Chapter 25 LATIN AMERICA

 During the post World War II era Latin American countries faced many challenges.  Rapid industrialization brought new wealth to the region which intensified the divide between the rich and the poor. This sharp divide often led to political unrest.  One example of this unrest was the communist takeover of Cuba in the late 1950’s. Fidel Castro brought communism to the Western Hemisphere.

FIDEL CASTRO

 In order to contain communism, the United States often supported military dictatorships in Latin American countries.  This involvement was often not disclosed to the American people and led to some cynicism in the United States.  During the 1980’s and 1990’s, pro-democracy movements overturned dictatorships in several Latin American countries, regardless of US involvement.

 In regards the economy a new generation of political leaders began to encourage free enterprise, free trade, and a limited role for government.  As a result of this new way of handling the economy during the late 20 th century, countries in the western hemisphere, indulging Latin American countries, began to form trade organizations such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Andean Pact, and the Caribbean Common Market.  These trade organizations were formed primarily to remove tariffs and trade barriers to enable free trade between members.