Why is the US opposed to Democracy in Latin America?

Question

I watched with inerest the program on ITV last night, War on Democracy. This showed how the US has been waging wars against democratically elected governments and replacing them with fascist juntas in Latin America. In the case of Chile they replaced the government with the dictatorship of General Pinochet and thousands were then tortured and murdered. In Guatamala the same happened and in El Salvadore priests were murdered with Bishop Oscar Romero being a notorious example. In Venezuela they have set their sights on the democratically elected government of Hugo Chavez simply because he wont allow the big US corporations to take control of the countries resources. Why does the US oppose democracy and support fascism in Latin America? Why at the same time do they lecture the world about democracy?

Some of the Americans here are dismissing my facts as lies even though what happened in Chile in 1973 and in Venezuela in 2002 are well known events. As for Chavez intimidating opponents, in fact it was the other way round, with CIA backed right wing militias shooting at Chavez supporters and if you watch Venezuelan TV you will see almost hysterical criticism of Chavez on a daily basis. Criticism that the US and most countries would not allow if it was directed towards their governments. One station did lose government funding but only after calling for the overthrow and murder of the democratically elected government. In the US the owners of this station would have been thrown in prison

Answer 1

Venezuela. Chavez was democratically elected 4 times. The US funded a coup d'etat against him.

Chile. Salvador Allende was democratically elected leader. e was killed in a CIA orchestrated coup in 1973

Guatemala. Jacobo Arbenz. 1954. 30 year civil war ensued with the US hunting down socialists and indigenous people. About 40 000 people died.

Jamaica.Michael Manley. Blockaded for nationalizing Bauxite.

Cuba. Castro blockaded for nationalizing land

Nicaragua. Daniel Ortega. Democratically elected. US funded terrorist armies to scare Nicaraguans into voting him out. 3000 dead.

Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil all had democratic governments deposed with CIA help. Dissidents hunted down by CIA. THOUSANDS DEAD.

The US government accepts that these events are true. WHy do you deny it? SHAME?

By the way, the why is an easy question to answer. The US does not believe Latin Americans have the right to use their resources according to their own wishes. Latin Americans are there to dole out resources to the Americans.

Same reason Hamas is being boycotted. Brown people should have democracies says the US. They want to drive brown people hungry. They want to murder brown people and take over their government like they did IRaq. Brown people fight, Brown people get murdered.

Answer 2

I haven't seen the film but have read much of the makers writing (John Pilger).

The US has opposed democracy in South America because puppet governments allow US corporations to exploit South American labour and puppet governments allow the US to exploit the trade relationship with South America.

The CIA have already admitted involvement in attempting to overthrow Chavez, who is as you rightly say a democratically elected leader!!! The US government are at pains to demonise him and portray him as some sort of Stalin figure when he was infact elected with greater majorities than any President could ever hope to get. The reason is that Chavez like several other leaders have realised that previous dictatorships have exploited the people and kept them poor. Rather than continuing this trend Chavez wants to use venezuelan wealth to improve the lives of the poor (the many) and not simply the lives of the rich (the rich). This is completely against US doctrine which promotes capitalism and doesn't want to help the poor and needy.

Chavez is a socialist but not like Marx or any other socialist. Chavez wants the people to help theselves but he will support them in doing so. An interesting statistic is that there is now 100% literacy in Venezuela thanks to literacy programs introduced by Chavez. Everyone now has a shot at basic education.

Chavez wants to use the country's huge oil wealth to improve the country as a whole rather than simply lining the pockets of the country's top oil execs (US style).

The majority of US citizens simply can't face up to the fact their governments have supported several brutal dictators in various South Ameruican countries that have led to the deaths of thousands. The US only support democracy on their terms (thus they don't support Chavez who was democratically elected).

The US also fear the power of South America. South America is a sleeping giant. If it were to unite in the same way as Europe has then they would be a major power in the region. As we know, the US wants to be only big kid on the block and won't stand by idly as the new kid stakes his claim.

Even now Bush supports the Colombian government which utilises deaths squads.

