Author: CHRISTIAN FIGUEROA

Categories
Research project 3: Latin America in the Cold War

Latin American Gestapo

By: Christian Figueroa

Link to National Security Archive: https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/32169-document-12-us-senate-subcommittee-international-operations-foreign-relations.

The Latin American Gestapo Is what I describe DINA (Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional) of Chile as well as other countries conducting their Operation Condor. These tactics were inherently familiar to tactics in which the Nazi gestapo used during World War II. in the report it demonstrates how Dina operated Within crossword as well as multinational level of 1984 surveillance of suspected terrorists and distance against the Pinochet as in military governments of Latin America. as well as Dina has some Direct relationship with former Nazi Affiliated figures. in which the evidence according to the report in which Nazi former members have colluded or participated in the Chilean dictatorship on exerting repression.

The reasons in which this was significant to Dina as well as the dictatorship of Chile was in an agreement with most South American countries who are colluded to conduct “Operation Condor” to conduct anti-communist repression within these countries and on the behalf of the United States and themselfs especially with the secretary of state Henry Kissinger to turn a blind eye to this state gestapo operation.

With Operation Condor many Latin American countries had International and interconnected networks established under the operation of each other’s intelligence agencies were ordered to find located assassins and make disappear High political and anti-government especially co Report on Activities of Certain Intelligence Agencies in the United Statesmmunist figures. The report remarks and highlights this “the exchange of intelligence and operational coordination allowed participating governments to achieve unprecedented reach and effectiveness in targeting opposition figures,” (Staff report” Top Secret/Sensitive, January 18, 1979) Which means it made it easier for Government intelligence agencies all have their own interconnected web of gestapo’s to the even International level as the report highlights they had several bases in “France and Madrid”. But focusing on DINA the amount of human rights violations in which the US turned a blind eye can also be highlighted for the fact that they are making this reports. However, it’s keeps in tops secrets and some of the reports black as to keep identity of people secrets still. This report was released as recent as the Obama administration. This imply that US didn’t want the public to hear or know about these incidents which suspicious because one fact the report is make light is former Nazi colonies in which DINA and Chilean government used for torture and repressing dissidence.

Nazi colonies or what is report on is “Certain colonies, such as Colonia Dignidad, acted as self-contained units of repressive support” (Staff report” Top Secret/Sensitive, January 18, 1979) this Nazi connection show far DINA and Chilean government to go into repressing dissidence to the point in which used former high ranking Nazi colonies which the report states “DINA has maintained a detention center· inside the Colony, and there are allegations that torture has taken place there. Allegations also have been made that German personnel, who are described as ex~Gestapo or ex-SS officers.” (Staff report” Top Secret/Sensitive, January 18, 1979) This highlights how far DINA and Chilean government are willing to go to repressing dissidence and to become the Latin American equivalent to the Gestapo and the seek support from the former Nazi themselves. This is important as by the end of the reports its talked about how DINA become more harmful then good to US. This by the end US see it as more to keep underground Nazi exile in work. However, DINA view necessary to to keeping these operations going and the US government turned eye as in the report many part crucial parts of the report talking about nazi redacted in blacked out.

What I view this as how extreme governments will take to prevent one sort of ideology from growing. The will resort to put measures the inhumane and even use inhumane methods in history to maintain control. This report shows how far DINA is willing to go to repressing. And because of this they will even use former Nazi oppressors to repress.

U.S. Senate, Subcommittee on International Operations, Foreign Relations Committee. Staff Report on Activities of Certain Intelligence Agencies in the United States. Top Secret/Sensitive, January 18, 1979.

Categories
Research project 2: Images of Latin America in the late 1800s and early 1900s

Bananas for Bananas 

Transporting bananas. (1890).https://library.search.tulane.edu/discovery/delivery/01TUL_INST:Tulane/12432877960006326

What the image is demonstrating is the late 1800s farming technology development within Latin America for the purpose of providing Americans products.  This is happening in Costa Rica and it’s demonstrating how new technologies could revolutionize the transport and harvesting of the bananas within the United companies plantations. What the images also portray is the positive attitude towards an economy of export from the Nations in Latin America.

