Source: Radio Citta Fujiko
The confrontation between two political and economic models after World War II transformed the globe into a stage for two political ideologies. The United States had its historical mission of spreading liberal capitalism and democracy throughout the world. On the other hand, the Soviet Union sought to disseminate the Communist revolution worldwide. Today, both movements are still alive, and Latin America is a great example of the modernized confrontation between these two ideologies.
Even though there were several leftist movements in Latin America since the Soviet revolution in 1917, like in Bolivia and Guatemala, the event that marked the strengthening of communism for the entire region was the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Since then, socialism expanded through Latin America, with Salvador Allende being the first Marxist to become president of a Latin American country through open elections in Chile in 1970. Then, the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua in 1978 led to a socialist government. After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the Foro de São Paulo was created to strengthen leftist parties and movements in Latin America. This was a conference of left-wing parties and groups in Latin America founded by the Workers’ Party of Brazil in 1990 to unite forces and debate about the consequences of neo-liberalism in the region.
At the time, the only member of the Foro that was in power was Fidel Castro. Twenty years later, most of its members were elected to run their respective countries. The 1998 democratic election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela represented the arrival of the most notable leftist government in the region after Cuba. This was followed by the triumph of members of the Foro in Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Argentina. Meanwhile, in countries like Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, members of the Foro de São Paulo represented the strongest opposition to the government.
Source: Periodismo Sin Fronteras
Socialist movements in Latin America were possible in part due to the increase in prices of raw materials like oil and copper - which allowed for increased expenditure in populist policies - and due to wealth redistribution initiatives. The involvement of the US in Latin America caused an anti-American movement, which made populism and socialism more appealing to the people. Also, loans given by the United States in order to promote modernization led to great external debt, and many countries did not have enough money to support themselves. This brought a backlash in the polls and the election of socialist and populist candidates who promised to solve economic disparities.
In many countries, the establishment of socialist regimes brought strong improvement in education and a decrease in poverty. However, these regimes also led to corruption and fragile economies. For some countries, socialist policies like the creation social welfare programs, access to health, housing, and food to the poor were not sustainable anymore through public funding. They started facing external political pressures, as well as economic shocks that affected the existing apparatus. Governments lacked the ability to keep populist strategies, causing discontent among the population that was highly dependent on government programs and assistance. All of this led to the fall of some left-wing governments in the region, like in the case of Argentina. In other cases, where “revolutionaries” keep winning elections, reformed Marxist ideologies have endured, as well as the influence of Russia and China. The economic support of these countries has allowed the remaining socialist governments to fuel their growth, primarily through debt.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
We have seen leftist movements in Latin America rise and fall in the past sixty years, the cases of Cuba and Venezuela being the strongest ones. Nevertheless, the Cuban regime has been changing since Raul Castro took power, as well as the weakening of the Socialist party in Venezuela since Hugo Chavez’s death in 2013. On the other hand, countries like Bolivia and Ecuador continue to display the presence of leftist movements in power. Is the pink tide in Latin America fading away? Or is this just part of an ideological cycle that will make its comeback in the future?