Reform and Revolution in Latin America

Human Rights in Latin America

Prof. Angelina Godoy

Fall 2009

Movements for social reform

• Throughout 19th & 20th century, Latin Americans grappled with problems of foreign domination, poverty, and inequality

• Beginning in the early 20th century, movements for social reform were often inflected by, or directly inspired by, Marxist thought

• Cold War lens defined all reformers as Communists, justified intervention “in the name of democracy”

• In reality, there was an enormous variation among reformers along both ideological and tactical lines

Los Guaraguao, “Casas de Cartón”Qué triste se oye la lluvia en los techos de cartón Qué triste vive mi gente en las casas de cartón. Viene bajando el obrero casi arrastrando sus pasos por el

peso del sufrir Mira que es mucho el sufrir mira

que pesa el sufrir.

Arriba deja la mujer preñada abajo esta la ciudad y se pierde en su maraña hoy es lo mismo que ayer es un mundo sin mañana.

How sad the rain soundsOn the cardboard roofsHow sad my people liveIn the cardboard houses.The worker is coming downAlmost dragging his feetFrom the weight of his sufferingLook how much he suffersLook how much suffering weighs.Up the hill he leaves his pregnant

wife Down the hill is the city belowHe loses himself in its tanglesToday is the same as yesterdayIn a world without tomorrow.

Qué triste se oye la lluvia en los techos de cartón que triste vive mi gente en las casas de cartón.

Niños color de mi tierra con sus mismas cicatrices millonarios de lombrices y por eso que triste viven

los niños en las casas de cartón. Qué triste se oye la lluviaen los techos de cartónque triste vive mi genteen las casas de cartón.

How sad the rain soundsOn the cardboard roofsHow sad my people liveIn the cardboard houses.Children the color of earthWith the same scarsMillions of tapewormsThat’s why the children live

sadlyIn the cardboard houses.How sad the rain soundsOn the cardboard roofsHow sad my people liveIn the cardboard houses.

Qué alegre viven los perrosen la casa del explotadorUsted no lo va a creer pero hay escuelas de perros que les dan educación pa' que no muerdan los

diarios.

Pero el patrón, hace años, muchos años que esta mordiendo al

obrero.

Qué triste se oye la lluviaen los techos de cartón qué lejos pasa la esperanza en las casas de cartón.

How happily the dogs live In the house of the exploiterYou’re not going to believe itBut there are schools for

dogsWhere they train themNot to bite the newspaper.

But the boss, for years, many years

He’s biting the worker.

How sad the rain soundsOn the cardboard roofsHow far away is hopeFrom the cardboard houses.

Social and intellectual movements for reform

Many movements converged to support leftist platforms for change; these did not necessarily support armed struggle

These theories were developed in, and centered on, Latin American reality, did not rely on theories developed in North

1. Dependency theory– “Underdevelopment” in global South not a

consequence of backwardness but of unequal power relations between North/South

– global economic structures privilege North at expense of South; wealth of North dependent on poverty of South

Social and intellectual movements for reform

2. Liberation theology– Christianity demands church involvement in

liberating people from oppression both spiritual, economic, and political

– Faith compels action, and action should be based on “preferential option for the poor”

– Critique of church focusing on spiritual practices as if divorced from urgent human needs

Carlos Mejia Godoy, “Cristo de Palacaguina”

Por el cerro de la Iguana, montaña adentro de la cegovia,

se oyó un resplandor extrañocomo una aurora de media

noche.Los maizales se prendieron,los quiebraplatas se

estremecieron,llovió luz por Muyugalpa, por

Telpaneca,por Chichigalpa.

Near the Iguana Hill, beyond the cegovia (tree),

there was a sudden flash of lightning,

that lit up the midnight sky as if it were dawn.

The cornfields were alight,

The quiebraplatas (plant) trembled,

Light rained down at Muyugalpa, at Telpaneca, at Chichigalpa (names of places)

Cristo ya nació en Palacaguina,

de Chepe Pavón (Pavón) y una tal María,

ella va a planchar muy humildemente,

la ropa que goza la mujer hermosa del terrateniente.