The reasons for implementing this technology by the United Fruit Company was and could be a result of companies agreeing with the local government  to win political favors within the production and plantations of that land for profit. This may be good for the workers in those plantations as you can see. It demonstrates one of the workers writing the mechanism back to the plantation; it may not inherently be for the workers interests but more or less the interest of the government and the United Fruit Company. With gaining political favors with the local governments of Latin America they could stop taxes or land reform if they have influence Within the economy and also contribute to the simulation of the economy of these countries. For example within the reading United Fruit Company mentioned that “In return for agreeing to build and operate railroads, the fruit companies secured access to vast amounts of soil, timber, and water resources in addition to enjoying exemptions from import duties on construction materials, machinery, and other items, including consumer goods, used by their operations” (line 391 Soluri, John) This highlights how the interest of the United Fruit Company may have not been any interest of the local governments and that could translate towards the image and which is being demonstrated how this technology is not for making the workers better but to increase efficiency for the companies. 

Why is this important to highlight how the company United Fruit is treating its plantations and how they’re running things within Latin America. This image highlights an important key aspect of how the increase of American influence Within Latin America could be translated through the Americans’ appetite. The American Appetite can demonstrate how interconnected this image has and the Americans and Latin America relationships.  It shows that Latin America depends on exporting  raw goods and materials to help manage the economy of their countries. Which shows how Americans depend on these goods for their everyday nutrition and consumption as well as luxury. 

And to conclude this image is very strong and demonstrates the new development of neo-colonial economies that America’s imposing on companies. This could be similar to how the British use companies to control India instead of the government having the say over what to do with colonies. This also demonstrates the Latin American government’s willingness to seek growth through export but also letting exploitation of their land for the growing of their Nation which you can take it as governments  using Spanish tactics of land cultivation but also using modern technology and globalization to export these goods for growth.

Cites
Soluri, John. “Accounting for Taste: Export Bananas, Mass Markets, and Panama Disease.” Environmental History, vol. 7, no. 3, 2002, pp. 386–410. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3985915. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

Categories
Research project 1: Visualizing Latin American independence

Plano de la Ciudad de Santiago

By: Christian Figueroa

The plans for the building of the capital of Chile Santiago. This map demonstrates The colonial urban planning of the Spanish Empire and how Santiago Chile is a prime example of how Spanish layouts were performed and made during the 18th century. The map provides us with a visual representation and information of how Spanish urban planning was based on Colonial Administration and social hierarchy throughout Latin America. 

The Urban Design of the map of Santiago demonstrates a pattern with Spanish legal code and how they govern urban planning throughout the colonies. They commonly used grid-based systems of layout. Which reflected Spain’s control over their colonial colonies and territories as well as their methods of Imposing order. The grip pattern  created an effective way to manage cities and  facilitate administrative control as well as provide religious and Commercial activities. For example if you look at  land marker a it shows a Center Square plaza where nothing is built and this indicates that it’s the center of the city. This also reflects the religious power of Catholicism that has a hold on  Spanish Urban Planning As demonstrated on landmark number one there’s a cathedral located next to the plaza. This provides a key indicator on which and where government buildings will also be built and where centralized control of the town will be administered. This can also symbolize both the spiritual and Administrative power that has over the center town. 

The spiritual power is also a demonstration of how the Catholic Church within Colonial urban planning is embedded and intertwined with the creation of many of the towns around Latin America. The Reason why is because the relationship institutions served a big role in Colonial governance  for example Catholic Church  administrative bookkeeping throughout the colony for example keeping baptismal records and historical documentation of current events. You can see throughout the town you have the central Cathedral labeled by landmarker 1 as well as landmark number 11 demonstrating the “Noviciado de los Jesuitas”. The placements are very key to colonial power structure as it demonstrates governance and religious institutions and infrastructure are closely intertwined and held at high levels of power.

 This leads to social structure because of urban planning. The map demonstrates to us the centralized control of people’s lives. The town is built upon filtering people into the Center Plaza and then throughout the town. As well as how social hierarchy is placed within the capital of Santiago. By looking at the center plaza and the buildings that are located around it you can make an inference. The people who are held in high regard are concentrated within the areas of the Central Plaza, those being Colonial Elites which include Spanish settlers administrators like the Creoles and clergy. Therefore, from walking away from the center of town you start to filter out those Elites and get into more areas in which lower classes or indigenous populations could be living. 

There is a Roman comparison in which Romans viewed that people of Rome or within Italy that they were themselves held as Civilized then those leaving the outskirts of Roman empire. The Romans viewed those living outside or on the outskirts of the Empire as barbaric backwards and needing to be civilized. If you were to compare how the Spanish controlled their colonies and administered it, it’s similar to how the Romans did it when expanding their empire. I find that this key detail is very important as colonization reflects similarly to how Romans expanded their empire .

citation
https://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~633~510006:Plano-de-la-Ciudad-de-Santiago-Capi?sort=image_date%2Csubject_groups&qvq=q:plano;sort:image_date%2Csubject_groups;lc:JCB~1~1&mi=13&trs=18