Cocalero

    I would first like to say that in my previous blog I stated that Goni was the best Presidential candidate for Bolivia. I stand corrected. After watching Cocalero, Evo Morales is a not only a better leader but fits the make-up for what the future of South American politics will become.

    Morales, an Aymara Indian, grew up in a small coca growing community. Early in his life he was exposed to Union’s and an early hint of politics. Cocalero follows Evo’s 2005 Presidential campaign. He is backed by a very powerful coca farmer’s union, formed in response to the United States push to end the leaf’s production and exportation as a drug. From interviews in the movie, many local farmers are losing out on their only means of income, even though they are not the ones turning a profit from cocaine. Evo is a figure head in a political revolution for the indigenous Indians through out Latin America; protecting their ancestral rights to their territory and rights to rule themselves.

    A movement for better Indigenous political rights has been gaining support since the early 90’s. In Les Field’s report on the Pan-Indian uprising, he states that Ecuador experienced first signs of indigenous agency in the early 1990’s. 160 Indians led a revolt over a land dispute in 6 highland provinces. They infiltrated the Santo Domingo Cathedral and demanded that their land be given back to the indigenous communities. This uprising led to a country wide revolt in which Indians barricaded multiple Pan-American highways and other major roads; along with taking many police and local officials’ hostage (Field, 39). The fight for Indigenous rights was growing support, and continued in a 1992 march; again in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. 2000 Indigenous Indians protested the Ecuadorian state, disputing property rights and conservation of their land. From Suzana Sawyer’s article, The 1992 Indian Mobilization in Lowland Ecuador, “the march revived dormant lowland-highland alliances and momentarily exposed the possibilities for transforming race and ethnic relations within Ecuadorian society” (Sawyer, 66). These uprising are the beginnings of a political transformation in Latin America. Leaders like Che Guevara and Evo Morales are hero’s who fight for the freedom and heritage of the people who have lived in Latin America for centuries.

    No longer will people like Goni lead Latin America society. Citizens are becoming more out spoken and educated in creating new political standards. Evo won the 2005 election by over a 50 percent majority; an unheard of winning margin. His victory clearly shows that the indigenous people are becoming a greater factor in Latin American politics and that their rights will continue to be disputed until they are justly spoken for in society.   

Our Brand is Crisis

   The American educated Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, ran for a second term of Presidency in Bolivia in 2002; having early served from 1993-1997. More common referred to as “Goni”, Lozada with the help of an American campaign consulting group named GCS (Greenberg, Carville, Shrum), won the 2002 election by one of the closest margins anyone in politics has seen. Our Brand is Crisis tells the story of Goni’s strategies implemented by the GCS, his victory, and a short rule as president before his resignation.

   A crisis over unemployment was one of the primary issue facing Bolivia’s government in 2002. GCS and Goni promoted the phrase “Crisis”, and stated that ending the crisis would be Goni’s main goal once elected. The citizen’s of Bolivia wanted to be heard and many went to the streets in protest, believing that it was their only way for the government to hear their opinion. However to Goni, the public’s opinion was an uneducated one and he believed his emergency revitalization plan created the best future for Bolivia. Goni lost a lot of respect from the public after this negative comment was reported from the media. One of Goni’s toughest opponents, Evo Morales, used his closer relationship with the citizens of Bolivia to gain more votes and support from the. Goni spent his childhood and schooling in the United States, where he learned modern ideals of a successful economy. He was able to overcome his diminishing relationship with Bolivians from the help of the GCS. The GCS used a combination of modern polling, focus groups, and campaigning strategies in creating a powerful image, specifically focusing on his experience of already serving as President. Goni was able to capture enough votes to beat both Evo Morales and Manfred Reyes. Once elected, implementing the emergency plan proved to be difficult due to a lack of public cooperation. After serving in office for under a year, Goni resigned to cease having more bloodshed in Bolivia over the gas conflict; a dispute that continues today.                   

