Latfn America and the Caribbeanfrom a Global Perspective

A Resource Guide for Teachers

Pedro R. Bermudez andiBarbara (-; Cruz

*»« . . . . '

Latin American and Caribbean CenterFlorida International University

1991 '•-"-••-•:

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements v

Foreword vii

Preface xi

Conceptual Overview xii i

What is Global Education? -. . . xv

"An Attainable Global Perspective" xvii

PERSPECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS

Mental Cartography . . .'. 1

Encuentro 5

STATE OF THE PLANET AWARENESS

NiModo 17

Cueca Solo 29' . . . . - . • - • • • > ' • - -:-.; :1" • •'*.. V . . •• •

CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS

The Other Americans 45

Retraidos 59

KNOWLEDGE OF GLOBAL DYNAMICS

El Norte 69

"Comunista!" 81

Half a Loaf ; 93

AWARENESS OF HUMAN CHOICES

Choices 129

Resources for Teaching about 'Latin America and the Caribbean 171

Maps of Latin America and the Caribbean 175

Knowledge of Global Dynamics

EL NORTH

Rationale

Traditional approaches to the teaching of immigration in American history have tended toemphasize factors that have pulled people to the United States. These have included suchthings as political freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, education, and ingeneral, the chance for a better life. The study of why people come to America also offersan opportunity to introduce students to the harsh realities that push so many in the ThirdWorld to leave famil iar surroundings, family and friends, and embark on difficult anddangerous treks towards the dream of a better life. For many in Latin America, this hasmeant the trip to "el Norte" (the North-the United States and Canada).

Objectives

The student will:

1. analyze the phenomenon of immigration to the United States in terms of chronolo-gy, nationalities, motivations, and experiences;

2. identify reasons that explain Nicaraguan citizens' decision to migrate to the UnitedStates and Canada;

3. differentiate between "pull" and "push" factors contributing to the recent influx ofNicaraguans into the United States, Canada, and specifically, Dade County.

Key Concepts

Migration/emigration/immigration, push factors, pull factors, Sandinistas, contras, interde-pendence, human choices

Infusion Area

American history

Materials Needed

"Background Notes on Nicaragua""Background Notes on Nicaragua" {student worksheet)"Many Flee Troubled Nicaragua"

Suggested Time

Two class periods

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Learning Activities

Suggested Activities for Day 7;

1. Ask students to brainstorm as many reasons as possible that might provide answers tothe question: Why do people move? List student responses on the board. After five toten minutes conclude the brainstorming session and ask students to come up withcategories under which to subsume reasons listed on the board. Write the categorieson the board (e.g., economic, political, educational, religious, etc.) and ask students totell you under which category to place items from the list.

2. Explain to the class that usually the decision to leave one's country or place of resi-dence is not an easy one. Ask students if they have ever done this and askjthem toshare their experience with classmates. Add that these decisions are often the result of"pull" factors (things that attract the person to where he/she is going—freedom, opportu-nity, jobs, education, etc.) and "push" factors (things that the person is trying to getaway from—oppression, hunger, poverty, unemployment, etc.)- Ask students to reviewthe list of categories and reasons on the board, identify, and explain which of thesemight be "pull" and/or "push" factors. Point out that often these decisions are a resultof the interaction of both push and pull factors (the teacher should keep a record of thepull/push factors identified by students for use in day 2).

3. Distribute "Background Notes on Nicaragua" and allow students time to begin readingthe material through a sustained silent reading period. Ask them to finish the materialfor the following class session and to complete the identification items on the worksheetprovided for homework.

Suggested Activities for Day 2:

1. Distribute "Many Flee Troubled Nicaragua" and ask students to read the article careful-ly, underlining each of the reasons given for the migration of Nicaraguans into NorthAmerica, especially the CInited States and Canada. Students should label each of thereasons as either "pull" or "push" and be prepared to support their choices. Afterstudents complete this part of the activity, write student responses on the board foreveryone to view.

2. Write the list of "pull" and "push" factors that was derived from activity #2 in day 1.Ask students to compare similarities and differences in both lists.

