At the core of Central and South American objection to U.S. imperialism is a simple but powerful belief, the U.S. does not respect our rights. Anytime they forget that the U.S. is quick to remind them it’s true.

Today the U.S. likes to define the Cuban Revolution of 1957-1959 as Communist both in its current governance but also in its origins. In fact it was an agrarian uprising against urban corruption and foreign interference by the U.S. But U.S. demand for dominance over Cuban affairs was well over a century old when Fidel Castro formed his July 26 movement in 1953.

Yes after the revolution of 1957-1959 the Cubans embraced communism. Technically Cuba remains a communist country today. But the U.S. predilection for ignoring Cuba’s sovereignty and dominating its affairs didn’t begin today, it began before Karl Marx was born.

What South or Central America country has not felt the effects, often severe of U.S. interference in their right to home rule. What country would that be? What country among them today welcomes the attention of the “yanquis?” as Americans are referred to in countries to the south of its borders.

It’s always interesting to listen to right-leaning politicians in the U.S. warn of the dangers of street gangs like MS-13. Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) was started by the children of Salvadorian refugees fleeing the brutal civil war and often violent oppression by the U.S. backed right-wing government of President and death squad leader Roberto D’Aubuisson.

The Salvadorian civil war, like the cuban campaign little more than two decades earlier was a conflict between rural farmers who felt exploited and oppressed and urban elites backed by well equipped militarized forces. The Regan administration predictably framed it as a fight against … communism. One of the unintended consequences of U.S. policy in El Salvador was the importation of what would become MS-13.

Why did Trump take America to war with Iran? The short answer is Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have convinced him that it was a good idea. Reports now surface that the Trump Justice Department has indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Why Cuba, why Castro, why now? This seems to be a very important thing to Marco Rubio who is reportedly nudging Trump towards action against Cuba. The indictment comes on May 20th, which for Trump administration officials apparently carries great significance. This from the New York Times:

”On May 20, 1902, the U.S. formally ended its military occupation of Cuba, which it had maintained in the years after a rout of Spanish colonial forces by a combination of U.S. troops and Cuban guerrillas who had been fighting an independence war for three decades. While other Spanish colonies like Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines became U.S. possessions, Cuba was granted independence.”

Key take away, in the view of this administration and many American conservatives over the years Cuba should never have beed granted autonomy in 1902 and now the time has come to correct that error, or so they believe.

Trump appears to be so busy starting wars that he’s forgotten all about demanding a Nobel Peace Prize for his trophy collection. It bears noting that a Senate resolution to force an end to U.S. involvement in the war in Iran has now passed as LA Senator Bill Cassidy who Trump sought to humiliate changed his vote from the deciding vote against, to the deciding vote for.

In opposition to yet another war don’t fall into the old anti-Communism trap. The issue is sovereignty and home rule for Cuba, all of Central and South America and all nations writ large. The rules based order itself.