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U.S. democracy important to Latin American democra

Submitted January 3, 2005 - 10:40 am by Benjamin Melançon
Foreign policy in the United States historically has had little public input.  Often the government acts in secret.  In either case, public opinion has been even less of a player in decisions made about U.S. government actions elsewhere than in decisions about domestic policy.

Important exceptions come from countries nearer the U.S. with large numbers of emigrants to the U.S.  Right-wing Cuban immigrants have helped keep in place the U.S. campaign to economically and diplomatically strangle Cuba under Castro.  Haitian immigrants and refugees brought pressure that contributed to Clinton's decision to allow Aristide back.  While Puerto Rico is a colony or territory of the United States, it was Puerto Ricans living in the mainland states that provided the political power and activism that ended U.S. Navy test-bombing of Vieques.

Increasing numbers of the growing Hispanic minority in the United States will acquire citizenship, and some will get their political legs under them.

Immigrants who collectively wire tens of billions of dollars to support their families in their home countries may not quietly accept politically-motivated U.S. economic and military destabilization of these countries.

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