LATIN AMERICA

1
LATIN AMERICA

• REVOLUTION
• REACTION
• INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

2
INTRODUCTION

• The arrest in 1998 in London of former Chilean
  dictator Augusto Pinochet raised questions about
  whether Latin America needed to seek justice of
  the abuses of the 20th century or move ahead.
• Latin American countries in the 20th century have
  been part of the developing world, though their
  Western political and social structures as well
  as recent achievements set them apart from Asia
  and Africa.
• Since 1945, Latin America has dealt with
  struggles over economic development, social
  justice, and the rise of new social groups.
  Despite broad shifts in politics and the economy,
  the region remained remarkably unchanged.

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LATIN AMERICA 1914 1940s

• Latin America Changes
• World War I Led to upsurge in exports,
  development of industries
• 1920s 1940s Depression and war hurt local
  economies
• US initiates Good Neighbor Policy to try to
  improve US-Latin relations
• Organization of American States formed to support
  regions neutrality in early war
• Some sympathy for fascists in Argentina, Brazil
  some states entered World War II
• Mexico After the Revolution
• Liberal constitution of 1917 guaranteed land and
  liberty to Mexico
• Land redistributed to peasants, nationalization
  of oil
• Conservative governments dominated by
  Institutional Revolutionary Party
• ABC Powers
• Three nations emerged as major players Brazil,
  Chile, Argentina
• Their economies were very solidly export oriented
• Economic Development fueled social progress
  within these states
• Brazil joined the Allies in World War I but other
  two stayed neutral
• Patterns of economic dependence in Latin America
• Need to reorient economies from export to
  internal development
• Much of Latin America exported raw minerals, food
  stuffs, oil to Western World
• Need to develop domestic industry, consumer
  industries rather than import

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ARGENTINA CHILE

• Argentina
• 1916 - 1930
• In 1916 Radicals won presidency but Conservatives
  controlled Parliament
• Radicals sought to expand electorate, democracy,
  benefit middle class
• Reforms favored labor, industry, commerce,
  students
• Stayed neutral in World War I
• Problem was the rise of anarchist, communist and
  fascist organizations
• The Infamous 1930s
• Had 4th highest per capita GDP in 1928 but
  Depression crippled Argentinan foreign trade
• Military staged a coup in 1930 bringing with it
  electoral fraud, corruption, persecutions
• Clashes between fascists, socialists/communists,
  unions and management became common
• Military Coup of 1943 by junior officers to avoid
  joining Allies in war
• Chile
• Parliamentary republic dominated until 1925
  Congress overshadowed President
• Quarrel-prone system that merely distributed
  spoils
• Clung to its laissez-faire policy while national
  problems mounted
• A reform movement began to clamor for social
  reform, democratization
• Military staged coup to avoid more radical
  reforms
• Began to appoint presidents but many massacres
  and clashes with leftists, unions occured

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LATIN AMERICA FROM THE 1940s
Order and Progress

• The 1940s
• Substantial political demand for reform in much
  of Latin America
• Democratic governments carried out reforms in
  Venezuela, Costa Rica
• Others turned to models of Marxist revolution
• Political democratization, economic development,
  social reforms failed
• More radical solutions to ongoing problems were
  sought
• Governments that moved too swiftly met by
  resistance from the military
• Fascism seemed a blend of social reform,
  industry, army, nationalism
• Brazil and Argentina were the best examples
• Argentina 1943 1953
• Military coup by colonels produced a ruling junta
  in 1943
• Junior Officers not enthusiastic about elite
  support of Allies in World War II
• Junior Officers were more pro-German,
  proto-fascists
• Junta came to be dominated by Juan Peron, who
  became president in 1946
• Censored press but expanded participation in
  unions, spending on social problems
• Followed isolationist foreign policy and
  attempted limit others economic influence
• Influential wife Evita helped him become the
  darling of the shirtless workers
• Brazil 1930 1954
• Old Republic dominated by wealthy landed elite,
  export industries lasted until 1930