La gente para mirarlo se rejuntaron en un molote,

y el indio Joaquin le trajo quesillo en trenza de nagarote,

en vez de oro, incienso y mirra,

le regalaron según yo supe,cajetita de diriomo y hasta

buñuelos de Guadalupe.

Christ was born in Palacaguina,To Joey Pavón and some girl

named Mary.She works humbly, ironing the

clothes that the beautiful wife of the landowner enjoys.

In order to see him, the people gathered together in a crowd,

And Joaquin the Indian brought him quesillo (traditional sweet) wrapped in a cornhusk braid.

Instead of gold, incense and myrrh,

I heard they brought him diriomo (indigenous perfume) and Guadalupe buns (traditional sweets).

Cristo ya nació en Palacaguina,

de Chepe Pavón (Pavon) y una tal María,

ella va a planchar muy humildemente,

la ropa que goza la mujer hermosa del terrateniente.

José pobre jornalero se mecateya todito el dia,

lo tiene con reumatismo el tequio de la carpintería,

Maria sueña que el hijo, igual que el tata sea carpintero,

pero el cipotío piensa, “mañana quiero ser guerrillero”.

Christ was born in Palacaguina,

To Joey Pavón and some girl named Mary.

She works humbly, ironing the clothes that the landowner’s beautiful wife enjoys.

Joseph, the poor worker, he slaves away all day long.

The banging work of carpentry has given him rheumatism.

Mary dreams that her son might grow up to be a carpenter, just like his dad,

But the kid thinks, “When I grow up I want to be a guerrilla.”

Guerrilla movements in Latin America

• Some on the left supported armed struggle• The denial of political freedoms led many to join to

guerrilla movements in Latin America in the 1970s/80s (why?)– Cold War logic conflated most social justice movements with

communism/socialism– failed to perceive difference between moderate social reformers

and radical revolutionaries, prohibiting both– this left violent revolution as the only means to promote change– Countries where those in power allowed some reform avoided

violent guerrilla movements (Costa Rica, Mexico to a lesser extent)

“Che” Guevara

• Foquismo: -Marxist ideas applied to Latin America-Idea that a small group of revolutionaries could ally themselves with rural peasantry and overthrow wealthy elites-Guerrilla leaders often well-educated, from cities, recruited from universities

• Ernesto “Che” Guevara, 1964 speech at UN-Why do you think his message resonated with so many Latin Americans?

Successful Socialist Revolutionsin Latin America

• Cuba 1959-– Social, economic rights at expense of political rights

• Nicaragua 1979-1990– Sandinistas defeated at the ballot box

• Almost-successful: FMLN in El Salvador, 1980-1992

• Questions about did “the people” support revolution

Attempts to achieve socialism without armed struggle– Chile under Allende– Venezuela under Chávez– El Salvador under Funes(?)

State terrorism

Are we romanticizing the revolution?Armed guerrillas responsible for violence, destruction, death;

should the state have sat by and let them have their way?– No, states required to protect populations, provide stability. But the

way guerrilla movements were combated is considered “state terrorism” for 2 reasons:

– States cast the net too wide, targeted people who were not involved in armed insurrection

– States used terror tactics against own population, including torture, disappearances, executions, and harassment to spread fear

• In most cases, state and paramilitary forces killed more people than guerrillas did– Peru is an important exception

The human rights movement

Human rights campaigns spoke out on behalf of victims of state terror, regardless of who they were– AI: prisoner of conscience

Routinely accused of “defending terrorists” (similar charges are made today)

Authoritarianism in perspective

Greg Grandin, The Last Colonial Massacre (2004):• In Latin America, many countries experienced democratizing reforms in the mid-

20th century– Extension of vote (to women, those without land)– Legalization of labor unions– Legalization of opposition parties, including socialists– Constitutions with guarantees of labor rights, social security– In many countries, populist or socialist parties elected to office

• Reactions to such reforms varied by country; often violent

• The authoritarian period in Latin America should be understood as a counterrevolution that reversed the democratic gains of mid-century

• Why did dictatorships happen? To reverse the gains made by popular masses in first wave of democracy

• Latin American democracies of mid-century included extensive provisions for social rights; today’s Latin American democracies are modeled on individual rights

