What did the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine assert?

The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine asserted that the United States had the right to intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability and order, particularly in cases where those nations were unable to maintain their own economic stability or were facing external influences that could lead to instability. This approach was built on the premise that constant instability in the region could lead to European intervention, which the United States aimed to prevent.

By asserting this right, the corollary justified U.S. intervention in the internal affairs of Latin American countries, effectively expanding the United States' role as a regional police power. Roosevelt believed that the U.S. had a responsibility to ensure that order and economic stability were maintained in Latin America, which was seen as integral to America's own security and interests.

The Corollary essentially modified the original Monroe Doctrine, which was primarily focused on preventing European powers from colonizing or interfering in the Americas, by implementing a more proactive approach where the U.S. would act directly to maintain stability in neighboring nations. Thus, the assertion of the Roosevelt Corollary reinforces the idea that the U.S. would take an active role in the region to prevent the economic disarray that could lead to larger geopolitical conflicts.