President Vargas
Industrial Growth
6
MEXICOS POLITICAL PATHS IN THE 20TH CENTURY

• Mexico After the Revolution
• Revolutionary fervor absorbed by the ruling elite
  but reforms selective
• President was limited to a six year term
  constant tension between factions of the elite
• Previous president Calles monopolized power even
  after presidency
• Created National Revolutionary Party so he could
  control nation, elections
• This was the predecessor to the Institutionalized
  Revolutionary Party (PRI)
• Calles flirted with fascism and became
  increasingly anti-reform, anti-leftist
• Rise of Cardenas
• Originally selected to be president but Cardenas
  became more popular, powerful
• Removed Calles people from influence, power
• Enacted sweeping reforms
• Nationalized the oil industry largely owned by
  the USA
• Gave land to the Indians, poor farmers
• The Institutionalized Revolutionary Party (PRI)
• Pattern for Politics until 1995
• Allied the Mexican state to moneyed interests
  exceedingly corrupt
• Allied wealthy industrialists with rising urban
  middle class interests
• Moved the PRI to the right stole much of PANs
  political ideology
• Wooed foreign capital negotiated a massive loan
  from the United States

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THE MEXICAN MIRACLE

• First 4 decades of PRI
• Dubbed the "Mexican Miracle
• Period of economic growth
• Substitution of imports and low inflation
• Growth spurred by national development plans
• Followed the 5 Year Plans of the Soviet Union
• Provided for major investment on infrastructure.
• From 1940 to 1970 GDP increased six-fold
• Population only doubled
• The peso-dollar parity was maintained.
• Mexico went from a largely rural economy to an
  industrial society
• Oil production surged
• PEMEX Mexico nationalized oil industry in 1938
• World War II and 1970s Oil Crisis benefited
  Mexico
• Production and export fueled growth
• Allowed government to support social programs,
  infrastructure

8
THE END OF HEGEMONY

• The PRI Loses Its Monopoly On Power
• Accused many times of blatant fraud
• In 1980s the PRI lost the first state
  governorship
• The event that marked the beginning of the
  party's loss of hegemony
• Troubles Begin
• Mexico faced an economic crisis due to oil glut,
  debts
• Public demonstrations in Mexico City
• Constant military presence after Zapatista
  rebellion in Chiapas
• Political and electoral reforms that reduced the
  PRI's hold on power.
• 1988 election
• Strongly disputed and arguably lost by the
  government party
• IFE (Instituto Federal Electoral  Federal
  Electoral Institute) created in the early 1990s
• Run by ordinary citizens, overseeing that
  elections are conducted legally and fairly
• President Vicente Fox Quesada
• Popular discontent allowed the National Action
  Party (PAN) Vicente Fox Quesada to win in 2000
• Did not win a majority in the Chambers of
  Congress
• This election ended 71 years of PRI hegemony of
  the presidency
• President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa
• Felipe Calderón Hinojosa also a member of the
  conservative National Action Party (PAN)

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THE UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA

• The American Empire
• Until the 1890s, the Monroe Doctrine was
  maintained more by British interest than US power
• US threatened to intervene in Mexico against the
  French in 1867
• The United States remained the greatest external
  force in Latin America
• After 1898, US annexed Puerto Rico, turned Cuba
  into a protectorate
• In 1904, staged Panamanian revolution in order to
  build canal across the Isthmus
• American Interventions More than 30 before 1933
• The US invested heavily, loaned billions in
  Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean
• The USA intervened whenever it believed its
  interests to be threatened often called Dollar
  Diplomacy
• In Central America, investment by U.S.
  corporations was so high that intervention was
  common
• Anyone attempt to nationalize resources, opposed
  intervention branded Communists or bandits
• In Nicaragua Augusto Sandino led resistance to
  U.S. influence until his assassination in 1934
• Intervention often followed by establishment of
  puppet governments referred to as Banana
  Republics
• American intervention helped to spread
  nationalist movements in Central America
• 1930s Changes
• United States introduced the Good Neighbor
  Policy, worked with Latin America on common
  interests
• Formed Organization of American States as an
  alliance to resist Nazi aggression in World War
  II
• 1960s Changes
• Intervention was renewed after World War II on
  the pretext of containing communism.

