Fact Check: "Coups in Latin America during 60s-70s were framed as protecting national security and sovereignty discourse"
What We Know
During the 1960s and 1970s, Latin America experienced a series of military coups that were often justified under the pretext of protecting national security and sovereignty. For instance, the U.S. government supported these coups as part of its broader Cold War strategy, aiming to counter perceived threats from leftist movements and governments. According to a thesis on the role of the United States in Cold War Latin America, military coups were framed as necessary actions to maintain stability and protect national interests against communist influences (Weldy, 2010).
The concept of national security during this period was heavily influenced by the idea that any leftist government posed a threat to the existing social order and U.S. interests. This is corroborated by a scholarly article that discusses how Latin American militaries adopted a national security doctrine, which was predicated on the belief that the region was in a state of permanent warfare against internal and external enemies (Pion-Berlin, 1989). This doctrine was used to legitimize military interventions and coups as necessary for the preservation of national sovereignty.
Moreover, the U.S. involvement in regime change in Latin America was characterized by a series of covert operations and support for military coups that were justified as efforts to protect democracy and stability (Wikipedia). The framing of these actions as protective measures was a common narrative used by both U.S. officials and local military leaders.
Analysis
The claim that coups in Latin America during the 60s and 70s were framed as protecting national security and sovereignty is supported by multiple credible sources. The framing of military actions as necessary for national security is a well-documented phenomenon in the context of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. The thesis by Weldy highlights specific examples of coups that were justified under the guise of national security, such as the overthrow of democratically elected governments in countries like Chile and Argentina (Weldy, 2010).
Additionally, the scholarly article by Pion-Berlin discusses how the national security doctrine was not only a U.S. export but also adopted by Latin American militaries, which used it to justify their actions against leftist movements (Pion-Berlin, 1989). This doctrine emphasized the need for military intervention as a means of safeguarding national integrity against perceived threats.
However, it is important to note that while the narrative of national security was prevalent, it often masked the underlying motives of power consolidation and repression of dissent. The U.S. involvement in these coups was not purely about protecting democracy but also about maintaining its geopolitical interests in the region (Field, 2019). This complexity adds a layer of nuance to the claim, indicating that while the framing was indeed used, the motivations behind the coups were multifaceted.
Conclusion
The claim that coups in Latin America during the 60s and 70s were framed as protecting national security and sovereignty is True. The evidence from various scholarly sources demonstrates that this framing was a central narrative used to justify military interventions and regime changes during this tumultuous period. The alignment of U.S. foreign policy with local military interests created a context where national security was invoked to legitimize actions that often undermined democratic governance.
Sources
- The Importance of the United States Role in Cold War Latin America - Link
- US and the Cold War in Latin America - Scholarly Commons - Link
- United States involvement in regime change in Latin America - Link
- Latin American National Security Doctrines: Hard - Link
- Latin American National Security Doctrines: Hard and Softline - Link
- US and the Cold War in Latin America - Link
- The Long Counterrevolution: United States-Latin America Security Cooperation - Link
- How many military coups in Latin America during the 1960s? - Link
