Latin American Nationalism

Unit 8 Notes

Name: ______________________

Problems in Central America

Repressive governments, social conflict, and civil wars made progress difficultMost of the wealth and power in Central

America and the Caribbean in the 1900s was held by a few people

Rebels were fighting for changes they thought would better the poor people of Latin America’s lives

The Cuban Revolution

Cuba gained its independence from Spain in 1898

In the 1900s Cuba’s wealth controlled by American companies.The main companies in Cuba were sugar

and mining companies.The dictator of Cuba until 1959 was

Fulgencio Battista.Fidel Castro led the revolution of 1959.

Fidel Castro

Castro’s Government

Castro promised democracy but instead set up a communist state.

Cubans who wanted to escape Castro’s rule fled to Florida.

US Aid: One event that led the US to stop aiding Castro

was that he joined forces with the Soviet Union. Also, he began taking over US owned-businesses

and property in Cuba.

Cuba: Bay of Pigs

The purpose was to overthrow CastroThe plan was to arm Cuban exiles. Once

the exiles arrived in Cuba, unhappy Cubans would join them and overthrow Castro.

The invasion was a disaster because Castro’s forces broke up the plan and captured the invaders.

No rebellion against Castro occurred.

Cuba’s Declining Relationship with the US

US Embargo:An embargo is a ban on trade with another

country.The US placed an embargo on Cuban

goods in 1962.As a result of the embargo, poor

harvests, and bad government planning, made Cuba’s economy very poor.

Cuban Missile Crisis

In October of 1962, US planes spotted secret Soviet missile bases in Cuba

10/22, President Kennedy announced that the Soviets had placed long-range missiles in Cuba.

Resolution: President Kennedy agreed not to invade Cuba and

to remove US missiles from Turkey; in return Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba

Cuban Missile Crisis

Results: A hot line is a direct line of communication between

two parties.

A hot line was set up between President Kennedy and the Soviet Premier so that they could contact each other more quickly.

The Limited Test Ban Treaty was agreed upon between US, USSR, and Great Britain to stop above ground testing of nuclear weapons.

Kennedy signing

Bill to quarantine

Cuba…10/23/62

Guerilla Movements

FARC – ColumbiaShining Path – PeruZapatistas -- Mexico

Zapatistas (Mexico)

History:

Tumultuous history plagued by racism toward indigenous population (Native Americans)

Emergence of national heroes during the Mexican Revolution of 1910 Venustiano Carranza Francisco Madero Emiliano Zapata

Emiliano Zapata

Man for whom the Zapatista movement is named

Poor mestizo sharecropper from Anencuilco

Sided with Madero’s demands for justice

Proposed the Plan de Ayala

Roots of the Movement

Communists from the 1968 student revolutions moved to Chiapas

They were against the forced migration of the Maya into the Lancandon jungle

Early 1980s: first rumors of organizationThe Mexican economic crisis of the 1980s

and 1990s upset the ZapatistasZapatistas were strongly against the North

American Free Trade Agreement 1994

1994 Uprising

January 1, 1994Takeover of seven cities in ChiapasDenounced neoliberalism, namely

against NAFTA Called for increased autonomy, rights,

and legitimate democracy (without US interference)

Led by a woman, Major Ana Maria

Armed Takeover in

Chiapas January 1,

1994

The Women

Conditions of inequality inside and outside of indigenous communities led to involvementUneducated, malnourished, identity based

on motherhoodNow many have increased sense of

autonomy and positions of importanceStill many obstacles for true equality

Latest Developments

Seven years after the revolt, on March 11, 2001, the Zapatistas marched to Mexico City and addressed Congress

Encouraged the passage of an Indigenous Rights Bill

Closed the door on dialogue due to Congress radically changing Bill and denying certain rights

Latest Developments

January 2003: Rose up again armed with machetes denouncing neoliberalism, ecotourism, foreign investment and plans for war with Iraq

Have aggressively detained several foreigners in an effort to deter foreign investment