Theodore Roosevelt expanded on this principle and introduced the Roosevelt Corollary in 1904. This addition to the Monroe Doctrine stated that the United States had the right to intervene in Latin America to protect American interests and maintain regional stability.
Under the Roosevelt Corollary, the United States assumed the responsibility of acting as an international police force in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt believed that the United States had a duty to prevent chaos and disorder in Latin America and to ensure that no other power could gain control over the region.
This policy allowed the United States to justify military interventions and diplomatic actions in Latin America. For instance, Roosevelt used the Roosevelt Corollary as justification for interventions in countries like Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. These interventions were aimed at protecting American economic and political interests and preventing European influence in the region.
The Roosevelt Corollary marked a significant shift in American foreign policy and established a more interventionist approach in the Western Hemisphere. It reflected Theodore Roosevelt's belief in American exceptionalism and the duty of the United States to shape international affairs.