While many of us are passionate about our desire for a secure America, we must not allow our passion to blind our judgment and block us from the truth. There is an ongoing discussion in the news media about a perceived threat to our security coming from our neighbors to the south. This perceived threat, however, is only a myth.Latin America?s history of “radical governments” mostly refers to the various puppet regimes installed by the U.S. government to support the interests and operations of American companies, including the exploitation of workers all over Central and South America.
The left-wing extremists in Nicaragua who emerged in the 1970s were not extremists by any means. The Sandinista revolution of 1979 was made up of university students, intellectuals, workers and people from all walks of life who wanted to free Nicaragua from the oppressive rule of the U.S.-supported 40 year Somoza family dictatorship.
Some Americans actually give thanks to President Reagan for directing the CIA to launch a covert war against (or contra) the good people of Nicaragua.
During the 1980s President Reagan allegedly sold arms to Iran illegally in order to fund his Contra War. I imagine those arms are still in Iran, which has been labeled by President Bush as a state sponsor of terror and part of the “axis of evil.” So why is it again that we should thank President Reagan?
Presently in Nicaragua, 50 percent of the population is under the age of 20. Members of the older generations were either lucky enough to flee the country or were massacred by the Reagansupported contra troops from Costa Rica and Honduras. I lived and studied in Nicaragua for four months, and not a single person I met wanted to thank President Reagan for his actions.
In reference to Hugo Chavez and Venezuela, on Aug. 16, 2004, a national referendum was held to determine whether he should be recalled as president. According to the Washington Post, 58 percent of voters said “no” to the recall, while 42 percent said “yes.”
This gave Chavez a clear mandate to continue leading the nation. The referendum was endorsed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and representatives of the Organization of American States, effectively stripping the label of “dictator” from Mr. Chavez.
On April 20 of this past week ,the world witnessed the people of Ecuador take to the streets to remove the unjust and corrupt leader, Lucio Gutierrez. The removal of Gutierrez demonstrates the will of the masses to control their own fate and that of their nation.
In Cuba, while at one time the Soviet-Cuban political alignment was perceived as a grave danger, that threat has long since passed. For the record, I am quite sure that our own massive nuclear arsenal has been perceived as a grave danger to many people around the world as well.
There was an old saying mentioned in last week?s issue of The Quad proclaiming “if you are not outraged, then you have not been paying attention.” The truth is that many of us ARE paying attention, and we are outraged by the radical actions and policies of the U.S. government toward the great nations of Latin America and many others around the globe. Latin America presents absolutely no threat to our security.
South America is not “ripe for terrorist organizations” as some in the media suggest. If anything, I am afraid it is the United States who is guilty of terrorizing Latin America for far too long.
John Keith is a student at West Chester majoring in Spanish and American Studies.