Latin American Development in Historical Perspective

Nicolás Grinberg

Historical Materialism | April 05, 2023

Abstract

The paper challenges mainstream theories of Latin American development, showing their theoretical weaknesses and pointing to their role in ideologically mediating the region’s ‘truncated’ capitalism. To that end, the paper presents an alternative view of Latin American development that starts by considering capitalist social reproduction as a worldwide process and regional/national politico-economic development as mediations in the structuring of global capital accumulation. Latin America’s specific variety of capitalism is understood to have emerged from its original transformation by expanding European capital into a place to produce raw materials under favourable natural conditions. On the one hand, this has reduced their price and that of the labour-power directly or indirectly consuming them; on the other, it has resulted in a flow of surplus-value towards the owners of those natural conditions of production. The historical development of Latin American societies has expressed the partial overcoming of that antagonistic relationship between rent-paying capital and rent-appropriating landed property.

Latin America rejects coup in Peru, while US supports unelected regime killing protesters

At least 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have condemned the coup in Peru, backing President Pedro Castillo. The unelected regime, which has killed dozens of protesters, has the staunch support of the US and the region’s right wing.

Ben Norton

Multipolarista | December 20, 2022

More than a dozen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have condemned the coup in Peru and backed democratically elected President Pedro Castillo.

Meanwhile, the US government has staunchly supported the coup regime, which has suspended civil liberties, imprisoned Castillo for 18 months without trial, and unleashed extreme violence on Peruvian protesters, killing dozens and wounding hundreds.

Peru coup: CIA agent turned US ambassador met with defense minister day before president overthrown

The US ambassador in Peru, Lisa Kenna, worked for the CIA for 9 years, as well as the Pentagon. One day before the coup against elected left-wing President Pedro Castillo, Kenna met with Peru’s defense minister, who then ordered the military to turn against Castillo.

Ben Norton

Multipolarista | December 14, 2022

The US ambassador in Peru, a veteran CIA agent named Lisa Kenna, met with the country’s defense minister just one day before democratically elected left-wing President Pedro Castillo was overthrown in a coup d’etat and imprisoned without trial.

Peru’s defense minister, a retired brigadier general, ordered the military to turn against Castillo.

Buenos Aires Streets Full of Joy to Receive the Argentine Team

teleSUR | December 20, 2022

Obelisk on 9 de Julio avenue, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec. 20, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/ @elnuevomariscal

Currently, the city of Buenos is chaotic due to the presence of thousands of people on the avenues through which the bus carrying the Argentine team could travel.

On Tuesday, thousands of fans overflow the streets of Buenos Aires to receive the players of the Argentine team who return after consecrating themselves as “World Champions” in Qatar 2022.

Their caravan left amid an explosion of joy, tears, and songs from citizens who camped on the outskirts of the Argentine Football Association’s stadium, in the Buenos Aires province.

Initially, it was expected that their bus would start its way along General Paz avenue, continue along Lugones avenue, and arrive at the Obelisk on 9 de Julio avenue.

How Argentina has been trapped in neocolonial debt for 200 years: An economic history

Argentina has constantly been trapped over two centuries in unpayable external debt owed to foreign imperial powers. This affects the everyday life of everyone: inflation, salaries, employment, public services, elections. Here is a brief history of the deuda.

Esteban Almiron

Multipolarista | December 18, 2022

The deuda (“debt” in Spanish) is one of the most persistent elements in the two centuries of Argentina’s history. It has conditioned the political life and the economy of the country like no other factor, for generations.

But this should not be confused with just any debt. The word deuda normally refers to the external debt (both public and private), a debt owed to foreign creditors.

Historically, the key aspect of the deuda is that it is based on a foreign currency, the world trade currency controlled by the ruling empire. It was once the British pound. Since 1944 it has largely been the US dollar.

Argentina’s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner survives an assassination attempt

The attack, which shook the country, was widely condemned by numerous political leaders and social activists from around the world

Tanya Wadhwa

People’s Dispatch | September 02, 2022

Argentine Vice President, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, thanking supporters who have gathered outside her home since last week in her support in the face of ongoing judicial and political persecution against her. (Photo:Cristina Fernández de Kirchner/Twitter)

On Thursday, September 1, Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after a man aimed a handgun at point-blank range at her, but the gun did not fire.