3. Conclude lesson by having students make observations about what "push" factors tellus about living conditions in Nicaragua. Ask students to consider the following ques-tions:

a. In what ways might focusing on "push" factors help us to better understand immi-.gration issues facing the CInited States today?

b. How might this information contribute to a better understanding of immigrationpatterns in American history?

c. What might you predict about the future of Latin American immigration into theOnited States?

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Assessment

Have each student write a short fictional account of what it might be like for a Nicaraguanstudent to decide to make the trip to "el Norte."

Additional Activities

Have students conduct research into why other Latin Americans (Colombians, Guatema-lans, Haitians, Hondurans, Cubans, etc.) are also coming into the United States. Askstudents to compare and contrast "push" factors affecting each of these groups.

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--' _ - ^jffA./

BACKGROUND TIOTES ON NICARAGUA

Nicaragua. In 1909, the Uni ted States sent a navalforce to intervene in.Ni^aragua aftvmr r.vo Americanswere executed. U.S. marines stayed in Nicaraguaoff and on until 1933. Before leaving, the marinestrained General An^tasio Scnoza Garcia to lead anational guard. Somoza used the guard to assassinateguerrilla leader Augusto Sandino, to overthrow lib-eral President Juan Batista Sacassa, and to establisha military dictatorship. During the next forty-fiveyears, three Somozas ruled Nicaragua—AnastasioSomoza and his two sons, Luis Somoza Debayleand Anastasio Somoza Debayle. The Somozas wereso undemocratic and corrupt that, by 1978, manyNicaraguan peasants, business leaders, and mem-bers of the middle class had ceased to support theregime.

The Sandinistas. On July 20, 1979, after a two-year civil war, the Somoza regime was overthrownby a popular opposition movement made up of aprocommunist group—known as the Sandinista Na-tional Liberation Front—and several other politicalfactions representing both the poor and the middleclass. A new Government of National Reconstruc-tion was formed. Although the Sandinistas playeda major role, the" new government included represen-tatives of the private business sector and the middleclass. The new government said it would spurn"American-style" capitalism and "Soviet-style"communism and follow a third way: a part-socialistand pan-capitalist economy with political plural-ism—many political groups instead of one.

Despite strong opposition from the United Statesand antigovemmem rebels (contras) fighting in thecountryside, the Sandinista government has re-mained in power. Significant reform* have beeninsti tuted in (vinc^'io" ?«

Does (he Sandinista Government. Threaten OurNations! Security? President Reagan believes thatthe Sandinistas in Nicaragua pose a "mortal threat-to the entire New World." According to the presi-dent , the Sandinistas have given weapons to radicalforces in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, andHonduras. He warns that if the Sandinistas are nocchecked, unrest and revolu t ion could engulf CentralAmerica and Mexico. President Reagan also saysthat the Soviet Union supplies the Sandinistas withmilitary and economic aid and that Nicaragua mayallow the Soviets to bu i ld a naval base there. Hewarns that the Sandinistas could block vita! sea lanesthat carry almost half of our exports and more thanhalf of our imported oil .

Opponents of President Reagan's policies in Cen-tral America believe that the Sandinistas do notthreaten the U n i t e d States. They say that Nicaraguais a small country tha t cannot begin to match themili tary and economic might of the Un i t ed States.According to critics. President Reagan has inventeda S a n d i n i M a "thrc:it" to b u i l d p u b l i c support foroverthrowing a government he dislikes. They claimthat there is no evidence (hat the Soviet Union isb u i l d i n g u n::val ba.sc in Nicaragua. Moreover, crit-ics say tha t Nicaragua has only taken aid from theSoviet U n i o n and Cuba because the United Statesis u n w i l l i n g to help. They c la im that the Sandinistasare sensitive to U.S. concerns in the region. Forexample, af ter the Uni ted States pressured the San-uiriioiuo iG end tuCir support GI me anrjgovcrruvicritrebels in El Salvador in 1981, the flow of weaponsto the rebels slowed to a trickle. Nicaragua knowst h a t if it ever became a clear and direct threat toU.S. interests, the Uni ted States would take decisivemilitary action-against it.

