<P> Great Britain and the United States were rivals for influence in the newly independent sovereign nations . As a result of the successful revolutions which established so many new independent nations, United States President James Monroe and the Secretary of State John Quincy Adams drafted the Monroe Doctrine . It stated that the United States would not tolerate any European interference in the Western Hemisphere . This measure ostensibly was taken in order to safeguard the newfound liberties of these new countries, but it was also taken as a precautionary measure against the intrusion of European states . Since the United States was a newly founded nation, it lacked the capacity to prevent other European powers from interfering, for that the United States looked for Britain's help and support to execute the Monroe Doctrine into action . </P> <P> Great Britain's trade with Latin America greatly expanded during the revolutionary period, which until then was restricted due to Spanish mercantilist trade policies . British pressure was sufficient to prevent Spain from attempting any serious reassertion of its control over its lost colonies . </P> <P> Internal divisions also resulted in internecine wars . For example, Gran Colombia proved too fragile and the South American nation collapsed within ten years . Because many of the political strongmen of this period (caudillos), who came to power were from the military, a strong authoritarian streak marked many of the new governments . There were countless revolts, coup d'états and inter-state wars, which never allowed Latin America to become united . This was exacerbated by the fact that Latin America is a land of various and very diverse cultures that do not identify with, nor have a sense of unity, with one another . </P> <P> The Spanish Empire in America was reduced to three Caribbean islands: Cuba and Puerto Rico . Santo Domingo was under Spanish rule for some years before definitive independence was achieved . After three independence wars in Cuba, the 1898 Spanish--American War ended Spanish colonial rule . </P>

How did the french revolution affect independence movements in latin america