Trump’s piracy in the Caribbean

On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced from the Oval Office that the U.S. Navy had carried out an air strike on a boat in international waters. That boat strike rewrote U.S. policy for Latin America overnight. Three months later, 26 boats have been hit, killing more than 90 people.<br /><br />The United States has codified its justification for the boat strikes as part of a new National Security Strategy, published in early December 2025. In the National Security Strategy, Trump announced a new Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which he hopes can propel the United States and the U.S. military to preeminence in the hemisphere. Trump clearly feels he has carte blanche to take whatever measure he deems necessary without regard for international law, the sovereignty of other nations, or people’s lives. This reinvisioning of U.S. policy for Latin AmericaIt has disastrous implications for the region. More missile strikes. Loss of innocent lives. And even wrapping the United States into war close to home.<br /><br /><a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Under the Shadow</a> is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. Season 2 will respond in real time to the Trump Administration’s onslaught in Latin America. We begin today, where we started in the last episode of <a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Season 1</a>… in Panama.<b><br /></b><b></b><br />Hosted by Latin America-based journalist <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Michael Fox</a>. Edited by <a href="https://x.com/HeatherGies" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Heather Gies</a>.<br /><br />This podcast is produced in partnership between <a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Real News Network</a> and <a href="https://nacla.org/under-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NACLA</a>.<br /><br />Theme music by <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0nexDyQCZI89JH8zsYu5wa" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Monte Perdido</a> and Michael Fox. Monte Perdido's new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1THq4wHHqkY8yydUMJRmWj" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.deezer.com/pt/album/587476202" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Deezer</a>, <a href="https://music.apple.com/za/album/ofrenda/1746696244" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Apple Music</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n1lCcdFJEQczm-VSiraOuUpGcbzLxnRXs" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube</a> or wherever you listen to music. Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.<br /><b><br />Resources: Under the Shadow</b><br /><ul><li><a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">You can check out the first season of Under the Shadow by clicking here</a></li><li><a href="https://therealnews.com/the-beginning-monroe-and-migration-under-the-shadow-episode-1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">THE BEGINNING: MONROE AND MIGRATION | UNDER THE SHADOW, EPISODE 1</a></li><li><a href="https://therealnews.com/panama-us-invasion-under-the-shadow-episode-13" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">PANAMA. US INVASION. | UNDER THE SHADOW, EPISODE 13</a></li><li><a href="https://therealnews.com/he-legacy-of-monroe-under-the-shadow-bonus-episode-4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">THE LEGACY OF MONROE | UNDER THE SHADOW, BONUS EPISODE 4 </a></li><li>Michael Fox’s recent reporting on the boat strikes and the ramp-up for war in Venezuela: <ul><li><a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/world/venezuela-trump-air-strike-monroe-doctrine/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">With the Strike on a “Drug-Carrying Boat,” Trump Returns to a Dangerous US Policy for Latin America</a></li><li><a href="https://truthout.org/articles/caribbean-leaders-call-for-unified-latin-american-resistance-to-us-attacks/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Caribbean Leaders Call for Unified Latin American Resistance to US Attacks</a></li><li><a href="https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-monroe-doctrine-2-0-outlines-imperial-intentions-for-latin-america/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Trump’s Monroe Doctrine 2.0 Outlines Imperial Intentions for Latin America</a></li></ul></li></ul><b><br />Other Resources</b><br /><ul><li><a href="https://www.dukeupress.edu/emperors-in-the-jungle" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama</a> (Duke, 2003), is John Lindsay Poland’s expose on the U.S. military involvement in Panama.</li><li>You can watch the documentary, The Panama Deception, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?467566-1/the-panama-deception" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>. </li><li><a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2025/11/25/venezuela" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">This is a link</a> to Democracy Now! coverage of the U.S. push toward war on Venezuela.</li></ul><br /><b>Support Under the Shadow</b><br /><ul><li>You can see pictures of host Michael Fox’s reporting in Panama City, <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/remembering-u-s-111401415" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>You can check out Michael’s <a href="https://therealnews.com/holding-us-accountable-1989-invasion-panama" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">latest episode of Stories of Resistance</a> about the annual protests demanding justice for the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama.</li><li>You can also listen to his new podcast, Panamerican Dispatch on his <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Patreon page</a>. There, you can follow and support him and Under the Shadow: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/mfox</a></li></ul><br /><br />Become a supporter of this podcast: <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=rss">https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.</a><br /><b></b><br /><b>Follow us on:</b><br /><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/therealnews.com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bluesky: @therealnews.com</a><b><br /></b><a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Facebook: The Real News Network</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Twitter: @TheRealNews</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube: @therealnews</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/therealnewsnetwork/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork</a><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b></b></a><br /><b></b><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!</b></a>