United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945; United States -- History
Latin America is in the grip of the Monroe Doctrine. Whether the
individual states wish it or not they are the victims of a principle
that has already shorn them of political sovereignty by making their
foreign policy subject to veto by the United States, and that will
eventually deprive them of control over their own internal affairs by
placing the management of their economic activities under the direction
of business interests centering in the United States. The protectorate
which the United States will ultimately establish over Latin America was
forecast in the treaty which "liberated" Cuba. The resolution declaring
war upon Spain was prefaced by a preamble which demanded the
independence of Cuba. Presumably this independence meant the right of
self-government. Actually the sovereignty of Cuba is annihilated by the
treaty of July 1, 1904, which provides:
"Article I. The Government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or
compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to
impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any matter authorize or permit
any foreign power or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or
naval purposes, or otherwise, lodgement in, or control over any portion
of said island."
The most drastic limitations upon Cuba's sovereignty are contained in
Article 3 which reads, "the Government of Cuba consents that the United
States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban
independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the
protection of life, property and individual liberty, and for discharging
the obligation with respect to Cuba imposed by the Treaty of Paris on
the United States now to be assumed and undertaken by the Government of
Cuba." Under this article, the United States, at her discretion, may
intervene in Cuba's internal affairs.
Under these treaty provisions the Cuban Government is not only prevented
from exercising normal governmental functions in international matters,
but if a change of internal government should take place which in the
opinion of the United States jeopardized "life, property and individual
liberty" such a government could be suppressed by the armed forces of
the United States and a government established in conformity with her
wishes. Theoretically, Cuba is an independent nation. Practically, Cuba
has signed away in her treaty with the United States every important
attribute of sovereignty.
The fact that Cuba was a war-prize of the United States might be
advanced as an explanation of her anomalous position, were it not for
the relations now existing between the Dominican Republic, Hayti and
Nicaragua on the one hand and the United States on the other. The United
States has never been at war with any of these countries, yet her
authority over them is complete.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account