2021-01-282016-01-010121-4705SCOPUS;2-s2.0-84974678870http://hdl.handle.net/10784/25001This paper offers an analysis of historical, political, economic, and social events on which US-Latin American relations have been based. Centered on a constructivist approach, I review the main stages for explaining the quality and intensity of the interaction between the actors under consideration. In addition, I contend that US-Latin American relations have been cyclical in nature, and that these cycles have in turn complicated the task of assessing the dynamic of the relationship over the long term. I argue that the US achieved economic and political control over Latin America from the Nineteenth century. Although the specific circumstances that governed US-Latin American relations changed throughout the Twentieth century, this basic condition of domination remained. The situation changed, however, at the beginning of the Twenty-First century, during which Washington effectively lost Latin America. Nonetheless, Washington and Latin America are currently experiencing a rapprochement. This paper explains this sequence in detail and opens new discussions. © 2016, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved.enghttps://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/0121-4705info:eu-repo/semantics/articleBarack ObamaConstructivismLatin AmericaWashington2021-01-28Vargas-Alzate, L.F.10.15446/anpol.v29n86.58040