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Revolutions, Repression, and Democratic Reform in Latin America1970s Latin America overviewPolitical violenceDemocratic governments overturned by the militaryThe idea that the Cuban Communist govt. had survived U.S. attempts to overthrow it encouraged other revolutionsThe U.S. increased support for its allies in Latin America, determined to defeat communismBrazil1964 the army overthrew the PresidentSuspended the constitutionOutlawed political partiesExiled all oppositionDeath Squads detained, tortured and executed thousands of citizensPromoted import substitution industrializationChile1970 Salvador Allende new PresidentSocialist reforms to redistribute land from the wealthy to the peasantsNationalized heavy industry and miningIncluding American owned copper minesOpposed by Richard Nixon

Allendes popularity

Chilean coup d'tatAllende was overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet (supported by the U.S.)Allende was killed in the Presidential palaceThousands were killed. Many Allende supporters executed en mass in soccer stadiumsPinochet stopped the socialist reformsEncouraged foreign investment

Pinochet ruled Chile for two decades

Argentinas Dirty War1974 - Isabel Martinez Peron became president upon the death of Juan PeronMilitary seized power and suspended the constitutionDirty WarConservatives crush socialist oppositionSeven year war between the military and what it called terroristsOver 9,000 Argentines died. Thousands go missing

Disappearances

Madres de la Plaza de Mayo

Disappeared

Nicaragua1979 overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza by socialistsSandinistas (FSLN) took powerReceived political and financial support from CubaCommand economy nationalized property owned by the elites and U.S. companies

The United States

President Jimmy Carter (1977-1980)Stopped the flow of U.S. arms to some regionsPromised Panama sovereignty and control of the canal in 1999Tried, but failed to get along with the SandinistasRonald Reagan Wanted to undo the Nicaraguan Revolution and remove SandinistasArmed and trained counterrevolutionaries called ContrasFinanced by both legal and illegal (from arms sold to Iran!) funds

Iran-Contra ScandalNicaraguaU.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 SandinistasSandinistas called for free elections in 1990They lost the election to middle-of-the-road Violeta Chamorro El SalvadorThe FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) Inspired by the SandinistasOrganized an effective Guerilla forceThe U.S. respondedGave millions of dollars to the Salvadoran ArmyHard to continue after Salvadoran Death Squads killed Catholic Clergy and thousands of civiliansFMLN negotiated an end to the war after the U.S.S.R. fell and the Sandinistas lost power

Military dictatorships of Argentina, Brazil, and ChileFell apart due to high number of noncombatant deaths and govt. corruptionArgentinaMilitary 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

ChileDespite economic growth, Chileans resented the violence and corruption of the military under Pinochet1989 Chile elected a civilian PresidentBrazilBegan converting to civilian rule1989 first popular presidential election

Oil importersBrazil and othersHad to borrow money to pay the high cost of oil Oil exportersMexico and VenezuelaMade money at first, but borrowed money to increase productionWhen the price of oil fell in the 1980s, they could not repay their debtsDebtBy 1988, Latin America was $ 400 Billion in debt

U.S. involvement continued1983 President Reagan authorized a military invasion of Grenada1989 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

Latin American after the fall of the Soviet UnionNeo-liberalismCapitalism, free-market policies

Milton FriedmanUniversity of Chicago economist