The incident took place outside Fernández de Kirchner’s home in Buenos Aires’ Recoleta neighborhood, where hundreds of protesters have been gathered since last week to express their support for the former president in the face of the judicial and political persecution against her.

Fernández de Kirchner was greeting supporters outside her home, after returning from the senate, when a man emerged from the crowd, raised a handgun to her face, and attempted to shoot, but the gun seemed to misfire. The incident was captured by television cameras that were at the scene.

Maduro congratulates Colombia and Petro after his assumption as president

Invites the new Colombian president to rebuild the brotherhood between both peoples

Aurig Hernandez

Últimas Noticias | August 07, 2022

The President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, congratulated the Colombian people and Gustavo Petro after his inauguration as President of Colombia, this Sunday in the city of Bogotá.

Through his Twitter account, the Head of State greeted the Colombian people and their new president.

«I extend my hand to President Gustavo Petro and the Colombian people, to rebuild brotherhood on the basis of respect and love. Let’s take advantage of this second opportunity mentioned by the new President of Colombia, for the sake of happiness and peace. Congratulations!” Maduro posted.

Tiendo mi mano al Presidente Gustavo Petro y al pueblo colombiano, para reconstruir la hermandad sobre la base del respeto y el amor. Aprovechemos esta segunda oportunidad que menciona el nuevo Presidente de Colombia, por el bien de la felicidad y la Paz. ¡ Felicidades! pic.twitter.com/tcC8LUP4uk

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) August 7, 2022

Petro’s position on Venezuela allows to refresh relations

The historian Ydelfonso Finol visualizes a process of diplomatic normalization

Robert Araujo

Últimas Noticias | July 24, 2022

Finol affirmed that the brotherhood between Caracas and Bogotá is still valid

By recognizing Nicolás Maduro as the constitutional president of Venezuela, the elected president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, opens a door for a refreshing of bilateral relations, historian Ydelfonso Finol said on Sunday.

“It is interesting that Petro said that the constitutional president of Venezuela is Nicolás Maduro. This allows a refreshing of relations between Venezuela and Colombia, and the normalization of contact between the embassies of our nations », he said during the program Here with Ernesto, broadcast on VTV.

He asserted that the brotherhood between Caracas and Bogotá is still in force, since it was determined by the Liberator Simón Bolívar, who this Sunday celebrates 239 years of his birth.

Venezuela stands in solidarity with Argentina in its just claim of the Malvinas

On Saturday, Argentina asked the United Kingdom to abandon its military presence in the archipelago.

Últimas Noticias | April 03, 2022

Venezuela expressed its solidarity with the Argentine people, for their claim to the Malvinas Islands, on the 40th anniversary of the military confrontation between Argentina and the United Kingdom for control of the South Atlantic archipelago.

“Commemorating 40 years of the Malvinas War, Venezuela reaffirms, together with the member countries of CELAC, its solidarity with the people and Government of Argentina in its just territorial claim over the Malvinas Islands, a legacy of European colonialism in our continent” Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia wrote on Twitter.

2021 Latin America and the Caribbean in Review: The Pink Tide Rises Again

Roger D. Harris

Orinoco Tribune | January 01, 2022

US policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean continued in a seamless transition from Trump to Biden, but the terrain over which it operated shifted left. The balance between the US drive to dominate its “backyard” and its counterpart, the Bolivarian cause of regional independence and integration, continued to tip portside in 2021 with major popular electoral victories in Chile, Honduras, and Peru. These follow the previous year’s reversal of the coup in Bolivia. 

Central has been the struggle of the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America) countries – particularly Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua – against the asphyxiating US blockade and other regime-change measures. Presidential candidate Biden pledged to review Trump’s policy of US sanctions against a third of humanity. The presumptive intention of the review was to ameliorate the human suffering caused by these unilateral coercive measures, considered illegal under international law. Following the review, Biden has instead tightened the screws, more effectively weaponizing the COVID crisis.