Lesson 4: Latin America

Lesson Focus

Latin American nations have long fought oppression and poverty. We will explore their shift toward democracy and reform, while examining persistent challenges like inequality and violence that continue to shape their future.

People to Know

Michelle Bachelet, Fidel Castro, Vicente Fox

Learning Objectives

• Describe the political and social changes in Mexico during the 1990s and 2000s, including the end of one-party rule.
• Explain how social and political issues have impacted Caribbean and Central American nations since the end of the Cold War.
• Analyze how economic issues, like income inequality and trade, have affected South American countries after the Cold War.

In the 1990s, Mexicans grew tired of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) due to corruption and economic problems.

This led to the historic 2000 election, where Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) defeated the PRI candidate, ending 71 years of one-party rule.

Pay special attention to this outcome: Mexico developed a true multiparty system, with the PAN and other parties now able to challenge the PRI for power.

High poverty and corruption created an environment where powerful drug cartels could flourish, trafficking drugs into the United States.

In 2006, President Felipe Calderón launched a military campaign against these cartels, but the action dramatically increased violence.

As a result, the drug war has caused immense bloodshed, with over 164,000 people killed between 2007 and 2014, posing a severe challenge to Mexico’s government and society.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 crippled Cuba’s economy, which depended on Soviet aid.

Seeking to recover, Cuba’s government under Raúl Castro began a process of normalization of relations with the United States in 2014. This led to the reopening of embassies in 2015.

While diplomatic ties are restored, the U.S. trade embargo remains a major hurdle, as ending it requires approval from the U.S. Congress.

Countries like El Salvador and Honduras continue to suffer from poverty, gang violence, and political instability following past civil wars and coups.

These conditions fuel a cycle of violence, with gangs controlling communities and contributing to some of the world's highest murder rates.

Note that this constant danger and lack of opportunity forces many people to emigrate, while governments struggle to establish lasting security and peace for their citizens.

Frustration with large gaps in income inequality and a desire for social reform drove a political shift in South America during the late 1990s and 2000s.

Voters in countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Peru elected left-wing leaders who promised to help the poor and expand social programs.

These governments had mixed results: Brazil initially saw its middle class grow, while Argentina faced new debt crises and political scandals.

As a notable exception, Chile focused on stable economic policies and social reform to address its challenges.

Under leaders like Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s first female president, the government used copper revenues to fund social programs aimed at reducing income inequality and signed many free trade agreements.

As a result, Chile achieved significant economic growth and low inflation, becoming one of the most prosperous and stable nations in South America.