Long history of US intervention

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accuses the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup against him. Washington has a long history of interventions — military and otherwise — in Latin American politics. Since the advent of the Monroe Doctrine in the early 19th century, the US has involved itself in the daily affairs of nations across the hemisphere, often on behalf of North American commercial interests or to support right-leaning forces against leftist leaders.

That military involvement petered out after the end of the Cold War, although the US has been accused of granting at least tacit backing to coups in Venezuela in 2002 and Honduras in 2009.

The Trump Administration’s leading role in recognising Juan Guaido as the interim President of Venezuela returns the US to a more assertive role in Latin America.

Some of the most notable US interventions in Latin America:

1846 The US invades Mexico and captures Mexico City in 1847. A peace treaty the following year gives the US more than half of Mexico's territory — what is now most of the western United States.

1903 The US engineers Panamanian independence from Colombia and gains sovereign rights over the zone where the Panama Canal would connect Atlantic and Pacific shipping routes.

1903 Cuba and the US sign a treaty allowing near-total US control of Cuban affairs. US establishes a naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

● US Marines repeatedly intervene in Central America and the Caribbean throughout the first quarter of the

20th century, often to protect US business interests in moments of political instability.

1914 US troops occupy the Mexican port of Veracruz for seven months in an attempt to sway developments in the Mexican Revolution.

1954 Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz is overthrown in a CIA-backed coup.

1961 The US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion fails to overthrow Sovietbacked Cuban leader Fidel Castro but Washington continues to launch attempts to assassinate Castro and dislodge his Government.

1964 Leftist President Joao Goulart of Brazil is overthrown in a US-backed coup that installs a military Government lasting until the 1980s.

1965 US forces land in the Dominican Republic to intervene in a civil war.

1970s Argentina, Chile and allied South American nations launch brutal campaign of repression and assassination aimed at perceived leftist threats, known as Operation Condor, often with US support.

1980s Reagan Administration backs anti-Communist Contra forces against Nicaragua's Sandinista Government and backs the Salvadoran Government against leftist FMLN rebels.

1983 US forces invade Caribbean island of Grenada after accusing the Government of allying itself with Communist Cuba.

1989 US invades Panama to oust strongman Manuel Noriega.

1994 A US-led invasion of Haiti is launched to remove the military regime installed by a 1991 coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The invasion restores Aristide.

2002 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is ousted for two days before retaking power. He and his allies accuse the US of tacit support for the coup attempt.

2009 Honduran President Manuel Zelaya is overthrown by military. US accused of worsening situation by insufficient condemnation of the coup.