Alianza para el progreso - Cápsula contra el olvido CAP 07

Summary

The video script discusses the Alliance for Progress, a strategic program initiated by the United States in Latin America post-World War II during the Cold War. Aimed at countering communism's spread, it was presented as an economic aid plan to foster political stability and development in Latin American countries. Despite its altruistic facade, it had underlying intentions of continental domination. President John F. Kennedy announced the initiative in 1961, leading to its formalization in Uruguay. Che Guevara's intervention highlighted the program's imperialistic undertones. The Alliance allocated $20 billion in public and private funds and international credit for Latin America from 1961 to 1970, with goals including economic growth, industrialization, literacy, education, health, and housing improvements. It also spurred guerrilla movements and political shifts in the region.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The Alliance for Progress was a strategic program implemented by the United States in Latin America after World War II during the Cold War.
• 🛡️ It was designed as a non-military strategy to prevent the spread of communism in the American continent following the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
• 📢 The program was presented as an economic aid plan to help Latin America achieve political stability and contribute to the development of these countries.
• 🏛️ In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced the creation of the Alliance for Progress in a speech to Latin American ambassadors.
• 🗣️ Che Guevara, representing Cuba, denounced the Alliance at the Organization of American States meeting, claiming it was intended to separate Cuba from other Latin American nations and sterilize the Cuban Revolution's example.
• 🇨🇺 Cuba was expelled from the Organization of American States in 1962 due to its opposition to the Alliance for Progress.
• 🔄 Amidst the tension, there were guerrilla movements inspired by Cuba and anti-communist coups in several Latin American countries.
• 🤝 The Alliance aimed to develop resources across the hemisphere to help free men and governments escape poverty, as stated by Kennedy.
• 💰 The Alliance allocated 20 billion dollars in public funds, private investment, and international credit for aid to Latin America from 1961 to 1970.
• 🏗️ In Colombia, the Alliance helped fund the construction of a housing development called Ciudad Tejo, which was later renamed Ciudad Kennedy.
• 📊 The Alliance had around 12 objectives for the decade, including achieving a 2.5% annual per capita growth rate, diversifying Latin American economies, accelerating industrialization, eradicating adult illiteracy, and improving health and low-cost housing programs.

Q & A

What was the Alliance for Progress?

The Alliance for Progress was a strategic program implemented by the United States in Latin America after World War II during the Cold War. It was designed as a non-military strategy to prevent the spread of communism in the continent.

What was the context for the creation of the Alliance for Progress?

The Alliance for Progress was created in the context of the Cold War, where the capitalist bloc led by the United States and the communist bloc led by the Soviet Union were vying for global hegemony. The Cuban Revolution in 1959, which aligned Cuba with the Soviet Union, prompted the U.S. to seek a strategy to counter communist influence in Latin America.

Who announced the proposal for the Alliance for Progress and when?

U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced the proposal for the Alliance for Progress in March 1961, in a speech at the White House in front of Latin American ambassadors.

How was the Alliance for Progress received by Che Guevara during the Organization of American States meeting in Uruguay?

Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, representing Cuba, denounced the Alliance for Progress during the Organization of American States meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay, stating that it was a vehicle to separate the Cuban people from other Latin American nations and to sterilize the example of the Cuban Revolution.

What was the outcome of Che Guevara's denouncement of the Alliance for Progress?

Following Che Guevara's denouncement, Cuba was expelled from the Organization of American States in 1962.

What were some of the political events in Latin America during the time of the Alliance for Progress?

During the era of the Alliance for Progress, there were anti-communist coups in countries like the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Additionally, guerrilla movements such as the FARC and ELN in Colombia, and the Sandinista in Nicaragua emerged.

What was the U.S.'s role in Latin America aside from political interventions?

Aside from political interventions, including coups d'état, the U.S. also had direct and indirect military involvement in various affairs, such as Operation LAZO in Colombia to intervene in Marketia.

What were the goals of the Alliance for Progress?

The goals of the Alliance for Progress included achieving an annual per capita growth rate of 2.5%, diversifying Latin American economies, stimulating exports, accelerating industrialization, eradicating adult illiteracy, modernizing education, and increasing low-cost housing programs.

How much financial aid did the Alliance for Progress allocate for Latin America?

The Alliance for Progress allocated 20 billion dollars in public funds, private investment, and international credit for aid to Latin America.

What was the timeframe for the Alliance for Progress and how long did Latin American governments have to formulate their national development plans?

The Alliance for Progress functioned between 1961 and 1970. Latin American governments had an 18-month period to formulate national development plans that would meet the objectives of the Alliance.

What was the significance of Ciudad Tejo in the context of the Alliance for Progress?

In December 1961, President John F. Kennedy and Colombian President Alberto Lleras Camargo inaugurated an urbanization project called Ciudad Tejo in Bogotá, which consisted of approximately 12,000 houses built with 12 million dollars from the Alliance for Progress. After Kennedy's assassination, the neighborhood was renamed Ciudad Kennedy.