   

   Bolivia sits on a large natural gas reserve creating potential for trade and foreign investment. During Goni’s first run as President he initiated many reforms in Bolivia. One of which was a capitalization reform creating five privately owned state companies in hopes of creating more capital in Bolivia with out having more corruption. With what foreign investment Bolivia garnered, much of the profit never reached the economic infrastructure of the country. Much of this investment came from the United States and other economically advanced countries. Termed the “Washington Consensus”, the entirety of this foreign investment was to create a more stable environment in Latin America. However, a mismanaged use of capitol and funding could not create a better economy and the consensus on Latin America crumbled. For Bolivia to ultimately create a successful economy, the government must try to diversify and become less reliant on natural gas and other minerals.  

La virgen de los sicaros

    Our Lady of the Assassins tells the story of violence in the city of Medellin, Colombia. We follow the love story of an older man named Fernando and a young boy named Alexis. Alexis reintroduces Fernando to city life, showing its harshness and new age of killing. This story takes place during the reign of the Medellin Cartel; under control of Pablo Escobar. Escobar uses his wealth from drug trafficking to hire assassins to carry out his killings and to keep control of the city.

    Ricardo Vargas describes why mafia rule continues in cities like Medellin. Through violence, mafia’s can establish their control. People are afraid of being targeted and killed, so they avoid conflict with the local power. The mafia also possesses extended political and economic power (Vargas, 107). Escobar was able to infiltrate and influence the Liberal Party. He also controlled the Cocaine trade, which at the time was one of largest exports in Columbia (30%) (Hylton, 68). The Medellin Cartel could afford thousands of assassins; far too many for the local government to oppress, we don’t see any examples of police involvement in the movie. Controlling the streets allowed the cartel act at their own digression; killing who ever they needed to with out repercussion. Alexis was dumbfounded when Fernando told him he didn’t know who Pablo Escobar was and the Medellin Cartel; however it didn’t take long for Fernando to experience the cartels work.

    Fernando states in the beginning of the movie that he is an anti-violence activist. However his ideals are changed as Alexis shows the power of the gun in Medellin. Hits are out against the Alexis and he saves their lives by gunning down two potential assassins. More random violence continues to take place. Fernando witnesses a car theft and murder; along with another random murder in the city. Fernando realizes what it takes to survive in Medellin, eventually giving Alexis a case of bullets. Violence would catch up to Fernando and Alexis. Alexis is murdered and Fernando is left to find another partner.

    Through the “Andean Strategy”, the U.S. has given aid to Andean governments to combat drug production and guerilla violence. Under the Bush administration in 2003, the U.S. gave almost $500 million in military and police aid. Eventually the U.S. was on the brink of direct involvement with the guerillas and the Columbian Civil War. In hopes of stopping direct involvement, the U.S.-Colombia came to an end-use agreement, which would continue to give aid to courter narcotics but not anti-guerrilla units (Evans, War in Columbia). In the movie we don’t seen any military or police involvement. Director Barbet Schroeder may have intentionally done this to show how ineffective the government’s role in stopping violence truly was. In a city like Medellin, true power comes in the form of bullets and control from the cartels.       

Cocaine Cowboys

     Cocaine use in the United States boomed in the mid-1960s. New York and Miami became drug havens for both consumers and distributors. What launched the cocaine drug trade can be traced to its manufacturing origins in the Andean countries of Peru, Bolivia, and Columbia, and continuing in Chile, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, and into Mexico.

     In the early 1900’s cocaine could be medically prescribed by doctors for patients who needed more energy; long term affects of the drugs use had yet to be discovered. However by 1911, United States headed a world wide campaign to end cocaine’s drug abuse. In 1922 the U.S. had ceased importation of cocaine, and soon had the League of Nation’s in an anti-cocaine movement. After World War II, the U.S. tried to force South American governments to halt cocaine’s production by giving military aid but the drug’s production became one of the largest exports many of the countries had to offer.

