UNILATERAL SANCTIONS OF THE USA - Trade and socio-economic impacts on Cuba and Venezuela: an analysis of their implications under International Law

uma análise de suas implicações à luz do Direito Internacional

Abstract

The consolidation of the United States as a power in the 19th century led to the formulation of strategies aimed at expanding its influence in the Americas, especially through the Monroe Doctrine. Although initially aimed at containing European colonial powers, this doctrine was progressively instrumentalized to justify interventions and impose geostrategic interests of the US in Latin America. Among the adopted mechanisms are unilateral sanctions, often applied without the backing of the Security Council of the UN. These measures have been widely criticized for violating the principles of state sovereignty and non-intervention, pillars of international law. This article analyzes the legal and socio-economic impact of these sanctions, focusing on the cases of Cuba and Venezuela, revealing how such actions aggravate internal crises and deepen inequalities. From the analysis of international precedents and the work of institutions such as the International Court of Justice, the aim is to understand the legal limits of these sanctions and discuss the urgent need for more effective multilateral mechanisms to prevent that the use of economic force becomes an instrument of political domination. The conclusion is that the application of sanctions against the studied countries is possible thanks to the strong bureaucratic apparatus of the US, which acts unimpeded by the limitations of international courts in protecting rights and applying jurisdiction, and that there are no effective coercive tools against superpowers.