U.S. Direct Interventions ― Military/CIA Activity That Changed Governments

Over the slightly less than a hundred years from 1898 to 1994, the U.S. government has intervened successfully to change governments in Latin America at least 41 times. That amounts to once every 28 months for an entire century (see table).

Direct intervention occurred in 17 of the 41 cases. These incidents involved the use of U.S. military forces, intelligence agents, or local citizens employed by U.S. government agencies. In another 24 cases, the U.S. government played an indirect role. That is, local actors played the principal roles, but they would not have acted or succeeded without encouragement from the U.S. government.

COUNTRY	YEAR	EVENT SUMMARY
Cuba	1898-1902 1906-09 1917-23	Spanish-American War Ousts elected Pres. Palma; occupation regime U.S. reoccupation, gradual withdrawal
Dominican Rep	1916-24 1961 1965	U.S. occupation Assassination of Pres. Trujillo U.S. occupation of Sto Domingo
Grenada	1983	U.S. occupied the island; oust the government
Guatemala	1954	CIA-organized force ousts Pres. Arbenz
Haiti	1915-34 1994	U.S. occupation U.S. troops restored constitutional government
Mexico	1914	Veracruz occupied; US allows rebels to buy arms
Nicaragua	1910 1912-25 1926-33 1981-90	Troops to Corinto, Bluefields during revolt U.S. occupation U.S. occupation Contra war; then support for the opposition in the election
Panama	1903-14 1989	U.S. Troops secure protectorate, canal U.S. Armed Forces occupied the nation

U.S. INDIRECT INTERVENTION

Government/Regime Changes In Which The U.S. Is Decisive

COUNTRY	YEAR	EVENT SUMMARY
Bolivia	1944 1963 1971	Coup uprising, overthrow Pres. Villaroel Military coup ousts elected Pres. Paz Estenssoro Military coup ousts Gen. Torres
Brazil	1964	Military coup ousts elected Pres. Goulart
Chile	1973 1989-90	Coup ousts elected Pres. Allende Aid to anti-Pinochet opposition
Cuba	1933 1934	U.S. abandons support for Pres. Machado U.S. sponsors Col. Batista coup to oust Pres. Grau
Dominican Rep.	1914 1963	U.S. secures ouster of Gen. José Bordas Coup ousts elected Pres. Bosch
El Salvador	1961 1979 1980	Coup ousts reformist civil-military junta Coup ousts Gen. Humberto Romero U.S. creates and aids new Christian Demo junta
Guatemala	1963 1982 1983	U.S. supports coup vs elected Pres. Ydígoras U.S. supports coup vs Gen. Lucas García U.S. supports coup vs Gen. Rios Montt
Guyana	1953	CIA aids strikes; Govt. is ousted
Honduras	1963	Military coups ousts elected Pres. Morales
Mexico	1913	U.S. Amb. H. L. Wilson organizes coup v Madero
Nicaragua	1909 1979	Support for rebels vs Zelaya govt U.S. pressures Pres. Somoza to leave
Panama	1941 1949 1969	U.S supports coup ousting elected Pres. Arias U.S. support ousting VP Chanís govt U.S. supports coup by Gen. Torrijos