The Trump Corollary and the Strategic Reconfiguration of Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

The Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine has reinterpreted and reconfigured the hemispheric order, regional security dynamics and patterns of cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Within this new strategic framework, the United States seeks to reinforce its primacy in the region by prioritizing border control, migration management, counter-narcotrafficking operations, and the containment of extra-hemispheric powers, particularly China. The paper introduces the concept of a Greater Caribbean heartland to describe the maritime and coastal space that has emerged as the operational core of contemporary U.S. hemispheric strategy connecting the U.S. southern border, Central America, the Caribbean basin, and northern South America. This is the theater where migration routes, narcotrafficking corridors, energy resources, critical maritime infrastructure and shipping lanes converge. The study combines qualitative analysis of strategic documents – particularly the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy – with examination of recent diplomatic initiatives, military deployments, and policy developments across the region. Empirical illustrations from countries across Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrate how the strategy operates in practice. The findings highlight a paradox: while the new U.S. approach relies on more assertive security measures, it has also generated varying degrees of cooperation among regional governments seeking to navigate growing geopolitical competition. The paper concludes that this evolving strategy is contributing to a reconfiguration of regional governance and poses new challenges for Latin American and Caribbean integration mechanisms