Essay on Latin American Dictatorship - 872 Words

Latin American Dictatorship It is impossible to separate the history of military dictatorships in Latin America from the history of economic exploitation and of US intervention in the region. The history of slavery and other forced labor in the pursuit of large-scale agriculture and resource extraction in the time of the colonies has created a legacy of economic exploitation. This poverty and inequality has in many cases led to popular uprisings and calls for reform, which provided the reason (or the excuse, depending on your point of view) to use military force to restore discipline. The United States willingness to support strong regimes capable of securing its interests in the region also has played a decisive role. These†¦show more content†¦Then in 1973, a military coup backed by the CIA overthrew Allende and General Augusto Pinochet took power. His government tortured and murdered thousands of Chileans. He sent tanks into the streets to discourage the curiosity of those who wanted to investigate his crimes(Galeano, Upside Down, 193). When he retired in 1998, he made himself a senator for life. In Eduardo Galeanos book Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, he tells, In the middle of 1978, while Argentinas soccer team was hosting and winning the World Cup, the countrys military dictatorship was busy throwing prisoners into the ocean alive. The planes bearing them took off from Aeroparque airport, a stones throw from the stadium whewre the sports event was under way. . . . When Captain Adolfo Scilingo told his superiors he couldnt sleep without pills or drink, they recommended therapy. At the beginning of 1995, Captain Scilingo decided to make a public confession: he said he had thrown thirty people into the sea. Over teh course of two years, he added, the Argentine Navy had thrown between fifteen hundred and two thousand political prisoners to the sharks. After his confession, Scilingo was imprisoned. Not for having murdered thirty people but for having passed a bad check (194). Many liberal politicians and intellectuals were forced into exile as a result of dictatorships, including Galeano himself for a time, although the dictatorship ofShow MoreRelatedWriters And Editors On Canovista Restoration Essay1385 Words   |  6 Pagesan author, someone can also guide their views by some political writtings. Example Eduardo Galeano with one of his master piece Mirrors. American literature has its origin in the clash of Aboriginal culture and European society. However, the first, sense of American literature, which was the world conquest, was truncated. 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Although I don t want to lump all Latin American countries together, which are very different from each other, but we cannot discuss one only in LatinRead MoreThe Use of Magical Realism in Laura Esquivels Like Water for Chocolate1055 Words   |  5 PagesLatin American literature is perhaps best known for its use of magical realism, a literary mode where the fantastical is seamlessly blended with the ordinary, creating a sort of enhanced reality. Though magical realism is practiced by authors from other cultures, the works of authors Salman Rushdie and Toni Morrison, for example, are notable examples of non-Latin works in which magical realism has been used to both great effect and great celebration, it is in the works of Latin American authorsRead MoreThe Very Simple Plot Of A Tragedy1298 Words   |  6 Pagesbut him being the president s right hand becomes an obstacle for him and his relationship. 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It concerns not only political, man-over-man, Trujillo-brutal dictatorship (though that is a haunting image throughout), but also psychologicalRead MoreThe Cuban Revolution : An Single Most Important Event Of 20th Century Latin America1200 Words   |  5 Pagessix-year span from 1953 to 1959. The series of armed rebellions ultimately resulted in the overthrow of the US- backed Cuban government and ushered in a new era of Communist rule. It is often cited as the single most important event of 20th century Latin America. The Cuban Revolution was derived from social unrest and consequently had a major impact on Cuba’s domestic and foreign affairs most notably the installation of a communist government that still rules today and abroad s upported communist institutionsRead MoreLatin American Watchdogs Essay743 Words   |  3 PagesNonetheless, this is a novel, but interesting experience for Latin American watchdogs. Indeed, more than a decade ago regional and national networks have been developed for strength both individual professional skills and media performance, particularly investigative proficiency. Among the institutions devoted to improving the crafting of journalism can be counted the Colombian-based Fundacià ³n para el Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano (FNPI) and the Peruvian-based Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS)Read MoreAnalyzing And Explain Chasteen s Perceptions On The Cold War905 Words   |  4 PagesBorn in Blood and Fire text describe and explain Chasteen’s perceptions on the effect that important invents that occurred in Latin America had during the Cold War. Chasteen’s visions of the period were precise and outstanding. First Chasteen’s ideas reflect how during the Cold Wa r Latin American governments started turning into a military rule with the United Sates as an ally and founder of their army. He explains how countries started revolutionary movements in order to fight for nationalism. MarxistRead MoreGuatemala as Cold War History, by Richard H. Immerman1256 Words   |  6 Pagesusable land. The Allies’ victory in WWII marked democracy’s triumph over dictatorship, and the consequences shook Latin America. Questioning why they should support the struggle for democracy in Europe and yet suffer the constraints of dictatorship at home, many Latin Americans rallied to democratize their own political structures. A group of prominent middle–class Brazilians opposed to the continuation of the Vargas dictatorship mused publicly, â€Å"If we fight against fascism at the side of the UnitedRead MorePost-Transitional Justice in Chile and El Salvador: A Comparison1671 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the last quarter of the twentieth century, Latin America was dominated by authoritarian military regimes and immense human rights violations. Especially in Chile and El Salvador, where human rights abuses were rampant during Pinochet’s dictatorship and the Salvadoran civil war. The region is still dealing with the legacy of terror from its authoritarian past. Cath Collins, a professor and researcher in the School of Political Science at the University of Diego Portales in Santiago, Chile,