Agents of Propaganda: Congresspersons, Lobbyists, and Other Experts in US–Latin American Relations

The historiography has traditionally revolved around the tools the U.S. government has employed to shape Latin America, ranging from military interventions to CIA covert operations. This panel offers insights into how the latest methodologies have enlarged this perspective to consider other mechanisms of intervention. Panelists will cover how Huey Long exported his conflict with Standard Oil into Bolivia and Paraguay’s Chaco War, how various Latin American regimes employed the services of a New Orleans-based lawyer to lobby the U.S. legislature, and how the latest release of documents regarding the John F. Kennedy assassination expose the U.S. government’s propaganda efforts. The panel proves these congress members, lobbyists, and others were essential figures in shaping U.S.-Latin American relations.