U.S. INTERVENTIONISM: 132 Years of Coups & Government Interference

U.S. soldiers: war in Iraq 

The United States has a long history of interfering with foreign governments, attempting (and executing) coups since 1893. It’s often driven by economic interests, anti-communism during the Cold War, or strategic geopolitical goals. Sometimes the rationales are indefensible, and frequently our activities are so clandestine we never even hear about them till years later, if ever.

Below is a list of notable instances where the U.S. is known to have interfered, either directly or indirectly, in coups or government changes, based on historical records and declassified documents. This list focuses on successful regime changes, attempted coups, and significant interventions, but it is not exhaustive due to the covert nature of many operations and ongoing debates about U.S. involvement.

U.S. Interventions in Coups and Governments Since 1898

1890s

•            Hawaii (1893): The U.S. supported a coup led by American plantation owners and businessmen, including Sanford Dole, to overthrow Queen Liliʻuokalani. U.S. Minister John L. Stevens called in Marines to "protect American interests," effectively aiding the coup. The Hawaiian Kingdom was replaced by the Republic of Hawaii, which was annexed by the U.S. in 1898. 

1900s

•            Philippines (1899–1902): After the Spanish-American War, the U.S. annexed the Philippines, leading to the Philippine-American War. The U.S. suppressed the First Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo, effectively overthrowing the nascent government to establish colonial rule 

•            Panama (1903): The U.S. supported Panama’s secession from Colombia to secure rights to build the Panama Canal. U.S. naval forces prevented Colombian troops from intervening, ensuring the success of the rebellion and the installation of a pro-U.S. government under Philippe Bunau-Varilla.  

•            Honduras (1903, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1924, 1925): During the Banana Wars, the U.S. intervened multiple times to protect American business interests, particularly those of the United Fruit Company. Notable actions include supporting Manuel Bonilla’s coup in 1903 and defending his regime against a Nicaraguan-backed coup in 1907.  

•            Nicaragua (1909–1912): The U.S. supported a rebellion against President José Santos Zelaya, who opposed American interests. U.S. Marines intervened, leading to Zelaya’s resignation, and the U.S. installed Adolfo Díaz as president, maintaining control through occupation until 1933.  

•            Cuba (1906–1909): Following the Spanish-American War, the U.S. occupied Cuba after President Tomás Estrada Palma’s government collapsed amid a rebellion. The U.S. established a provisional government, effectively controlling the island until 1909 

1910s

•            Dominican Republic (1914, 1916–1924): The U.S. intervened militarily to stabilize the country amid political unrest, occupying it from 1916 to 1924. U.S. forces installed a military government, controlling key institutions and suppressing opposition.  

•            Haiti (1915–1934): The U.S. occupied Haiti after the assassination of President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam, driven by concerns over German influence and debt repayment to American banks. The U.S. installed a pro-American government, dissolved the Haitian legislature, and maintained control for nearly two decades.  
•            Mexico (1913): U.S. Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson supported the Ten Tragic Days coup, which overthrew President Francisco I. Madero. Wilson’s actions, including encouraging General Victoriano Huerta’s rebellion, led to Madero’s assassination and Huerta’s rise to power. 

1940s

•            Panama (1941): The U.S. supported the coup that ousted President Arnulfo Arias, who was seen as pro-Axis during World War II. The U.S. backed Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia, ensuring a pro-Allied government.  

•            Syria (1949): The CIA facilitated a coup against President Shukri al-Quwatli, who opposed the Trans-Arabian Pipeline. Colonel Husni al-Za’im, with CIA support, overthrew the government, aligning Syria with U.S. interests. 

 

1950s

•            Iran (1953): The CIA, in collaboration with British intelligence (Operation Ajax), orchestrated the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh after he nationalized Iran’s oil industry. The coup reinstated Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, securing Western oil interests.

•            Guatemala (1954): The CIA’s Operation PBSuccess overthrew President Jacobo Árbenz, whose land reforms threatened the United Fruit Company’s interests. Carlos Castillo Armas was installed as a military dictator, leading to decades of repression.  

