Is there a Monroe Doctrine anymore? If so, why are China, Russia, and Iran operating in South and Central America?
| Claim | Result | Source Reference | Source Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Monroe Doctrine is still in effect. | rejected | https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2017/0205/Is-Trump-resurrecting-the-Monroe-Doctrine | The Monroe Doctrine, first articulated in 1823 as a means of blocking external interference in the Western Hemisphere, was the central pillar of US policy toward Latin America until Barack Obama’s secretary of State, John Kerry, told a roomful of Latin American diplomats in 2013 that “the era of the Monroe Doctrine is over.” |
| The Monroe Doctrine is still in effect. | rejected | https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/13/world/a-revival-in-washington-for-the-monroe-doctrine.html | But United States officials have avoided public reliance on the Monroe Doctrine since the early 1950's for fear of offending Latin Americans, who view the doctrine as a pretext for United States imperialism and intervention in their affairs. |
| China, Russia, and Iran are operating in South and Central America. | verified | https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2010/0423/Iran-Russia-China-beat-a-path-to-Latin-America-s-door | Meanwhile, Mr. Medvedev's visit to Argentina to discuss deals on nuclear energy, space, and transportation, among other things, came as Russia boosts arms sales to Venezuela and others in the region. Earlier this month, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was in Venezuela to discuss a series of deals that could top $5 billion. And as Russia and China compete over markets, Iran's Mr. Ahmadinejad is finding a welcome platform in several countries in Latin America. His friendship with Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will visit Tehran in May, is particularly important to Ahmadinejad since the South American giant supports Iran's nuclear program. |
| China, Russia, and Iran are operating in South and Central America. | rejected | https://ca.news.yahoo.com/china-iran-russia-hold-joint-144305477.html | Neither China nor Russia actively patrol the wider Middle East, whose waterways remain crucial for global energy supplies. Instead they broadly cede that to Western nations largely led by the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet. |
🤖 Conclusion [90/100]: Based on the provided claims and sources, the Monroe Doctrine as a formal policy is no longer in effect, as stated by both official US declarations (notably John Kerry in 2013) and the general avoidance by US officials of invoking the doctrine since the mid-20th century to avoid offending Latin American countries. Therefore, the first part of the statement suggesting a current Monroe Doctrine is misleading.
However, multiple reputable sources (like CS Monitor, 2010) verify that China, Russia, and Iran are indeed operating—through diplomatic, economic, and even limited military means—in South and Central America. The only refutation of this concerns the Middle East, not Latin America, and thus does not contradict this.
Taking these points together, the statement's implicit question is grounded in fact: There is no longer a binding Monroe Doctrine to prevent foreign powers (e.g., China, Russia, Iran) from entering Latin America, which explains their current presence there. The only inaccuracy is any suggestion the Monroe Doctrine is still current. Overall, I rate the statement as 90/100 for truthfulness.