“The US, not unsuccessfully, applied military force in a number of Caribbean and Central American countries from 1900 to 1934.”
Yes, and it continued into the 50s with the Dulles brothers and the CIA. We supported any despot as long as they would play ball with our bankers. We continue to see evidence of that “success” everyday, crossing our border by the millions.
Butler was right. It was a racket.
Seems to have little to do with the current situation which stems from the Mex government covertly encouraging mass self deportation for their citizens since the economy was stalling. Central America has been wrecked by a combination of attempted communist subversion, weak government (as in the early 20th century) and the shifting of narco trafficking from Columbia/Peru straight to the US to through Central America. One could only wish that pro-US regimes similar to Batista had been maintained by a little direct US force before the likes of Castro could get well entrenched.