Dear Editor:

In a bold move, US Marshals arrested Nicolas Maduro and his wife on charges of narco- terrorism, cocaine importation, and a weapons offense. China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Senator Charles Schumer, and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries issued strong statements in opposition. Conversely, other countries issued statements of support including Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and most NATO/EU members.

Our adversaries have been quietly invading South America. The Chinese Belt and Road initiative (BRI) loans poor and third world countries massive amounts of money for projects of limited use leaving that country under China’s influence. Russia’s involvement is less and is centered on arms sales, energy deals, and disinformation. Lack of US presence and involvement has left a vacuum that our adversaries have been happy to fill.

The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 kept the US strong by limiting foreign involvement in our hemisphere. Famously, Theodore Roosevelt, with his 1904 Corollary empowerment, reshaped South America and built the Panama Canal. Today these actions are considered heavy handed and an infringement on national sovereignty, but it did produce hemispheric stability. That stability has been in decline for 50 years.  

Decline started with President Carter’s human rights campaigns and the Panama Canal handover. The unintended consequences were Socialist takeovers, loss of freedoms, and China’s Hutchison Ports initiative. Later, President Obama initiated the Cuba Thaw and delayed Venezuela sanctions empowering our adversaries with many billions of capital infusion and little opposition. This continued under President Biden. Under Trump, that has changed.

We live in an increasingly dangerous world. A China and Russia alliance makes a powerful adversary. NATO and Europe are in decline and have been depending on the US for support. Their social democratic welfare systems, open borders, and mass immigration have fractured their economies and their national resolve. Just as Eisenhower reshaped the US, its military, and its alliances to win the cold war, Trump is reshaping our hemisphere. He is removing bad actors, and promoting freedom, democracy, and prosperity to win the future.  A prosperous, united, and free Americas can keep the torch of freedom burning through the 21st century.

Joe Grant

Wiscasset