How Did The Cold War Affect Latin America

The United States has been attempting to expand its political and cultural influence throughout Latin America while protecting the world from Communism. The Cold War was the tipping point of Latin America’s relationship with the United States, as the region became a threat to communism. The United States strategic concerns to prevent the spread of communism affected Latin American immigration. The fear of communism led policymakers in Washington to support brutal dictators in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The United States government involved itself in the politics of Latin American countries and encouraged or discouraged migration. This leads to a deep impact on which countries Latin American migrants originate from and how they are treated upon arrival. The Cold War has impacted Latino immigration and has reshaped many Latin American countries.

Cuban migration numbers escalated dramatically as Cubans began fleeing the revolution. Since it was the height of the Cold War, their presence was encouraged by the United States government. Cuban immigrants received significant financial support under the 1966 Cuban Refugee Act. “The refugees of the 1960s and 1970s were largely from the upper and middle classes and brought with them enormous technical skills. Those advantages, together with the massive federal aid the federal government dispensed to them, turned Cubans into the country’s most prosperous Hispanic immigrants (Gonzalez, 109).” Cubans are the only immigrant group given automatic residency upon arrival in the United States. The United States failure to prevent Castro’s rise to power in 1959 leads to traumatic effects on the United States decision making in Latin