    During the 1950’s, the Huallaga Valley was cocaine central in Peru. Cocaine leaves grew abundantly through out the valley where peasants could sell the leaves to the few organized manufactures of exportable cocaine. To this point the U.S. only saw a few cases of cocaine smuggling, but many narcotics agents began interrogating smugglers who stated Peru, along with other South American countries, was wide open for buying and selling cocaine. What was once a small industry; cocaine manufacturing grew into a much bigger business compared to the individual and opportunistic trade it was before. In Coletta Youngers’ article titled Collateral Damage, she introduces drug trade as squeezing a balloon. With the help of governmental intervention and the spread of a timely fungus to many coca plants cocaine production in Peru decreased; thus Colombia  experienced their own cocaine manufacturing explosion. Later, once the Medellín cartel was exposed their business was replaced by the Cali cartel, which was then replaced by smaller regional cocaine manufacturers. As long as the market for selling drugs is there; drug traffickers will continue to thrive creating more violence and crime in Latin America and the United States.

     Cocaine Cowboys focused on one import/export group that trafficked billions of dollars worth of illicit drugs through Miami. The ease of their operation leads me to believe that there must be multiple more operations similar to theirs still in business today. Had it not been for one man giving the details of their operations to the DEA; they could still be in business. Through programs like the “Andean Initiative” and “Plan Columbia”, the U.S. is focusing on destroying the source of drug production. However these programs have had little success in decreasing the amount of drug use in the states, and funding these programs becomes less justifiable. The U.S. is fighting a war against drug smuggling but with out having one true enemy; finishing the war will be continuing struggle.

Bus 174

        “And I thought that we are so screwed in this country that the only option left to us in the end is thanking the thieves.” This quote from Alberto Ramos in, The Drive-by Victim, ironically shows how chaotic the criminal justice system is in South America; more specifically in the highly populated cities.

        Bus 174 tells the story of Sandro Rosa do Nascimento, a man from Rio de Janerio. In his early life, he witnessed his mother’s murder and was forced to a life on the streets. As a deserted youth, he ended up in jail and eventually found a family at Candelaria; an old historic church in Rio de Janerio. There Sandro created friendships and was able to survive. However, on July 23, 1993, the Brazilian police shot on Sandro and his friends, allegedly killing eight and wounding more. He cites that this massacre was his reason for taking hostages on Bus 174.

       From previous movies and readings, South American countries are becoming urbanized and governments do not have enough resources to safely protect its citizens. Thieves can continually rob and live well enough to continue and forgo searching for a real job. The police force is undermanned and underfunded. Bus 174 documents jail life in Rio, showing an overcrowded cell with inmates who are undernourished. One man stated that he was from another country and had been in jail eight months past his release date; he exclaimed, “I’d rather be dead than in this jail.” Leaders in the government are hoping to establish “modernity” through out South America. President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement which opened up better trade relations between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Several local Mexicans view this transition to modernity negatively because of Mexico’s unique history with out the nuances other advanced countries benefited from. However modernization is a necessity for progress, otherwise actions like Sandros will continue to occur. Through T.V. coverage, Sandros was able to bring light to his situation. Through movies like Bus 174, more people have been immersed in the problems South America is facing today.

        I believe they are moving in the right direction. Mexico’s subway is now one of the longest urban railways in the world. Citizens are able to commute to their place of work more efficiently, and fewer workers will have to travel through the city. In 2014 Brazil will host the FIFA World Cup, which will boost the economy tremendously. Two years after, Rio de Janiero will host the Olympics. These events will force the government to clean up the streets of the cities, improve hotels, and increase funding to the police force, which will in turn improve the quality of life in South America.

