Lesson 21: US Intervention in Central America Part 2

April 1, 2021

Zoom meeting link

Review:

• Discussion protocol
• Perceptions of Mexico
• Nicaragua

Presentation:

• Intro to Harvest of Empire (03:00-4:10)
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEAJWs3GiJU
  • Premise: US interventions in Latin America have resulted in increased levels of emigration/immigration
  • Historic Northern Border of Mexico = Arkansas River https://www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/borderlands
• El Salvador (1:07:30-1:18:45)
  • Salvadoran Military
    • Assassinated Bishop Óscar Romero (recently canonized)
    • Raped and murdered 4 American nuns
    • Slaughtered entire villages
    • Many leaders trained by the US Military, in the US (School of the Americas)
    • Backed and financed by the US govt
  • MS-13
    • Started in LA in the 1980s by Salvadorans who fled civil war
• Guatemala (11:40-18:30)
  • Post-WWII had progressive government enacting land reform
  • CIA infiltration and overthrow of government
  • Brutal repression of political opponents and indigenous population
  • Over 200,000 killed and 50,000 missing during decades of turmoil
  • Majority of victims were indigenous Mayan
    • Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu
  • Documented evidence that death squads were supported and trained by CIA

Discussion:

• Did these interventions contribute to today’s instability in the region?
• Does the US have any legal/moral obligation to accept immigrants from the region?

Assignment:

• Have a good weekend