The U.S. capture and ouster of Venezuelan strongman leader Nicolás Maduro marked a stunning culmination of the Trump administration’s efforts to assert dominance in Latin America. It also exposed stark political divisions from Mexico to Argentina as Trump-friendly leaders rise across the region. Since assuming office less than a year ago, President Donald Trump has launched boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean, ordered a naval blockade on Venezuelan oil exports and meddled in elections in Honduras and Argentina. His new, aggressive foreign policy has carved a region still scarred by past U.S. military interventions into allies and foes.