•            Egypt (1952): The U.S. had extensive contact with the Free Officers Movement after their coup against King Farouk I. While direct involvement is debated, the CIA supported the new regime under Gamal Abdel Nasser to counter Soviet influence.  

•            Indonesia (1959): The CIA supported an attempted coup against President Sukarno, providing arms and funding to rebel groups. The attempt failed, and it strained U.S.-Indonesian relations.  

•            Lebanon (1958): The U.S. intervened militarily to support President Camille Chamoun’s government against internal unrest, deploying troops to prevent a potential coup and stabilize the pro-Western regime.  

•            Iraq (1959): The CIA attempted to overthrow the government of Abd al-Karim Qasim after his neutral stance in the Cold War. The coup failed, but Qasim was later overthrown in 1963 with U.S. support (see below.)

•            Cuba (1952–1958): The U.S. backed Fulgencio Batista’s regime, providing military and economic support against revolutionary forces. After Fidel Castro’s 1959 victory, the U.S. attempted to overthrow him in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, which failed. Over a period of several years schemes were devised to assassinate Castro.

1960s

•            Democratic Republic of Congo (1960): The CIA supported the overthrow and assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, fearing his pro-Soviet leanings. Joseph Mobutu, with CIA backing, neutralized Lumumba, leading to Mobutu’s eventual rise to power.

•            Laos (1960, 1961): The CIA backed coups and counter-coups to install anti-communist governments, supporting General Phoumi Nosavan against neutralist and communist forces. The U.S. also organized Hmong forces to fight the Pathet Lao.  

•            Dominican Republic (1961, 1963): The CIA supplied weapons for the assassination of dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1961. After Juan Bosch’s election in 1962, the U.S. supported a 1963 coup against him and intervened in the 1965 civil war to prevent the democratically elected Bosch’s return.  

•            South Vietnam (1963): The U.S. supported a coup against President Ngo Dinh Diem, orchestrated by ARVN generals. The CIA provided funding and assurances of non-interference, leading to Diem’s overthrow and assassination.

•            Iraq (1963): The CIA supported the Ba’ath Party’s coup against Abd al-Karim Qasim, providing intelligence and support. The coup succeeded, and Qasim was executed, though the Ba’athists were later purged . 

•            Brazil (1964): The U.S. backed a military coup against President João Goulart, fearing his leftist policies. The CIA provided support, including fuel and arms, to Humberto Castello Branco’s forces, leading to Goulart’s ouster

•            Dominican Republic (1965): The U.S. intervened militarily during the Dominican Civil War to prevent supporters of deposed President Juan Bosch from regaining power, ensuring a pro-U.S. government.  
•            Indonesia (1965): The U.S. supported a military coup against the Sukarno government, providing lists of communists to the Indonesian army. The coup led to the massacre of up to 1 million people and the rise of Suharto’s regime. 

1970s

•            Chile (1973): The CIA, under President Nixon’s orders, destabilized President Salvador Allende’s government through economic warfare and propaganda. The U.S. supported General Augusto Pinochet’s coup, which overthrew the democratically elected Allende and established a brutal dictatorship. 

•            Argentina (1976): The U.S. supported the military coup against President Isabel Perón, with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger endorsing the junta. The regime committed widespread human rights abuses, including the deaths of up to 30,000 people.  

•            Bolivia (1971): The U.S. supported General Hugo Banzer’s coup against President Juan José Torres, who was seen as too left-leaning. Banzer’s regime repressed opposition and aligned with U.S. interests.

•            Nicaragua (1979–1980s): After the Sandinista revolution overthrew the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship, the U.S. funded and trained the Contra rebels to destabilize the Sandinista government, leading to a decade-long conflict.

•            El Salvador (1979–1980s): The U.S. supported a military junta that overthrew the reformist government in 1979, backing the regime against leftist rebels. The U.S. also intervened to prevent right-wing coups, fearing instability. 

 

1980s

•            Grenada (1983): The U.S. invaded Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) after a military coup deposed Prime Minister Maurice Bishop. The invasion ousted the new regime, installed a pro-U.S. government, and held elections.

