ABSTRACT
A number of factors have converged to increase the importance of examining Soviet policy in Central America during the 1980s. Because the Soviet Union and the United States have not developed a “code of conduct” regarding the relationship between regional actions and broader East-West interests, Soviet diplomacy in Central America very likely will continue to contribute to serious conflict with the United States, and East-West relations will suffer as a consequence. Any assessment of Soviet policy in Central America must include an analysis of the Soviet-Cuban nexus. The Soviet approach to Central America shares much in common with its general policy toward Latin America. Central America has attracted increasing Soviet attention since the late 1970s, owing in no small part to the region’s geostrategic location.
