In light of recent events in Venezuela, the United States’ role in shaping Latin America’s political landscape has once again become a topic of urgent discussion.
To contribute to this conversation, we are highlighting four key documentaries from our catalog that provide critical insight into historical U.S. involvement in Cuba, Panama, Brazil, and Chile, and reflect on how these geopolitical strategies remain relevant today.
We are making these films available to watch for FREE until February 15 through our screening room. We hope this selection will help audiences contextualize and engage critically with ongoing current events.
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 INVASION: A DIARY OF PANAMA’S U.S. INVASION / ABNER BENAIM / 94 MIN
★ PANAMA SELECTION FOR BEST FOREIGN FILM AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS®
As mentioned by The New York Times, the invasion of Panama is the closest precedent to the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, making Invasion: A Diary of Panama’s U.S. Invasion essential viewing to understand the current landscape.
Revisiting the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, this documentary explores how a nation remembers –or chooses to forget– a traumatic past marked by foreign intervention and civilian suffering. The film asks unanswered questions about U.S. motives: whether the invasion brought democracy or destruction, and whether Noriega was a villain, a victim, or both.
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 A HISTORY OF AN ASSIGNMENT / VLADIMIR NEPEVNY / 52 MIN
A fascinating peek into the negotiations between the USSR, the U.S., and Cuba to prevent the imminent nuclear crisis of 1979 during the Cold War. In the wake of recent ultimatums to Cuba, this documentary showcases how Cold War patterns of intervention and coercion continue to resonate in Latin America’s current geopolitical landscape.
“This film is a historian’s delight. This is positively required viewing for anyone engaged by the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.” – Michael J. Coffta, Business Librarian, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, EMRO
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 THE DAY THAT LASTED 21 YEARS / CAMILO TAVARES / 77 MIN
A journalistic look at how and why the United States supported a conspiracy to overthrow the Brazilian elected President Joao Goulart in 1964, resulting in a dictatorship that would last more than two decades. This documentary challenges viewers to consider whether interventions carried out in the name of “stability” and “democracy” may lead to long-term authoritarian rule instead.
“The film captivates and stimulates moral and ethical questions in the use of political and military power in international as well as domestic settings. (…) Perhaps this film may enlighten debate about this type of activity in the developing role of global terrorism that our society now finds itself confronting daily.” – Malcolm L. Rigsby, Department of Sociology, Human Services, & Criminal Justice, Henderson State University, EMRO
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 MAGNICIDES: SALVADOR ALLENDE / LUZ LÓPEZ MAÑÉ, INTI NIETO / 29 MIN
This episode contextualizes the rise and violent fall of Chile’s first democratically elected socialist president, Salvador Allende. Through reenactments and meta-commentary, the film explores how the United States worked to destabilize Allende’s government through economic coercion and covert operations, leading to the 1973 military coup.
Both Allende’s overthrow and Maduro’s recent capture underscore continuous debates in Latin America over national sovereignty and how foreign intervention can reshape domestic political landscapes.
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The screening room will remain free to access until February 15, 2026. Click here to enter, and when prompted, use the following credentials:
User: US Interventions LatAm
Password: US_Interventions_LatAm
If you’re interested in purchasing PPR and/or DSL licenses for any of these films, or in subscribing to the Pragda Complete Film Collection via Pragda STREAM, feel free to contact us to discuss the options.
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About PragdaPRAGDA is a cultural initiative that specializes in offering Latin American and Spanish films of educational interest to students, instructors, and librarians.
To learn more, visit https://stream.pragda.com and https://pragda.com.
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