Cidade de Deus

          The City of God introduces its audience into the world of crime in Ghettos in Brazil. Commonly called Favelas, these poor shantytowns are spread through out the suburbs around Rio de Janeiro. From 1940 to 1969, Rio experienced an increase in urbanization and population in the city and surrounding areas. Up until 1947, the most common area of work in Brazil was a Lavrador, or farm hand. Many of these farm hands were former slaves who lived on plantations. However due to a lack in the advancement in mechanization technology and an increase in labor intensive health issues; the production of rice, sugarcane, and oranges decreased by almost one-half. Thus many workers were forced to immigrate to the city and the surrounding areas for any work that they could find. This immigration led to the expanses of poor ghettos, and here we find the subject of Cidade de Deus.

            In the beginning of the movie we are introduced to a famous local trio who rob local business to support themselves, friends, and family. Crime in the Favelas increased due to population growth and a consistent lack of steady jobs. According to Julio César Pino in his article, “Labor in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro, 1940-1969”, the population in the ghetto can be split into three distinct elements. First is the proletariat: who were citizens holding stable employment with steady wages, most likely living around the city before mass migration. Secondly, the subproletarians: who worked short-term jobs with out contracts, steady wages, and job security. And lastly, the majority of the ghetto consisted of the unemployed. This distinction in class led to violence, forcing youth to lead a life of crime and drug trafficking. The main character Rocket lived in a family that would be classified as subproletarians. His father didn’t have a steady job, but made a living selling fish in the Favelas. Rocket doesn’t want to carry on his father’s profession but dreams of becoming a photographer. His brother is a member in the crime trio, who becomes a hero to young rocket and his friends, and becomes a model for continuing crime in the Favelas. Eventually the youth become old enough to think and kill for themselves and a new generation of crime lords is formed. We see this trend with the rise and fall of Li’l Zé; to the creation of a gang of “runts” who decide it is their turn to run the ghetto and regulate drug trade. This never ending cycle of killing continues with out a better future of work and school in the City of God. Rocket is able to find a career, but the majority of youth will continue to be trapped in a life of crime.

Che, Part 1

              Ernesto Guevara has been the focus of our class for the last two weeks. We have seen his character grow from a youthful traveler to a radical revolutionary. Some of his character transition can be attributed to worldly issues occurring at the time. After the Second World War, South America’s economic and political identity became more defined. Due to an increase in guaranteed foreign trade, Mexico and the rest of South America gained much needed revenue increase. President of Mexico, Miguel Alemán was committed to capitalistic expansion and creating closer ties with the United States. Along with Mexico, Guatemala and Argentina experienced an increase in foreign capital investment. However, with an increase in capital comes an increase in greed, and an ensuing war broke out through out South America.

            There is a time gap between the Ernesto Guevara we see in Motorcycle Diaries and the man we see in Che. According to Jorge Castańeda who wrote a biography of Che, he states that Guevara was a “wandering photographer, underpaid medical researcher, a man in permanent exile, and an insignificant husband.” His time away from his family in Mexico was the final staging in creating the revolutionary duo of “Che and Fidel”, a team that would forever reshape the political identity of South America. 

            The movie Che introduces Guevara in his intense recruiting and training of his soldiers in guerrilla warfare. He is portrayed as a strong and pragmatic leader. His revolutionaries are completely under his command, they must adhere to his policies or they are ordered to return home or be executed. Guevara is a military genius in this type of warfare. In his, Guerrilla warfare: A method, he explains the guerrilla is the vanguard of the people, and for them to be successful they must have the support of the local peasants and workers. In the movie, three guerrillas wander away from Che’s group and harass a local family. Once they are found they are executed as examples to the rest of the soldiers; this sort of action is not tolerated under Guevara’s rule. From these examples, Che is able to maintain discipline in his regimes allowing his soldiers to function as a whole and under the command of their leader Che Guevara.

            The end of the movie we see victory for Che and the revolutionaries. In the victory scene a guerrilla asks Che what they are suppose to do now, and Che says they will make their way to Havana a city that until then they could not control. With Fidel Castro in power, they worked to create a better sense of social nationalism for Cuba. The revolution’s success is rightfully credited to Ernesto Guevara, and until his execution by Bolivian soldiers, he was the image of revolution and a more prosperous future to the many youth in South America.