In December 1823, U.S. president James Monroe delivered his State of the Union address in which he coined what would become known as the Monroe Doctrine. It was a framework that would later be used to legitimize U.S. intervention up and down the hemisphere.
But in those early days, Monroe’s statements were applauded by Latin American leaders as supporting their independence struggles. They were even embraced at Simón Bolívar’s Panama Congress of 1826.
In this episode, host Michael Fox travels to see what’s left of the former site of the Panama Congress, and then dives in to the past and present with Yale historian Greg Grandin.
They look at Simón Bolívar’s Panama Congress. But also Monroe and the legacy of U.S. imperialism in the region up until today, including U.S.-backed death squads, the Iran Contra scandal, Manifest Destiny, and so much more.
Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.
In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.
Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.
This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.
You can see pictures of the Simón Bolívar monument, in Panama City, here.
Follow and support Michael Fox and Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox
You can follow historian Greg Grandin on Twitter here.
Below are links to Greg Grandin's books mentioned in the episode:
- The Blood of Guatemala: A History of Race and Nation (2000, Duke University Press Books)
- Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Making of an Imperial Republic (Holt, 2006)
- The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America in the Cold War (2011, The University of Chicago)
- Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman (2016, MacMillan)
You can find more of Greg’s books here.
Theme music by Monte Perdido. Monte Perdido’s new album Ofrenda is out now. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, or wherever you listen to music.
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.
