1913
For the good and love of everyone
The U.S. should block outside interference with Latin America
Economic interests in the area
Theodore Roosevelt saw great investment opportunities for American business in Latin America and the Far East.
Theodore Roosevelt's Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine held that the United States had a right to intervene in Latin American affairs. It considered the United States a police power of sorts, and saw Latin America as a way to expand America's economic interests.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the right of the United States to intervene in Latin America in his 1904 corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This corollary, known as the Roosevelt Corollary, expanded on the original Monroe Doctrine and asserted the US's authority to intervene in Latin American countries to preserve stability and protect its interests.
He began The Panama Canal
kept the Europeans out of the western hemisphere.
Theodore Roosevelt wanted the United States to be a world power. He wanted a strong navy and the Panama Canal was a way to move the navy to where it needed to be quicker than ships going around South America. He was worried about European nations involved in Latin America having a base to later attack the US.
Theodore Roosevelt changed U.S. policy toward Latin America through his implementation of the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which asserted that the U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability and order. This shift was motivated by a desire to prevent European intervention in the region and to assert American dominance as a regional power. Roosevelt's approach emphasized a more aggressive foreign policy, exemplified by his "speak softly and carry a big stick" philosophy, which aimed to protect U.S. interests while promoting stability in Latin America. This marked a significant transition from earlier policies of non-intervention and isolationism.
Yes, both Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson's policies toward Latin America can be described as imperialistic. Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy emphasized military intervention and the assertion of U.S. influence, exemplified by the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which justified intervention in the region. Wilson, while advocating for moral diplomacy, still intervened in several Latin American countries to protect U.S. interests and promote democratic governance, ultimately reflecting an imperialistic approach. Both presidents aimed to expand U.S. influence and control in Latin America, often at the expense of local sovereignty.
President Theodore Roosevelt justified America's increased involvement in Latin America on both economic and national security reasons. Note however, his interests were primarily in Central America, plus Colombia-Panama, which at that time was one country, governed from Bogota. In order to finish the Panama Canal, he orchestrated Panama's independence, and his interests in Central America were due to safeguarding America's booming fruit exports.