*Small group controls most of wealth *Wealthy people against reforms *Upper classes descended from Europeans *Poor majority are mestizo, Native American, and African American *Population explosion *Not enough land to grow food *Migration of peasants to cities *Slums and urban shacks *Not enough jobs

 From 1940’s s, Argentina was led by Juan Peron  he was a popular ruler  he was married to film/movie star Eva Peron (Evita)

 policies included › 1. import substitution - wanted people to buy locally made goods. He put a tariff on imported goods. › 2. built schools, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, gave to charity  when Eva died in 1952, Juan Peron lost support; the military ousted him with a coup d’etat

The “DIRTY WAR”  Another military government took control in  The military set up death squads that killed or tortured dissidents ( political opponents) ; thousands of people died or disappeared  Mothers of the desaparecidos, or disappeared ones, marched silently every week in Buenos Aires, holding pictures of their children.

Democracy Restored  1983, elections were held.  Argentina returned a democratic government to power.

 The Somoza family ruled from Although they were dictators, the U.S. supported them because they were not communist. The Sandinistas in Power  1979, a revolutionary group called the Sandinistas overthrew the government. The new president, Daniel Ortega, introduced land reforms and socialist policies (communism).

The Contras  1980s, the Sandinistas faced armed opposition from the contras, a counterrevolutionary group.  Fearing the spread of communism, the United States supported the contras in their fight against the sandinistas.

 Civil War followed.  both sides agreed to a cease fire (stop fighting) and the Sandinistas promised to hold elections  1990 – Violetta Chamorro was elected president; the Sandinistas freely handed over power; however, they kept control of the military.

 the U.S. helps overthrow Jacobo Arbenz after his land reforms threaten U.S. business 1954 – the military and landowners were in power, but there was constant fighting from leftist guerilla movements

 During this long civil war, the government routinely tortured and murdered anyone who opposed them (including student and labor leaders).  Most victims were indigenous people (people who were native to the country); approximately 30,000 died in the 1980s.  The civil war ended in 1996 when the government and guerillas signed a peace agreement.