MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered a sharp diplomatic rebuttal on Monday against remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who invoked the historic Monroe Doctrine to justify a recent military operation in Venezuela. The exchange signals escalating tensions over hemispheric sovereignty and foreign policy approaches in the Americas.
Trump characterized the weekend raid, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, as a modern application of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine—a policy originally articulated by President James Monroe asserting that the Americas were off-limits to further European colonization and under U.S. influence.
In a firm response, President Sheinbaum challenged this worldview during a press conference, stating unequivocally, ‘The Americas do not belong to any doctrine or any power. The American continent belongs to the peoples of each of the countries that comprise it.’ Her comments underscore a growing resistance among Latin American nations against external intervention and great-power dominance.
The incident highlights deepening ideological divisions within the hemisphere, particularly between left-leaning governments in Latin America and U.S. foreign policy strategies. Analysts suggest that Sheinbaum’s statement may rally regional support ahead of key diplomatic meetings, reinforcing calls for non-intervention and mutual respect among American states.