•            Panama (1989): The U.S. invaded Panama (Operation Just Cause) to depose Manuel Noriega, who had been a U.S. ally but became a liability due to drug trafficking. Guillermo Endara, a U.S.-backed leader, was installed as president. 

1990s

•            Haiti (1991): The CIA is alleged to have supported the coup against the democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, with coup leaders Raoul Cédras and Michel François having received U.S. military training. The U.S. later reinstated Aristide in 1994 via Operation Uphold Democracy.  

 

2000s

•            Venezuela (2002): The U.S. supported a failed coup against President Hugo Chávez, providing funding and encouragement to opposition groups. The coup briefly ousted Chávez, but he was reinstated after mass protests.

•            Honduras (2009): The U.S. tacitly supported the coup against President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted by the military after aligning with leftist leaders like Chávez. The U.S. recognized the new government despite international condemnation. 

•            Iraq (2003): The U.S.-led invasion overthrew Saddam Hussein’s government, replacing it with a U.S.-backed interim government. The operation aimed to establish a democratic regime but led to prolonged instability. 

•            Libya (2011): The U.S., with NATO, supported a military intervention that led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. The operation began as a humanitarian mission but resulted in Gaddafi’s death and a power vacuum.  

 

2010s

•            Paraguay (2012): The U.S. is alleged to have supported the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo, seen as a rapid coup by his allies. The U.S. quickly recognized the new government under Federico Franco.  

•            Ukraine (2014): The U.S. is alleged to have played a central role in the overthrow .

•            Brazil (2016): The U.S. is accused of supporting the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, viewed by some as a “soft coup.” Declassified documents show U.S. interest in her removal due to her leftist policies.  

•            Venezuela (2018–2019): The U.S. backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó’s attempt to oust President Nicolás Maduro, recognizing Guaidó as interim president and imposing sanctions to destabilize Maduro’s regime. The effort has not succeeded.  
•            Bolivia (2019): The U.S. supported the ouster of President Evo Morales after disputed elections, backing Jeanine Áñez’s interim government. Critics argue the U.S. encouraged the military’s role in forcing Morales to resign. 

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I shared this list with a friend who replied, "The list might include the Clinton/NATO bombing of Bosnia.... Also, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen.... Not sure what your requirements are lol... Where haven't we intervened might be a better list."

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From 1898 to 1994 alone, the U.S. intervened in Latin America at least 41 times, averaging once every 28 months, often citing security or economic interests like those of the United Fruit Company. Many interventions, especially during the Cold War, aimed to counter perceived communist threats, though these claims were often exaggerated to justify action. 

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Related Link
Orwell Castigates Wells, Defends Patriotism

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Note how many of today's contemporary trouble spots have dark roots deep in the past.  Note also that America's bad behavior abroad is not isolated to the bad behavior of a single ruling party.  And note how many times our interventions were aimed a overthrowing a democratically elected leader. So much for our belief in Democracy with a capital D. 

As Dylan has written:

Democracy don’t rule the world

You’d better get that in your head

This world is ruled by violence

But I guess that’s better left unsaid

--Union Sundown, Infidels 1983

Photo credit: Encyclopædia Britannica

Six Articles about the CIA's Overthrow of a Democratically Elected President in Guatemala 1954

The 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état, code-named Operation PBSuccess, was a covert operation by the CIA that deposed the democratically elected Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz.  

A Chiquita PR Campaign was Powerful Enough to Topple the Guatemalan Government
Chiquita’s brand image comes across as fun and playful, but the company has some dark history. 

The (Literally) Unbelievable Story of the Original Fake News Network
Once upon a time in Guatemala, the CIA hired a cocky American actor and two radio DJs to launch a revolution and oust a president. Their playbook is being used against the U.S. right now.
[EdNote: This is a Wag the Dog story. Reality is stranger than fiction.*]

Blood For Bananas: United Fruit's Central American Empire
A politician named Jacobo Arbenz was elected president in Guatemala, one of the Central American countries occupied by United Fruit. Arbenz was a strict nationalist, and all he wanted was for his people to stop suffering in poverty. One of the most prominent issues in Guatemala, at the time, was scarcity of land. When United Fruit invaded Guatemala, they bought out many of the local farmers to acquire land for their plantations. This did not leave room for the peasants, who relied on farming as the sole source of their income. 

