Post WWII adjustments Throughout most of the economic crises of the post World War II period, governments in Latin America responded by presenting new economic policies representing a important leaving from the prior policy path. There were disagreements of industrialization, trade, and what would be the United States overall impact on Latin American economies. The United States wanted to open Latin American markets and business opportunities, while having little risk with its own producers. Latin America fear that the open access would destroy the industrial progress. Latin America vainly sought help from the United States.

Continue U.S. and Latin America evidently disagreed. In Latin America the idea that the government has direct control on the civilians welfare has created phenomenal social and economic legislation.  Popular education also increased, as did exposure to the mass media and mass culture—which in light of the economic lag served to feed discontent.  Continued advances in public health were the principal basis for the explosion of population growth, which in turn made more difficult the provision of other social services.  Formerly competitive economies such as those of Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil have fallen far behind rapidly advancing areas such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Continue Part 2 The period since 1945 witnessed much political instability and social unrest in the region.  By 1948 the countries south of the Rio Grande have been aligned with the United States in the Organization of American States (OAS).  Dominated by the United States, the OAS has sought to prevent communists from acquiring control in Latin American countries by well-meaning, if incomplete, social and economic aid. The United States interfered with Latin America Affairs and crossed the line of what they should and should not do. By 1946 the United States had interfered with three Latin American countries.

Continue Part three The United States meddled with the Argentinian presidential campaign be ensuring the victory of Juan Peron. Forced the Gonzales Videla government in Chile to oust its communist coalition cabinet members. Helped undermine a revolutionary regime in Bolivia because of its “fascist” tendencies. The Assistance Act of 1951 gave $38.5 million dollars to Latin American Countries so they could build armies. The United States involvement with Latin America increased exponentially as the Cold War Progressed.

Latin American Polies of Truman and Eisenhower Truman was fairly successful in fighting Communism in the Far East and Europe, but had mixed success with Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile during 1946. Under Truman the movement for hemispheric cooperation continued outward. The Rio Treaty of 1947 brought Central and South America into a military alliance with the United States. This lead to the formation of the OAS. Truman was mainly concerned with maintaining the status quo of the region. Latin America was a key part of Truman’s Four Point program and was significant in all his foreign policies.

More Foreign Policies The Eisenhower presidency marked a strong revival in a strong corporate influence on U.S. foreign policy. During his presidency he faced four Latin American challenges: Guatemala, Cuba His administration acted according to how much economic interest we had. In Bolivia 1952 there was a successful revolutionary movement lead by Victor Paz Estenssoro and the National Revolutionary Movement which ushered political and economic reform. The outgoing Truman administration was anxious over the regimes radicalism and withheld aid.

Bolivia & Britain The MNR convinced Eisenhower that they were not communist, and therefore received millions of dollars worth of grants throughout the decade. United States also reestablished and trained the Bolivian army which overthrew Paz Estenssoro in 1964, creating a period of conservative rule. In 1953, Marxist Cheddi Jagan became head of the British colony of Guiana. Large U.S. metal companies had substantial holdings in Guiana. Alarmed the U.S. government urged the British to nullify the election. The British Sent troops to dispose the new government.

After the Cuban Revolution The United States supported Batista’s cruel dictatorship and despised Fidel Castro's revolution and movement to private-sector economic growth. Although the United Stated put $10 Billion dollors into Latin America more money came out and as a result the countries fell into debt. Loans to pay off debt fell into corruption. The U.S trained armies where particularly affective as seen with the Bolivian rangers chased down Che Guevara. Kennedy’s goal was to help pay off loans and reduce poverty in the area. However, Kennedy was more interested in keeping capitalist relations. Kennedy had other plans as well which included to get rid of Fidel Castro, and Rafael Trujillo of Dominican Republic.

Kennedy Like the past administrations Kennedy favored the harsh dictators if it prevented disorder and communist revolution. March, 1962 the United States made no protest when the Argentinean government overthrew the democratically elected president Arturo Frondizi. A few months later the U.S trained the Purvian army to prevent a democratically elected official from taking power. The Kennedy administration preferred order over democracy. President LBJ carried Kennedy’s Latin America program.

LBJ Under Johnson, the United States played a role in the overthrow of left-leaning regime of Joao Goulart in Brazil.

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Non-Alignment The countries that had selected neutrality or neutralism throughout the four decades of East-West rivalry and those that declined to join either block were nevertheless openly affected by the numerous US and Soviet interventions and maneuvers.

Carter’s Latin America Latin America was very much on the program during the first couple months of the Carter Administration. During that period, visits to, examines of and speeches about Latin America emerged from the new Administration at a degree not seen since the early days of the Kennedy presidency.  Key principles guiding the Carter Administration's Latin America policy: democratization as the key to the future of Latin America, human rights as a standard upon which to determine relations with Latin American countries, and reduction of the flow of arms into Latin America.    In Panama, there movement focused on the United States’ ownership of the Panama Canal.  In 1977, Carter completed negotiations begun under Johnson’s administration and signed a treaty slowly restoring control of the Canal Zone to Panama.  Panama assumed complete control over the canal in 2000.

Carter Again The events in Nicaragua proved more difficult for Carter.  In 1979, a revolution led by Sandinista forces toppled Anastasio Somoza’s corrupt regime.  Carter’s administration attempted to mediate the situation, but the efforts proved fruitless.  The new Sandinista regime soon established ties with Fidel Castro in Cuba.  Republicans in the United States blasted Carter for allowing communists to succeed in Central America.  