Los Guaraguao, “Perdóneme Tío Juan/ Forgive me Uncle Juan”

Perdóneme Tío Juanpero se ve que no sabe nadalas cosas que yo le digose sienten en carne propiaque en tierra venezolanael imperialismo yankeehace lo que le da la gana¿es que usted no se ha paseadopor un campo petrolero?¿usted no ve que se llevanlo que es de nuestra tierra?y solo nos van dejandomiseria y sudor de obreroy solo nos van dejandomiseria y sudor de obrero

Forgive me Uncle JuanBut it´s clear you don´t know

anythingThe things that I´m telling you

aboutCan be felt in our own experience In Venezuela, Yankee imperialism Does whatever it pleasesHaven´t you passed byThe petroleum fields?Haven’t you seen how they takeWhat is ours?They only leave behindMisery and workers’ sweatThey only leave behind Misery and workers’ sweat

Los niñitos macilentosque habitan allá en los cerrosmas que vivir agonizanentreteniendo sus sueñosmas que vivir agonizanentreteniendo sus sueños.Contésteme Tío Juanno se me quede callado.Conteste si no hay razónen que sigamos luchandopor echar de nuestra Patria al

yankee que nos la quitay al lacayo que lo tapa ¿es que usted no se ha fijadolo que pasa con el hierro?nos pagan la toneladapor menos de tres centavos¡vamos a luchar, caramba!o nos quedamos sin cerro¡vamos a luchar, caramba!o nos quedamos sin cerro

The malnourished childrenThat live there in the hillsMore than living, they’re agonizingAs they entertain their dreamsMore than living, they’re agonizingAs they entertain their dreamsAnswer me Uncle JuanDon’t just stay silentAnswer me, isn’t there a reasonFor us to keep strugglingTo throw out of our countrythe yankee that takes it from usAnd the lackey that covers it upHaven’t you noticedWhat happens with the iron?They pay less than three centsFor the tonLet’s fight, damn it!Or we’ll be left without our landLet’s fight, damn it!Or we’ll be left without our land

No te dejes engañarcuando te hablen de

progresopor que tú te quedas flacoy ellos aumentan de pesopor que tú te quedas flacoy ellos aumentan de peso.

Contésteme Tío Juanno se me quede calladoconteste si no hay razónen que sigamos luchandopor echar de nuestra Patriaal yankee que nos la quitay al lacayo que lo tapa

Don’t be fooledWhen they talk about progressBecause you’ll stay skinnyWhile they gain weightBecause you’ll stay skinnyWhile they gain weight.

Answer me, Uncle Juan,Don’t just stay silentAnswer me, isn’t there a

reasonFor us to keep strugglingTo throw out of our countrythe yankee that takes it from

usAnd the lackey that covers it

up

¿Es que usted no se ha paseado

por un campo petrolero?¿Usted no ve que se llevanlo que es de nuestra tierra?y solo nos van dejandomiseria y sudor de obreroy solo nos van dejandomiseria y sudor de obrero.

Los niñitos macilentosque habitan allá en los cerrosmas que vivir agonizanentreteniendo sus sueñosmas que vivir agonizanentreteniendo sus sueños

Haven´t you passed byThe petroleum fields?Haven’t you seen how they takeWhat is ours?They only leave behindMisery and workers’ sweatThey only leave behind Misery

and workers’ sweat.

The malnourished childrenThat live there in the hillsMore than living, they’re

agonizingAs they entertain their dreamsMore than living, they’re

agonizingAs they entertain their dreams.

Communism vs. Capitalism: Different ways of dividing the pieCapitalism

-individuals pursuing self-interest is key to productivity: Adam Smith-individual freedom is paramount; the law of supply and demand is the best way to distribute resources-perfectly compatible with socioeconomic inequality

Communism-idea that capitalism is built on exploitation of working class (proletariat) by capitalist class (bourgeoisie) who own the means of production, and that capitalist society is inevitably exploitative-Communists seek to overthrow capitalist state through revolution and impose new communist order based on equality-In a communist society, social justice and equality more important than individual liberties

Socialism-usually does not aim to overthrow state but to elect reformers through

democratic channels and then impose reforms to more equally distribute resources among population

-usually aims at balance between social justice and liberties