Answer 3

Since WW2, the Pentagon and its Spy Army (CIA and others), are causing nothing but problems around the globe. Almost every single Terror group, brutal Dictatorship and Bloody military Government was at one time supported or even established by the Pentagon and its tentacles. Our Presidents have been mostly Puppets of the ever growing influence of USA war industry and their official outlet, the Pentagon. Its by now a $1 Trillion Business, including such companies like Boeing, Haliburton and Northrop.
What makes it even more uncontrollable and powerful is the immense weight of the oil industry, which has the USA by the balls and can squeeze, to get whatever it wants, working hand in hand with the Pentagon.
The USA produces 40% of all weapons in the world, and uses 65% of all oil in the world, a country of merely 1/20 of the world population. As long, as our politics are driven by the need for oil and the need for military production, the CIA will be used for setting up future hot spots, to justify the mindboggling military budget of the USA.

Answer 4

Well most of what you said, occured 30 years ago, when the soviet union was still around.

As to Chavez, the US has done nothing to him, except ignore him.

The US actually warned Chavez about the Coup attempt in 2002, before it happened.

They have already made the State Department memo's public about the Ambassator being told to warn Chavez.

Does the US like Chavez ?

No we don't, he is a thug.

To many forget that Col. Chavez tried to overthrow the democraticly elected government in Venezuela in 1992 and was sent to prison for it.

So it's not like he has a history of supporting democracy.

Answer 5

I asked a question in a similar vein last night "which is more important, democracy or co-operation with the US?" - only got one answer. Presumably people don't want to think about such things.

I think many people are either unaware that the US does such things or like to pretend that somehow the installation of pro-US dictatorships - even fascist dictatorships - are beneficial to the people, because what's good for America is good for everyone.

The US government is absolutely uninterested in democracy. They hated Saddam Hussein, yet he was installed anti-democratically after a CIA sponsored coup. They complain about Iran, yet the Mullahs were installed after the hated Shah (who again was brought to power after a CIA coup) was overthrown. If a country is democratically pro-US then that's fine, but if they're democratically anti-US then they have to experience some "regime change". Supporting America is more important than representing your people.

We can only hope that if more people were aware of this that they would oppose it.

Answer 6

What is the answer you are looking for? the US wants to take over the WORLD? The US is a hypocrite? The US loves puppet governments so they can exploit them?

Do you want people to say the the US is a big meanie?

I love how you people can say so many bad things about the US, but you have never lived under a tyrant.

I love it when people say you never hear people who live under tyrants complain. That is because the ones who do complain are dead.

You have no idea how lucky you are that you americans are you can bash your government and not be dead the next day.

If you hate the US so much, lets trade places.

Answer 7

I knew as soon as you went off about how great Chavez is and how we killed that Bishop that you are very impressionable and don't see the big picture. Democracy????? LMAO!!!
Dude, democracy doesn't have the president suppressing free speech by any opposition. Democracy doesn't have the president pushing to change the countries Constitution so he can stay in power either. Sorry, for fascism and personality cults look to your buddy Chavez. So, can you tell me when your"friend of the people" Chavez is going to abolish the Constitution and declare himself king or emperor? You can continue to call it a "democracy"to make yourself feel better but your completely fooled by6 his bullsh

Answer 8

Because, a strong democracy means strong economy, and a strong economy means a developed country. A developed country means no cheap workforce. One hint word. Maquilas: factories all over the Mexican border that manufacture American products. Got my point?

Answer 9

Your seriously going to use Hugo Chavez as an example of a democratically elected official? Let me ask you this; if I hold a gun to your head and say vote for Obama or I will shoot you, does that count as a democratic election? In every case that you cited above the people elected used means of tampering, coercion and outright threats of violence to get elected. That does not qualify as a democratically elected government. That is a dictator that wants the appearance of being legitimately elected.

Answer 10

Wow! You must be a selective historian. I guess I could twist anything into a plaintive wail much as you have.

Recommend reading the rest of the books before doing analysis after the prologue.

Ret. USAF SNCO