Nicaragua During Cold War In 1933, Anastasio Somoza became dictator via killing the previous ruler. The Somoza family reigned over Nicaragua as hereditary military dictators for nearly 50 years. As time expired, the rule of the Somozas became increasingly oppressive and corrupt. During the 1960s, the Sandinista Liberation Front was formed, and began insurgency After an earthquake in 1972, Nixon sent aid, but it was stolen by the Somozas and the wealthy profited from the rebuilding In 1979, the Somozas were finally driven out, and the country was governed by a collective leadership by the Marxists They: Nationalized foreign owned enterprises Redistributed land to the poor Conducted a literacy campaign Conducted a public health campaign

Nicaragua Cont. The U.S. decided to get rid of the Sandinistas by financing and training the Nicaraguan Defense Force (NGF) or the contras The contras: Destroyed the cotton and coffee crops Demolished roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals Committed atrocities The contras were not successful: They were unpopular Much of the money they received from the U.S. was for their personal use The U.S.’s actions were unpopular and made Latin American countries resentful

Last one on Nicaragua In 1986, Irangate or the Iran Contra Affair broke out President Reagan had secretly sold arms to the Iranians in order to secure the release of the hostages in the U.S. embassy in Teheran The profits had been used, illegally, to finance the contras Most of those responsible, including President Reagan, who said that he did not remember authorizing the deal, escaped punishment In April 1990, free elections were held The U.S. government poured money into the UNO Party This ensured the defeat of the Sandanista government

The Little Guys Costa Rica – President Oscar Arias Sanchez continued neutral and would not support either the Contras or Sandinistas Honduras – Was a safe haven for the Contras, but Cuba also used the country as a conduit for shipping arms to El Salvador El Salvador – A civil war between left and right wing forces began in the late 1970s and lasted until 1992 Panama – Leader Manuel Noriega played off all sides to suit his needs. A U.S. force captured him after it was discovered he was involved in drug smuggling

Chile In 1970, Salvador Allende Gossens, a Marxist, won a astonishing victory in the national elections His attempt to bring socialism to Chile was met with alarm by the United States -- which ordered the CIA to help undermine the Allende government Allende's policies -- including nationalization of Chile's copper mines and other key industries -- also contributed to growing economic and political chaos Chile's military seized power in September 1973 Allende died during the coup, allegedly by his own hand A repressive junta, led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, ruled Chile until 1990 -- when civilian, democratic rule was restored

Peru during the Cold War In 1968, Peru's reformist president was taken out by a leftist military coup The new junta instituted social reforms and seized some American-owned businesses, while importing Soviet weapons and advisers In 1974, Peru expelled some U.S. Embassy and Peace Corps personnel, accusing them of spying for the CIA A democratic system of government resumed in 1980 Two insurgent communist groups still threaten the government: The Senderos terrified both rural and urban areas; The Tupac Amaru took hostages at Christmas Party at the Japanese ambassador’s residence in 1996

Paraguay during the Cold War General Alfredo Stroessner, supported by the military and U.S., came to power in Paraguay in 1954 during a military coup and he ruled for 35 years He was himself taken out by the military in 1989, replaced by another general. He allowed a comparatively democratic presidential election in 1993

Argentina during the Cold War In 1976, President Isabel Martinez de Peron, widow of dictator Juan Peron, was kicked out by the Argentine military The ensuing three-man junta promised to bring the nation's woeful economy under control, while controlling leftist terrorism Between 1976 and 1981, up to 15,000 persons "disappeared." Recently exposed documents revealed that many people were secretly executed by the military, some being dropped alive from aircraft into the sea After an unsuccessful war with the British over the Falkland Islands, many questioned the military government Under public pressure, the junta lifted its bans on political parties, paving the way for democratic elections in 1983.

Uruguay Beginning in the 1960s, the Tupamaros, a Marxist guerrilla group, began making headlines with their attacks against the government targets The Tupamaros attacks, joined with growing economic and political unrest, led to the establishment of a repressive military government in 1973 Uruguay's ruling junta worked toward a transition to democracy, which led to presidential elections in 1984

Venezuala U.S. officials believe that Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez has lend support to these leftists in Columbia Ecuador also harbors leftist camps in their country, which Columbia recently raided Chavez believes that Latin America is in a battle against “North American imperialism” Relations are continually tense today between the U.S. and mainly Venezuela, but also Ecuador as well

Columbia during the Cold War Leftist insurgencies began in Colombia in the 1970s and have continued into the 1990s Most communist guerrilla groups ended their rebellions in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union Two Marxist groups, the ELN and FARC, are still in operation and control about 40 percent of Colombian territory Recent attempts at peace talks between the government and the rebels have failed

Brazil during the Cold War The nation's armed forces ousted President Joao Goulart in 1964, replacing him with a military government The regime came under international condemnation several years later for its alleged human rights abuses In turn, Brazil's military charged that its most outspoken critic, the Catholic Church, was involved in communist-oriented work with the poor In the mid-1970s, Brazil's continued economic decline brought about a pragmatic decision by the military government: It became the first nation in Central and South America -- besides Cuba -- to recognize the leftist MPLA in Angola's civil war The decision apparently centered on Brazil's need, at the time, to import Angolan coffee and oil Brazil returned to an elected, civilian government in 1985