Background: Causes of Social and Political Unrest
- From the 1960s to the 1990s, Latin America saw both violent revolutionary movements and non-violent reform movements, rooted in inequality and dictatorship.
- Many nations suffered from poverty, land concentration, corruption, and U.S.-backed authoritarian regimes during the Cold War.
- Revolutionary groups, inspired by the Cuban Revolution (1959) and Marxist ideology, sought to overthrow these governments.
- Non-violent movements, such as those led by the Catholic Church’s Liberation Theology, pushed for reform through education, protests, and advocacy.
Definition
Liberation Theology
- A Catholic movement emphasizing social justice and the defense of the poor, blending religion and activism.
Nicaragua and the Sandinista Revolution (Violent Movement)
- The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) was founded in 1961 to fight against the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship, which had ruled Nicaragua since the 1930s.
- The Sandinistas, inspired by Marxism and nationalism, launched a guerrilla war that culminated in the overthrow of Anastasio Somoza in 1979.
- The new Sandinista government, led by Daniel Ortega, introduced land reform, literacy programs, and healthcare improvements, but faced opposition from the U.S.
- The U.S. funded the Contra rebels, leading to a brutal civil war throughout the 1980s that caused thousands of deaths.
- Peace came through elections in 1990, when the Sandinistas peacefully transferred power to Violeta Chamorro, showing a move from violent revolution to democratic politics.
Definition
Guerrilla Warfare
- Irregular fighting by small, mobile groups using surprise tactics against larger traditional forces.
