Nation Building Committee

YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2025

  • Topic Description

    • Committee: Nation Building

    • Chairs: Michael Fisher, Gaby Castillo

Committee Topic: The Cold War in South America

Introduction

  • The Cold War was a global struggle between capitalist United States and communist Soviet Union.

  • Post-World War II, both superpowers sought to dominate globally, resulting in a four-decade proxy war.

  • South America became a battleground for influence, with covert operations and military interventions common from both sides.

Background

  • The U.S. promoted democracy and capitalism; the USSR aimed to spread communism.

  • Notable interventions in South America:

    • Guatemala (1954): U.S. coup against democratically elected Jacobo Árbenz due to feared communist influence.

    • Venezuela: Authoritarian rule due to political instability and economic turmoil.

    • Bolivia: Military dictatorships with human rights abuses.

    • Jamaica: Political unrest influenced by socialist policies of Prime Minister Michael Manley.

    • Costa Rica & Panama: Stable, yet felt Cold War pressures.

    • Numerous other nations faced similar unrest and interference, leading to lasting instability.

Current Status (1974)

  • Continued tension between the U.S. and USSR, with NATO (1949) and the Warsaw Pact (1955) exemplifying divisions.

  • A rise in militant dictatorships particularly in Central America and the Caribbean.

  • Cuba: Fidel Castro remains a close ally of Warsaw before and after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Key Events in 1974

  • Brazil: Military dictatorship continues under President Ernesto Geisel.

  • Chile: Overthrow of Allende's Marxist government by U.S.-backed General Augusto Pinochet (1970).

  • Operation Condor: A covert operation by the U.S. begun in South America aimed at eliminating leftist influences through violent methods like kidnapping and torture, leaving human rights abuses in its wake.

Themes to Consider

  • Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Sub-Committee:

    • Examination of humanitarian crimes under Operation Condor.

    • Cultural impacts of the U.S.-Soviet rivalry in Latin America.

  • Political and Legal Sub-Committee:

    • Accountability for authoritarian regimes and understanding international law violations.

    • Focus on restoring autonomy to countries like Guatemala, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

  • Economic and Financial Sub-Committee:

    • Analyze economic impacts and U.S. and Soviet influences.

    • Assess sanctions' impacts on the economies of Latin America.

  • Security Sub-Committee:

    • Investigate security implications stemming from foreign interventions.

    • Evaluate the rise of state-sponsored regimes and their accountability.

Discussion Questions

General

  1. How can the United Nations collectively stabilize and rebuild Central and South America amidst a global conflict?

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural

  1. How will the United Nations combat humanitarian crimes under Operation Condor?

  2. What actions can preserve Latin culture throughout the Cold War?

Political and Legal

  1. How can the United Nations help strengthen democratic institutions in South America?

  2. What role should the UN play in prosecuting regime leaders for crimes under international law?

Economic and Financial

  1. How can the UN financially support under-funded nations during the Cold War?

  2. Should sanctions be imposed during economic crises?

Security

  1. How can the UN mitigate foreign interventions to ensure stability in South America?

  2. To what extent can the U.S. and Soviet Union be held accountable for state-sponsored regimes in Latin America?

Note to Delegates

  • The Nation Building Committee focuses on historical contexts between 1970-1974 and discussions should not exceed this time frame.

Resources

  1. Bulmor-Thomas & Dunkerly, "The United States and Latin America: The New Agenda" - Context on U.S.-Latin America relations.

  2. "Cold War in Latin America" - Retro Report - Summary of important events.

  3. Fontenot, "Revolutions, Coups, and Regrets" - Details on U.S. intervention impacts on human casualties.

  4. Saba, "Soviet Penetration of Latin America" - Economic interests of the Soviet Union.

  5. Schmidli, "Tracking the Cold War in Latin America" - Examines relationships and impacts on governance.

  6. "The Technology of Terror – South America in the 70s and 80s" - Experiences of U.S. Foreign Service Officers during Cold War threats.