ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the policy of the United States (US) towards Latin America and the inescapable relationship between them that has been of great importance to political and economic development in both. The Cold War had a profound influence on the character of inter-American relations, placing the concept of 'national security' at the top of the US agenda. In the post-Cold War era, the US emerged as the world's only military superpower while facing stiff economic competition, initially from Japan and the European Union, and in more recent years also from emerging economies such as the BRICS among which are one Latin American state, Brazil. US policies towards Latin America have had four main motives – territorial gain and strategic security, ideological predominance, and the advancement of economic interests – while domestic politics has also often been at the heart of important issues affecting relations.
