 WWII was not a critical event; LA only moderately involved (Brazil aided US steel industry)  New definitions:  First World: capitalist industrialized nation  Second World: communist industrialized nation  Third World: developing nations, usually less economically powerful  Latin America, despite regional variety, mostly fits the Third World definition because of its slow industrialization and lingering reliance on Western markets.  Post-WWII: surge of radical socialist unrest (Bolivia, Guatemala, Cuba)

 1930s – 2000: Mexico controlled by Party of Institutionalized Revolution (PRI).  1994: Zapatistas emerged (guerilla movement) but were put down by the PRI.  PRI becomes corrupt and repressive  1994: Mexico joined the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  US; Canada; Mexico  Make North American trade competition for European markets; strengthen North American markets  2000: Vicente Fox (National Action Party: PAN) won national election

 Guatemala’s struggles: illiteracy; poor health; high mortality; land and wealth unfairly distributed; economy depends entirely on bananas and coffee  President Jacobo Árbenz ( ) used programs that conflicted with American companies in Guatemala (esp. United Fruit Company).  Decree 900: Guatemalan land reform act (redistributed land to peasants; increased cultivation and moved Guatemalan economy to capitalism)  US CIA invaded Guatemala to overthrow Árbenz and installed a pro-US government.  Construed Decree 900 as communist threat  New American-backed military government reversed land reform.

 Cuba was dependent on American imports and the export of sugar.  US is leading trade partner with Cuba  Disparity between middle classes and lowest classes  : Fulgencio Batista ruled Cuba as military dictator.  Little actual reform; opposition movements rise  Fidel Castro (young lawyer) and Ernesto “ Che ” Guevara (militant Argentinian revolutionary) joined in Mexico to create a small military force to overthrow Batista.  Pledge real democracy, justice, freedom  1959: “26th of July Movement ” drove Batista from power while rebels take Havana  Support from students, labor organizations, and rural workers.

 With Castro, Cuba now socialist state  Achievements of socialism are accompanied with restrictions on freedoms.  Collective farms, confiscated property  1961: US and Cuba cut off relations with each other.  Castro aligns Cuba with USSR  A U.S.-sponsored intervention by Cuban exiles failed (Bay of Pigs)  Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)  USSR installed missiles in Cuba to taunt the US.  Tension between US (Kennedy) and USSR  Cuba became increasingly dependent on the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War.

 After WWI, US is dominant power in West.  Private investments by U.S. companies and loans from the government were the chief means of influence  The United States intervened periodically in Latin America to protect investments and contain communism. (effects of Monroe Doctrine)  More than 30 interventions before 1933  After interventions, US helped to create Banana Republics  Conservative governments (often corrupt dictatorships) that would be friendly to the US and US financial interests.  Called this because of dependence on export of tropical products (Guatemala)  Foreign intervention created a growing nationalist reaction.

 1937: FDR’s Good Neighbor Policy  Promised to deal more fairly with Latin America and stop direct interventions; ignored during the Cold War.  1961: Alliance for Progress launched by US  Aimed to develop regions and eliminate radical political solutions  1970s: US cedes Panama Canal to Panama  1990: Panama dictator overthrown by US  1989: US invasion of Panama ends Noriega dictator government (squadron from Mr. Odren’s unit involved)  Notorious for human rights violations; involvement in drug trade  After 2000, US concerns with Latin America continued to focus on issues of commerce, immigration, the drug trade, and political stability.  Armed drug lords and cartels that threaten Latin American global stability

 To counter socialism and protect investments, US supported authoritarian military regimes.  Military officers saw themselves as above politics and best equipped to solve nation's ills; remnant of post-colonial past in 19 th century with caudillos  In Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Peru, governments were taken over by military-based rulers with repressive authoritarian and nationalistic inclinations.  Military government economic policies hurt the working class: land ownership and social conditions remained unchanged.  1970s and 1980s: Increase in democratization and return to civilian governments in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama  Leftist rebel groups continued to agitate in some of them, as in Columbia and Peru.  Economies continued to struggle, with inflation a common problem.  Large foreign loans taken in 1970s threatened economic stability in Brazil, Peru and Mexico.  Despite difficulties, by the 1990s it appeared democratic trends were well established.

 Latin America remains an amalgamation of cultures and peoples.  Vast majority are Catholic, but Protestants are growing.  Liberation theology: Catholicism and Socialism joined to create change  Art: return to traditional culture for inspiration and social commentary (Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo)  Writers gained world recognition, especially those who penned social criticism.  Dance: tango;salsa; samba; rumba; mambo; paso doble  The struggle for social justice, economic security and political equality still exists.  Distribution of wealth and land is arguably largest problem  1948: United Nations issued “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” but included little power of enforcement beyond diplomatic or moral pressure.

 Women were not allowed to vote until 1929  Ecuador is first nation to grant women’s suffrage  Feminist movements pushed for inclusion into elected offices.  Industrial jobs expanded to include women.  Shifts in attitudes about women’s roles in society developed more slowly.  Migration  Over 30% of the population of Latin America falls under the poverty line  contributes to legal and illegal immigration to the US.  Political refugees; search for job opportunities  Legal migration to US from Haiti and Cuba because of political dissatisfaction  Migration rural to urban areas is extremely high.  Slums in major cities (Mexico City; Rio de Janeiro)  Migration is major and complicated regional issue  Rapid and massive urban growth  1999: Latin America is greatest urbanized region in all developing locations