Eduardo Hernández Hdez | Communist Party (Mexico)
International Resistance Against US Imperialism
Beyond its borders, the United States, as if following a tradition derived from the Monroe Doctrine[1], intervenes in the economic, cultural, social, and political life of various countries, especially those invaded and subjugated following the discovery of America. Resistance to US interference and intervention in the affairs of developing Third World nations stems from a series of grievances and military invasions, as well as political impositions in favor of the economic interests of the most interventionist power that has ever existed. This modern resistance to the pillaging and plundering of natural resources has deep historical roots following the invasion and colonization of the Americas, which was a violent process that established historical oppression and racism through cultural, religious, and linguistic imposition, land dispossession, brutal labor exploitation (mita, encomienda, slavery), and the creation of a racial hierarchy based on skin color and origin (caste system) to segregate indigenous peoples and Africans, laying the foundations for the systemic racism that persists today, with its consequences of social inequality and discrimination. Resistance is no longer exclusive to social movements, but also extends to progressive governments that have taken up the defense of their territory and population as a means of survival as sovereign and independent nations, such as Colombia and Venezuela in the Americas, Iran in the Middle East, Afghanistan, North Korea, and the Philippines in Asia, to name a few examples, although the list is longer. International resistance to US imperialism is therefore a complex and ongoing phenomenon with deep historical roots, which adapts to contemporary global dynamics and uses a variety of means to challenge US influence and hegemony.
Activism Versus Interference and Interventionism
Activism against US interference and interventionism is expressed through mass protests, demands for equality and freedom, and economic and labor organization. In Latin America, anti-systemic and anti-capitalist movements seek a better world, accepting plural ideologies but with a common goal of social transformation. Resistance also manifests itself in opposition to the expansion of US culture and values, seeking to affirm identities and cultural and economic sovereignty. It is also expressed against the economic and financial influence of multinational corporations, as this “influence” is seen as a modern form of imperialism, which is resisted through the promotion of the local economy and national sovereignty.
Opposition to US Neocolonialism Is Today’s International Resistance
International resistance to US imperialism today is a multifaceted phenomenon ranging from the political and economic opposition of certain states to the actions of social movements and activists at the global level. Anti-imperialist sentiment manifests itself as a political principle in the struggle against the intervention or influence of a global superpower, as well as in opposition to neocolonialism.
Social movements have taken direct action in international solidarity; through initiatives such as the “Sumud Flotilla,” which attempted to break the blockade of Gaza, these are examples of internationalist and anti-imperialist activism that seek to highlight and challenge US-backed policies on the international stage. Similarly, the international SOS in favor of the Venezuelan people and their legitimate and constitutional government is the creation of the International Brigades in Support of Venezuela (BIAV), to prevent the threat of military invasion and the consequent pillaging and plundering of this sister country by the US.
Several countries and geopolitical blocs are challenging US hegemony, mainly through independent foreign policies, alternative alliances, and resistance to economic sanctions.
Countries under US sanctions, such as Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and certain regions of Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk), are subject to US embargoes and restrictions, which is generating a phenomenon of global significance: the unity of the sanctioned and attacked countries, which is manifested by their governments through a strong policy of joint action on the diplomatic front.
Strategic Alliances Within Geopolitics
Strategic alliances are necessitated by the circumstances in which aggression occurs. Geopolitical rivalry with powers such as China and Russia implies strategic opposition to US global influence. There are discussions about forming new alliances or strengthening existing ones (such as BRICS) to counteract the hegemony of the dollar and Western influence.
Divergences Between the United States and Its Allies
Within traditional US alliances with allies such as NATO, there are divergences that have given rise to debates about reducing dependence on Washington for security and defense matters, as seen in discussions about aid to Ukraine. Countries such as France and Germany have shown dissent with specific US policies, such as the 2003 Iraq War.
Note
[1] The Monroe Doctrine, proclaimed by President James Monroe in 1823, is a principle of US foreign policy that warns European powers not to intervene or recolonize the Western Hemisphere, called America, considering it a sphere of US influence, under the slogan “America for Americans.” Initially seen as support for Latin American independence, it evolved with the Roosevelt Corollary (1904) to justify unilateral US intervention in Latin America to protect its interests, reversing its original meaning and legitimizing interventionism.