance. Since Trump’s administration’s financial assistance is for those who support a crackdown on immigration, this policy is generally unpopular across the hemisphere. In addition, withdrawal from climate agreements, unilateral military actions, and threats of tariffs and protectionism are also causes of disagreement and opposition.
The question is, at a time when geopolitical rivalry and competition are increasing, and the risk of wars spreading and tensions escalating, how can Washington afford to leave the Western Hemisphere, rich in rare earth minerals, oil, and gas, especially when China is more efficient than the US in extracting these resources? That’s why the US continues its power play in the Western Hemisphere.
