Bangladesh, Jan. 6 -- Latin Americas history is often flattened in Western narratives into a repetitive cycle of corruption, instability, and underdevelopment. This framing is not accidental. It strips the region of political agency and obscures the central truth that has shaped its past and present: Latin Americas modern history is, above all, a history of resistance against empire. It is the story of societies repeatedly forced to choose between sovereignty and submission, dignity and dependency. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduros fate, whatever ones view of his leadership, belongs squarely within this long and unresolved struggle.

From the outset of colonial rule, Latin America was structured not as a collection of societies me...