1954 Coup: Destroying Democracy

In 1954, the CIA overthrew the democratically elected government of Guatemala, violently reversing the progressive policies of the civilian governments. This coup was undertaken at the behest of the United Fruit Company, and it ushered in a thirty-six-year civil war that claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 civilians.

Propaganda Revisited 
In 1928 Edward Bernays, in a book titled Propaganda, argued that propaganda was a good thing, a useful tool for the ruling elite because the masses needed to be moved. They were sheep too dumb to know what was best for them without guidance. The government and the media should work together to create an appetite for the right goods, services, leaders.  

CIA and Assassinations: The Guatemala 1954 Documents
In 1997 the CIA de-classified 1400 of the 100,000 documents related to the Guatemala destabilization program.

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The proper way to do a mashup like this is to add value through interpreting what it means or making comments regarding these things. What is unfortunate is that the more one learns about our clandestine activities, especially the abuse of power demonstrated in this chronicle of manipulation and subversion, the more challenging it is to trust our nation's leadership. Sadly, Guatemala was not an isolated event.

Here's a bonus track: The Purpose of Propaganda--Social Engineering

*This is why a wise man once said "Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see."

Propaganda Revisited

The word propaganda is actually a Latin word that was originally introduced in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV in response to the global rise of Protestantism. He formed an “Office for the Propagation of the Faith” to oversee Catholic mission efforts in the New World. (“Congregatio de propaganda fide”) It is interesting that global forces and fears were the impetus behind these propaganda efforts, much like modern times.

During World War I propaganda became a secret weapon of our own government to turn public opinion against the Germans in order to prepare our nation for war. Before the war the word propaganda was so insignificant that it didn’t even have an entry in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. During the war it was little understood how much the media served as mouthpiece for the propaganda machinery that demonized “the Huns” and portrayed the Germans as Prussian barbarians.

In 1928 Edward Bernays, in a book titled Propaganda, argued that propaganda was a good thing, a useful tool for the ruling elite because the masses needed to be moved. They were sheep too dumb to know what was best for them without guidance. The government and the media should work together to create an appetite for the right goods, services, leaders. It was a positive, not a perjorative.

Within months of publication of this landmark manual the word was already getting a bad reputation. George Creel, in another book, revealed that our own U.S. Office of War Information had heavy-handedly practiced the art of public manipulation to seed the war effort. When the public learned they had been hoodwinked, manipulated by falsehood and innuendo, lies, exaggeration and half-truths, … well, the word had to be replaced by more positive terminology.

The new term is Public Relations. And what PR professionals practice is called “spin.”

The problem is, no one knows anymore what is true and what is spin. Hence we live in an era of disillusionment and distrust.

During World War I it was said that Germans always lie, Americans always tell the truth. When later Americans learned their country told them half truths and outright lies, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Bernays used his book as a stepping stone to advance his own career as a publicist. He ultimately achieved the stature he desired, becoming a mouthpiece for Big Tobacco for a spell as well as for General Electric in what amounted to helping it achieve a “stranglehold on America’s electric power” in “the largest peacetime propaganda drive in peacetime history.” (M.C.Miller)

His crowning achievement was the work he did in Latin America during the 1950s on behalf of the United Fruit Company wherein he paved the way for the CIA overthrow of the democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz. To our shame as a nation, we did not dig into the motivations of UFC or the underlying truths behind what was really going on there in Guatemala, or Costa Rica. The resulting damage to U.S. credibility in the region lingered for decades.

In the Viet Nam era, we find similar tactics. And post 9/11… well, who knows where the truth goes when you have all these think tanks and spin doctors ever so busy weaving words into mesmerizing pinwheel spells and snapdragon daisywheels of distraction.

Words can serve as a conveyor of truth, but in a world where they so often veil and betray truth how does one know? How can one be sure? The imperative is learning how to hear, how to listen, how to weigh the value of what is spoken and written... how to separate the darkness from the light and give order to the chaos. In short, how to discern.