Latin American Dictatorships and Revolutionaries

This lecture discusses the rise of left-wing governments in Latin America during the Cold War, US response, and the impact on real people, not just statistics.

Born in Argentina in 1928.
Grew up privileged, exposed to left-wing ideas early due to his father's involvement in the Spanish Civil War, giving him a preview of Marxism.
Entered medical school in 1948, spent summers adventuring and exploring South and Central America.
Took motorcycle trips in 1950 and 1951, documented in "The Motorcycle Diaries."
Observed and wrote about treating the sick and hearing the stories of the people he saw.
His treatment of the old woman showed his developing views on the world, including the idea that the government should be helping those in need, specially in the copper mine.
Became anti-capitalist after graduating from medical school and started associating with a unified Latino identity.
He viewed the inherent disadvantage that capitalism gave the average citizen.
Supported Jacob Arbenz's land reform in Guatemala, viewing the US as the main imperialist threat to Latin America after Operation PB Success.
It is important to remember that when the US talks about Cold War politics they are talking about real human beings, not just numbers on a chart.

Challenged the East-West paradigm, proposing a North-South divide.
North (US, Europe, Russia) as oppressors, South (Asia, Africa, Latin America) as the oppressed.
Core-periphery dynamic: North as the core, South as the periphery.

Joined Fidel Castro in Mexico, quickly becoming his second in command.
Known as a brutal leader, executing prisoners and deserters.
Pushed for literacy and equality, promoted Jose Marti's ideas in Cuba.
After Castro's overthrow of Batista, Guevara led trials and executions of war criminals from the Batista regime.
Pushed for reforms in Cuba focusing on gender equality, anti-corruption, anti-materialism and anti-imperialism.

Traveled the world to assist revolutions, including in the Congo and Bolivia.
Differentiated between Marxist ideology and Soviet Marxist ideology, critical of the USSR as an imperialistic power.
Captured and executed in Bolivia in 1967 by a junta funded by the USA.

Reference to William Walker's filibuster.
1911-1912: Adolfo Diaz put in power by the US military to protect business interests.
US Marines in Nicaragua until 1925.
1927: Augusto Cesar Sandino revolts against Diaz, declares war on the United States.
US Marines return but fail to capture Sandino.
Anastasio Somoza Garcia, funded by the US, captures and executes Sandino, then declares himself president.
The United States supports Somoza leading to roughly four decades of rule by the Somoza family.

1980: Election of Ronald Reagan. The US funds anti-Sandinista forces called Contras.
The Contras include former Somoza regime members. The US is concerned about stopping the spread of communism.

Complex situation involving Lebanon, Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Nicaragua.
Issues: Lebanon civil war, American hostages, Iran-Iraq war, US support for Contras.
The US secretly sold weapons to Israel who then sold them to Iran.
Iran paid Israel who sent the money back to The United States in exchange for influence in releasing the hostages.

Banned President Reagan from sending money to the Contras.
Passed with broad support due to the Contras' human rights record (rape, executions, torture, kidnapping, drug trafficking, etc.).
Reagan used money from the Iran deal to secretly fund the Contras.
This was discovered when billions of dollars were missing, leading to a huge fight and long-term civil war in Nicaragua.

Right-wing government after Operation PB Success in 1954.
Series of US-backed right-wing dictators from 1960 to 1996 during a long civil war.
US support through aid and the School of the Americas.

Founded in 1946, located at Fort Benning, Georgia, and in Panama.
Trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency, intelligence, and military tactics.
Controversial for enabling state-led violence in Guatemala.

The Guatemalan government committed genocide against the Maya population.
92% of civilian executions were carried out by the government; 82% of the victims were Maya.

Leader in power from 1982 to 1983, trained at the School of the Americas.
Launched a scorched earth campaign targeting rural Maya villages, treating everyone as a combatant.
Over 600 villages were attacked, with 300 completely razed.
Tens of thousands were killed or forcibly disappeared.
Reagan viewed Rios Montt as a bulwark against communism, praised his commitment to democracy despite rights abuses.
The Guatemalan civil war ended in 1996 under UN-brokered transition to democracy. This was made possible because the Cold War had ended.

Different from the Soviet Union influenced groups.
1960s: Economic struggles with high cost of living and low pay.
Salvador Allende: Self-proclaimed Marxist and moderate socialist who wanted to nationalize key industries and utilities.

Allende ran for president in 1964, but the CIA spent millions on anti-communist propaganda.
In 1970, he sought help from Cuba and the Soviet Union, receiving roughly $850,000$ . The CIA spent a similar amount.
Allende won the election by less than $39,000$ votes out of $2,000,000$ , becoming president by a congressional vote with 36.61% of the votes.
The runner up received 35.27% of the votes while the third candiate received 28.11% of the votes.
Some hoped for a military coup, but General Renee Schneider opposed it.

The CIA sent a communication with the CIA station in Chile noting that quote, "The station has done an excellent job of guiding Chileans to point today where military solution is at least an option for them."
Schneider was murdered by armed thugs a month after the election.
Allende appointed General Augusto Pinochet as High General, which would eventually lead to Allende's fall.