House Democrat Pushes Measure to Replace Interventionism In The Americas With 'New Good Neighbor' Policy

Rep. Nydia Velázquez, a Democrat from New York, is reintroducing a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on the State Department to formally move beyond the Monroe Doctrine, arguing that current U.S. policy toward Latin America reflects a renewed interventionist approach under the president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a report by El País.

Velázquez first introduced the measure in December 2023, on the bicentennial of President James Monroe's original doctrine asserting a U.S. sphere of influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Her updated resolution, now introduced again, proposes replacing that framework with what it calls a "New Good Neighbor policy" aimed at improving relations and deepening cooperation across the region.

The resolution, which was reviewed by El País, has backing from several progressive House Democrats, including Reps. Delia Ramírez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Greg Casar and Rashida Tlaib.

It lists historical U.S. actions in Guatemala, Chile, Brazil, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Grenada and Haiti, as well as the Cuba embargo, and adds more recent actions attributed to the current administration. These include alleged election interference in Honduras, pressure on Brazil through tariffs and judicial threats, deportations to prisons in El Salvador, and threats regarding control of the Panama Canal.

• Gavin Newsom Calls on European Leaders to 'Have a Backbone' and Stand Up to Trump: 'They've Been Played'
• Trump Brings Back Intention To Take Over Panama Canal: 'That's Sort Of On The Table'
• Nearly Half of Americans Want U.S. to Take a Less Active Global Role, Even as Many Back Venezuela Action: Survey

Velázquez told El País that "the aggressive posture of this Administration toward Latin America makes this resolution essential," adding that what she calls the "Donroe doctrine" is "a more grotesque version of interventionist policies that have failed us for two centuries." She said shared challenges such as migration, narcotics trafficking and climate change require partnership "not coercion."

The resolution also calls for ending unilateral economic sanctions, including the Cuba embargo, expanding Congress's role in foreign policy decisions, declassifying records tied to past coups, and working with regional partners to reform the Organization of American States. Its prospects are uncertain in a House narrowly controlled by Republicans.

Analysts and commentators have used the term "Donroe Doctrine" — a blend of Donald and Monroe first coined by The New York Post — to describe what they see as a revived interventionist mindset in U.S. foreign policy.

While not a formal doctrine or official policy paper, the label has been applied to arguments that the United States should act decisively to defend strategic interests in its historic sphere of influence. Writers tracing the concept link it to the Monroe Doctrine and Theodore Roosevelt's later corollary, which expanded the rationale for U.S. intervention in the region.

© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.