Different Era, Same Errors: A Historical and Political Comparison of U.S. Foreign Policy Towards Cuba, 1959 and Venezuela, 2019
Open AccessOne of the most pressing policy challenges for the new Biden administration is how to address Venezuela. Between the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the complexities surrounding the Maduro regime, immediate action is required. However, President Biden must be cautious as to not repeat past U.S. policy errors in Latin America. Much of the current situation can be traced back to the actions undertaken by the previous Trump administration. In 2019, President Trump was faced with the prospect of an increasingly authoritarian, Marxist-inspired, anti-United States dictator cementing power in a formerly allied Latin American country. This situation paralleled what occurred under President Eisenhower sixty years prior, with the rise of Fidel Castro in Cuba. In both situations, U.S. policy makers decided that forcing a regime change was in their best interests. However, in both instances, domestic and international factors limited the available policy options. Ultimately, in the cases of both Cuba, 1959 and Venezuela, 2019, U.S. policy makers attempted to force through a regime change with a series of relative half-measures, based on mostly unilateral economic sanctions. In both instances, the policies failed to achieve their stated purpose and additionally damaged the United States’ standing in the region. However, unlike with Cuba, the United States does not have to continue down the same fraught path with its Venezuela policy. By examining past policy mistakes, and understanding how the United States repeated many of these mistakes, U.S. policy makers can work to create better policy, engaging with Venezuela to create a better future for all.
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