Latin America
Our neighbor
to the
South
Long Term Colonization
Latin America was colonized by Spain andPortugal about five hundred years ago.
Most of it became independent by revolution 150-200 years years ago
This colonization has had lasting effects:
•Strong Ethnicity based socio-economic classes
–Mostly European upper class
–Mixed middle and lower classes
–Native American class
•Concentration of money and land in the handsof the uppermost class
•An economy based on export…profits oftenflowing out of the country
Dictatorships
After independence most Latin American countrieswrote constitutions based on that of the US.
However they lacked either a tradition ofdemocratic government or a large educatedmiddle class.
The Upper class and Foreign interests (mostly US)corrupted the governments, bribery is common,
and made most became dictatorships.
The Cold war made matters worse as the USbacked the dictators rather than reformers withties to communism
and socialist policies such as land reform.
Drug War
The use of Drugs by people in the US and their illegal statushas caused problems in Latin American Nations such as :Mexico, Columbia & Peru.
The US had a demand and a drug trade developed to meetit…causing problems:
•Weak governments allowed Drug Lords to establish areaswhere they rule over drug growing “peasants.”
•Worse Government Corruption as Drug lords bribe officials
•Wasted Resources
–Production… land and $ could have been used better
–Governments… spend $ and manpower fighting Druglords
•Violence ….Since the Trade is illegal disputes cannot besettled in courts thus Drug Lords take “Justice” into theirown hands.
Socialist Movements
As the Gap between the Rich and Poor is at the root ofmany problem in Latin America
Many Reform movements if not communist have hadsocialist ideas such as:
•Land reform…giving “peasants’ the ownership ofthe lands they work
•Nationalization of corporations. The Gov. tookcontrol of companies and their resources
•Income Redistribution “Robin-hood” Gov.
Venezuela is an example…
Its Former leader Hugo Chavez has done all threereforms and been very critical of the US.
The Last Truly Communist Country
In 1959 Fidel Castro and Che Guevara led a successfulcommunist revolution in Cuba
Fidel ruled Cuba and Che promoted revolution elsewhere
Officially China and North Korea are communist
but China has made Capitalist Reforms and North Korea istotalitarian
Leaving Cuba last true communist state
The US has an embargo it and though relations have becomebetter recently
It supports communist and socialist movements in othercountries such as Venezuela