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THE US IMAGE IN LATIN AMERICA
11
GUATEMALA REFORMAND U.S. INTERVENTION
Diego Rivera Paints the Overthrow of Arbenz

• The first nation to attempt more radical reforms
  was Guatemala
• In 1944, President Juan José Arevalo instituted a
  new constitution
• Initiated land reform
• Instituted civil rights for laborers
• To fund reforms, education system, Arevalo
  imposed an income tax
• Attempted to nationalize economic resources
• Brought Arevalo's government into conflict with
  the United Fruit Co.
• This American corporation owned most bananas,
  fruit areas of region
• Program of nationalization continued under
  Arbenz, elected in 1951
• American Intervention
• Arbenzs program becomes more radical
• The United States imposed economic and diplomatic
  sanctions
• In 1954, a CIA-assisted military coup unseated
  Arbenz
• Pro-American military revoked many of reforms
• A guerrilla movement emerged in Guatemala.

12
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION

• The 1940s and 1950s
• Since 1906 Platt Amendment, Cuba was largely a US
  protectorate
• Cuba was economically more advanced than
  Guatemala
• Dependent on an export economy closely tied to
  the markets of the United States
• Differences between wealthy urban, impoverished
  rural economy provoked political dissent
• Fulgencio Batista
• Had ruled Cuba between 1934 and 1944
• He had proposed reforms, including a democratic
  constitution
• When he returned to power in 1952, he was less
  interested in reform than in maintaining power
• Fidel Castro
• Young idealistic leader of opposition to Batista
• In 1953, a rebellion under Fidel Castro failed
• When released from prison, Castro fled to Mexico,
  where he reorganized resistance to Batista
• In 1956, Castro and his supporters invaded Cuba
• After two years of guerrilla resistance, they
  successfully ousted the Batista government
• Socialist Cuba
• Castro proclaimed a Marxist state complete with
  centralized economic planning
• All economic resources were nationalized
• When the US severed ties in 1961, Cuba became
  increasingly dependent on the USSR

13
THE SEARCH FOR REFORM AND THE MILITARY OPTION

• Revolutions often left underlying social,
  economic problems unchanged
• In the decades of the 1950s and 1960s
• Military governments became prevalent in Latin
  America
• Search for political stability led to
  single-party rule (Mexico)
• Rise of Christian Democratic parties (Chile and
  Venezuela)
• Increasing roles for the Roman Catholic Church
• Active intervention of the Church in the search
  for social justice
• Some priests blended theology, Marxism to create
  liberation theology
• Army officers believed they could best resolve
  problems of political instability
• Concerned about the Cuban revolution, the
  military seized control of governments
• Military coups, often with compliance of the
  United States, overthrew governments
• Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966), Chile (1973),
  Uruguay (1973), and Peru (1968)
• Military Governments
• Supposed to be above political partisanship,
  produce economic stability
• Often consisted of presidencies assisted by
  organized bureaucracies
• Were often brutally repressive people
  disappeared, were tortured and murdered
• Sought to crush labor movements, develop new
  industry, promote building of infrastructure
• Social problems were scarcely addressed
• All military regimes were nationalistic

14
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC TREND

• In the 1980s
• Military began to restore civilian governments in
  the 1980s
• In Peru
• Corruption led to the removal of President
  Fujimoro and rise of leftist opposition
• Maoist Inca guerrillas called the Shining Path
  continued to oppose democratization
• In Nicaragua
• 1990 elections produced a democratic government
  under Violeta Chamorro
• But the revolutionary Sandinista party continued
  to exist
• In Panama
• President Carter had returned the Canal to Panama
  but US would protect it
• General Noriega cooperated with the Colombian
  Drug Cartels as its banker
• The US intervened to end the military rule of
  Manuel Noriega in Panama
• In Chile
• The military intended to return democracy after a
  period of transition
• A plebiscite did not go the way Pinochet had
  wanted the populace refused him a second term
• Chile eased its way back to democracy over a ten
  year period as all parties cooperated
• Transition may have been helped by Pope John Paul
  IIs criticism of Chile as a dictatorship
• Economic stability in Latin America continued to
  be a major problem
• Foreign debt countries borrowed heavily to
  finance reforms

