WI Latin America intervens in the Spanish-Cuban war?

The Cuban war of independence started in 1895, but the US didn't intervene till 1898.

What if some Latin American countries like Mexico, Colombia or Venezuela (or even Argentina or Chile) had intervened in 1895 against Spain and in favour of the revolutionaries? Could this have lead to a victory of the revolutionaries before Americans have an occassion to intervene? Apparently, this was what José Martí wanted, as he wanted independence from Spain, but feared an US anexation.
 
Well, Spain had concerns about a mexican intervention, but spanish diplomacy managed to get a mexican compromise for neutrality. To be fair, Porfirio Díaz's own concerns about the future of the Caribbean and the northern neighbour, plus his politic of good relations with the european nations (or better said, european investors, among them some spaniards) were more important than the ability of spanish diplomats.

But leaving that aside, I don't know what level help the latin american countries could have given to the cuban rebels. I mean, doubtless money and some supplies could be sent to Cuba, but I don't know about an intervention as the american one. Furthermore, I don't know if it was on the interests of most latin american countries to deteriorate the reborning relations with Spain for not much a gain. And even if they intervene successfully I'm afraid that it would have been served only to do the dirty work for the USA, whose interest in the Caribbean was not new and wouldn't disappear in this scenario.

Cheers.
 

maverick

Banned
There's ideological and geo-political considerations to take into account.

For once, weren't the Cuban Revolutionaries Liberal as opposed to the Conservative Governments in place throughout Latin America?

But that's only a small concern, to be honest.

The other is the actual capabilities of the nations involved. Everyone is dealing with the Long Depression, the 1890 Economic Crisis and some are actually recovering or going through civil wars.

Colombia was on the verge of yet another civil war between Conservatives and Liberals; 1895 saw a 60 day civil war between Liberals and Conservatives, small prelude to the war of 1899;

Argentina and Chile are locked in a Naval Arms Race that is giving them bigger fleets, but draining money; Both are too paranoid about the other to cooperate, not to mention Chile just had a civil war in 1890, and Argentina another one in 1893 and was very much politically and economically unstable;

Brazil is the red-headed stepchild of the continent, and won't help the other Latinos any more than the Spaniards would help her;


That leaves Mexico and other countries that might be better off by not rocking the boat and changing the status quo.

So, I guess the best bet is to get Mexico to change its position and have an informal alliance of Latin American Governments send money, weapons and volunteers, perhaps issue joint statements through their foreign ministries, and issue formal complaints, etc.

Intervention US style just needs too much cooperation.

Now, perhaps if this happened when Bolivar was alive...
 
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