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Revolutions, Repression, and Democratic Reform in Latin America

Revolutions, Repression, and Democratic Reform in Latin America. 1970s – Latin America overview Political violence Democratic governments overturned by the military The idea that the Cuban Communist govt. had survived U.S. attempts to overthrow it encouraged other revolutions

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Revolutions, Repression, and Democratic Reform in Latin America

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  1. Revolutions, Repression, and Democratic Reform in Latin America

  2. 1970s – Latin America overview • Political violence • Democratic governments overturned by the military • The idea that the Cuban Communist govt. had survived U.S. attempts to overthrow it encouraged other revolutions • The U.S. increased support for its allies in Latin America, determined to defeat communism

  3. Brazil • 1964 – the army overthrew the President • Suspended the constitution • Outlawed political parties • Exiled all opposition • Death Squads – detained, tortured and executed thousands of citizens • Promoted import substitution industrialization

  4. Chile • 1970 – Salvador Allende – new President • Socialist reforms to redistribute land from the wealthy to the peasants • Nationalized heavy industry and mining • Including American owned copper mines • Opposed by Richard Nixon

  5. Allende’s popularity

  6. Chilean coup d'état • Allende was overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet (supported by the U.S.) • Allende was killed in the Presidential palace • Thousands were killed. Many Allende supporters executed en mass in soccer stadiums • Pinochet stopped the socialist reforms • Encouraged foreign investment

  7. Pinochet ruled Chile for two decades

  8. Argentina’s “Dirty War” • 1974 - Isabel Martinez Peron became president upon the death of Juan Peron • Military seized power and suspended the constitution • Dirty War • Conservatives crush socialist opposition • Seven year war between the military and what it called terrorists • Over 9,000 Argentines died. Thousands go “missing”

  9. Disappearances

  10. Madres de la Plaza de Mayo

  11. Disappeared

  12. Nicaragua • 1979 – overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza by socialists • Sandinistas (FSLN) took power • Received political and financial support from Cuba • Command economy – nationalized property owned by the elites and U.S. companies

  13. The United States • President Jimmy Carter (1977-1980) • Stopped the flow of U.S. arms to some regions • Promised Panama sovereignty and control of the canal in 1999 • Tried, but failed to get along with the Sandinistas • Ronald Reagan • Wanted to undo the Nicaraguan Revolution and remove Sandinistas • Armed and trained counterrevolutionaries called Contras • Financed by both legal and illegal (from arms sold to Iran!) funds

  14. Iran-Contra Scandal • Nicaragua • U.S. sold arms to Iran (through Israel as intermediary) in exchange for the release of American and Israeli hostages in Lebanon. Those profits then funneled to Contras! • Contras were unable to defeat the Sandinistas • Sandinistas called for free elections in 1990 • They lost the election to middle-of-the-road Violeta Chamorro

  15. El Salvador • The FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) • Inspired by the Sandinistas • Organized an effective Guerilla force • The U.S. responded • Gave millions of dollars to the Salvadoran Army • Hard to continue after Salvadoran Death Squads killed Catholic Clergy and thousands of civilians • FMLN negotiated an end to the war after the U.S.S.R. fell and the Sandinistas lost power

  16. Military dictatorships of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile • Fell apart due to high number of noncombatant deaths and govt. corruption • Argentina • Military rule collapsed after Argentina tried to take the Falklands from the British and the U.S. supported the British in the Falkland Islands War 1982

  17. Chile • Despite economic growth, Chileans resented the violence and corruption of the military under Pinochet • 1989 – Chile elected a civilian President • Brazil • Began converting to civilian rule • 1989 – first popular presidential election

  18. Oil importers • Brazil and others • Had to borrow money to pay the high cost of oil • Oil exporters • Mexico and Venezuela • Made money at first, but borrowed money to increase production • When the price of oil fell in the 1980s, they could not repay their debts • Debt • By 1988, Latin America was $ 400 Billion in debt

  19. U.S. involvement continued • 1983 – President Reagan authorized a military invasion of Grenada • 1989 – President George H.W. Bush sent a military force to Panama to arrest Manuel Noriega who was associated with drug smuggling and attacks on U.S. personnel

  20. Latin American after the fall of the Soviet Union Milton Friedman University of Chicago economist • Neo-liberalism • Capitalism, free-market policies

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