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SOCIETIES IN SEARCH OF CHANGE WOMEN

• Social conditions and problems
• Changed only slowly, but reforms did occur
• Population distribution, growing urbanization
• Problems relating to ethnicity, gender continue
  to exist
• Slow Change in Women's Roles
• Gender equality was a goal more than a reality in
  Latin America
• In most nations, women did not receive the right
  to vote until the 1940s and 1950s
• Males excluded women from political life
• Feared their associations with organized religion
  would make them conservative
• In response
• Women formed organizations and suffrage
  associations that slowly resulted in
  enfranchisement
• Once admitted to political parties, women found
  that they were excluded from real influence
• Only in Argentina, Chile, and Nicaragua did women
  play critical roles
• Just before World War I women began to enter the
  industrial labor force
• They worked for lower wages than their male
  counterparts
• Women tended to join anarchist, socialist, other
  labor groups as part of the unskilled labor force
• In service sectors, some market economies, women
  have risen to positions of prominence
• More significant economic roles did not imply
  greater social status
• By 1990s

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SOCIETIES IN SEARCH OF CHANGE MIGRATION

• After 1950
• Population of Latin America rapidly outstripped
  that of North America
• Internal migration from countryside to cities
• Countryside offered little or no work, little
  hope for advancement
• Only available jobs in cities
• Primate Cities
• One city dominates nation, has an enormous
  portion of national population
• Buenos Aires, Bogota, Mexico City, Sao Paulo,
  Montevideo, Caracas, Lima
• By the 1980s, about one half of the population
  was urbanized
• Urban economies have been unable to absorb the
  influx from countryside
• Massive slums
• Competition between urban workers, rural migrants
  created tensions
• Immigration
• Lack of job opportunities in countries, political
  repression led to immigration
• Migration from Mexico, Central America to the
  United States is often illegal
• Similar to movement of workers from
  Mediterranean, Africa to W. Europe
• Has led to strained relations between US and
  region

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IMMIGRATION MEANS MONEY

• Jobs for illegal immigrants from Latin America
  working in the US are a source of money for local
  economies
• Any curtailment of cash from the USA would hurt
  local economies.

18
MAPPING LATIN AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHY
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CULTURAL REFLECTIONS OF DISPAIR AND HOPE

• Latin Americas Changing Religious Scene
• Region remains predominantly Catholic
• Largest Catholic region in the world
• About 1/3 of all Catholics in the world are in
  Latin America
• Rise of Pentecostal Christianity
• Catholic clergy often associated with ruling
  hierarchy
• Catholicism often very traditional, favored
  traditional approaches
• Many urban professionals educated in US attracted
  to Pentecostalism
• Guatemala and Brazil have seen a massive switch
  to Protestantism
• The Disparities between rich and poor
• The elite in Latin America own an enormous
  portion of most nations wealth
• Elite interests, culture dominates countries out
  of all proportion to numbers, elections
• Regional Cultures with admixtures of African and
  Indian cultures
• Avoid the term Hispanic it is an American
  politically correct term only
• Dominate elite culture is urban, educated,
  largely Caucasian or Mestizo
• African, Indian cultures marginalized except
  perhaps for Brazil
• Latin America has produced many world-famous
  authors, poets, and artists
• Indigenous cultures, plight of poor are common
  themes in art and literature
• Repelled by failure of reform, continuation of
  social and economic problems

20
LORENZ CURVEA Graphic Representation of Wealth
Distribution The closer the number to one means
a small percentage of the populace owns a great
deal of the wealth
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THE DRUG TRADE

• Drug Production
• Major Fields Colombia, Bolivia
• Refined Colombia, Bolivia, Peru
• The Issue
• A cash crop for poor Indians
• Very little else as income available
• The Cartels and Politics
• Colombia has fought trade bitterly
• Bolivia often cooperates with dealers
• Peruvian, Colombian guerillas benefit
• Mexico wracked by civil violence
• Venezuela, Cuba involved with traffic
• Reality
• Production in South America
• Now controlled by Mexican cartels
• Many states launder money, help
• US Intervention in Region
• Often tied to fighting drug trade
• One reason US tolerates generals