The Caribbean Basin

There is likely no region in the world that has experienced more of interest, involvement, and intervention by the United States than what is often termed the Caribbean Basin. The countries that border the Caribbean Sea—Mexico, Central America, the many island nations, mini-states like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, and the countries on the northern fringe of the Caribbean like Colombia and Venezuela—have all been touched in some way by the United States. Taken as a geographic entity, the Caribbean Basin has been viewed by presidential administrations as our sphere of influence that must be protected from foreign threats and controlled to ensure political stability and economic opportunity. Today, this hotspot presents key challenges for American foreign policy in three main areas: homeland security, trade, and geopolitical competition.