Monroe Doctrine: A 200-Year-Old U.S. Policy with Lasting Impact

First proclaimed in 1823, the Doctrine has evolved from a statement of solidarity to a justification for intervention, reflecting changing U.S. interests and geopolitical realities.

The Monroe Doctrine, first proclaimed on December 2, 1823, by President James Monroe, was a U.S. foreign policy initiative that warned European colonial powers against bringing their Old World conflicts to the Western Hemisphere.
The Doctrine was not initially a declaration of U.S. hegemony but a statement of solidarity with South American nations fighting for independence against their colonial masters.
Over time, the Doctrine's interpretation evolved, and it was used to justify U.S. interventions in Latin America, especially during the Cold War.
The Doctrine has been invoked in key moments of history when the U.S. felt its interests were threatened by overseas imperial powers, including during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
Views on the Monroe Doctrine have varied over time, with some seeing it as a symbol of U.S. hegemony and others as a defense of U.S. strategic interests in the hemisphere.