Should the United States Support the Contras?President Reagan believes that the structure of theSandinista government must be changed. To do this,the president wants to give mili tary aid to the con-iras, who are waging a war against the Sandinistas.Reagan believes that the contras offer the best hopefor freedom and democracy in Nicaragua, callingthem "freedom fighters."

President Reagan'says that he is not seeking tooverthrow the Sandinista government, only to forcethe Sandinistas to end their repression of individualrights and to allow democratic elections to be held.He claims that the Sandinistas have betrayed the1979 Nicaraguan revolution that brought them topower. According to. the president, the Sandinistashave harassed the Catholic Church, limited the par-ticipation of competing political parties, reduced thefreedom of the press, and curtailed other civil rights.Reagan says that more and more dissatisfied Nicara-guans are joining the coniras snd t h a t other countriesin the region support his policies. He warns that ifwe abandon the contras, the United States may even-tually have to send American soldiers to CentralAmerica to stop the spread of communism.

Congressional opposition to the president's sup-port of the contras is strong. Some members ofCongress believe that we have no right to interferein the affairs of Nicaragua simply because we findits policies distasteful. They say that the Nicaraguanpeople have a right to choose their own type ofgovernment and theirown leaders. Members of Con-gress are aiso concerned about human rights viola-tions allegedly committed by the coniras and wonderwhether the coniras would be harsher rulers thanthethe contras have no hope of toppling the Sandinistagovernment because the contras lack support fromthe Nicaraguan people. The only way a militarysolut ion could succeed is if the United States usesits own troops.

Plans for Peace. Many Latin American countriesbelieve that the conflict in Nicaragua can best besolved through diplomatic • means, rather thanthrough military conflict. During the last five years,leaders from several countries have met to discusshow peace can best be achieved.

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Comadora Peace Plan. In 1933, leaders fromfour countries—Colombia" Mexico, Panama, andVenezuela—met on the island of Contadora to drafta plan for achieving peace in Nicaragua. The Con-tadora peace plan calls for: Unending all arms im-ports into Central America; (2) expelling all foreignmilitary advisors, including those from the UnitedStates; (3) prohibiting aid to guerriila movements;(4) prohibiting foreign military maneuvers; and (5)limiting the size of Central American armies. Al-though the Conradora peace plan is aimed at settl ingthe conflict in Nicaragua, all Central Americancountries would be bound by these terms.

Despite several meetings of the Contadora groupsince 1983, the Sandinistas and the United Stateshave not agreed to the terms of this treaty. Bothcountries say that they will negotiate their differ-ences only when certain conditions are met. TheUnited States insists that the Sandinistas must firstopen talks with the contras. whi le the Sandinistassay the United States must first end its support forthe coniras.

Critics of the U.S. position claim that PresidentReason is avo'iding'negotiattons in the hope that theconrrns wil l win their war against the Sandinistas.But President Reagan , says that he supports anegotiated settlement and that it is Nicaragua thatis fo i l ing his efforts. He points out tha t the UnitedStates ua.s the largest donor of aid to Nicaraguafrom W79 to 1980 but (hat the Sandinistas rebuffedthe Uni ted States in favor of the Soviet Union. TheReagan administration also claims that other CentralAmerican countries privately support I I $. policiesbut are afraid to say so publicly because it wouldanger Nicaragua, which has the largest army in theregion. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega claimsthat President Reagan is trying to "fool the Americanpeople into supporting a military solution to theproblems.of Central America so that the UnitedStates can control the region.

Costa Rican Peace Plan, In 1937, the governmentof Costa Rica proposed a new peace plan to replacethe Contadora plan. The Costa Rican plan calls forthe government of Nicaragua to: ( 1 ) declare a cease-fire with the conira rebels, (2) hold free elections,and (3) allow complete freedom of the press. Theplan also calls for a complete cutoff of aid to allr=bel movements in Central America, includingthose in El Salvador and Guatemala, and an overallreduction in the size of Central American armies .A commission drawn from the United Nations, theOrganization of American States, and the Ccntadoragroup would supervise the plan.

Many members of Congress support the CostaRican plan. They believe that the Contadora peaceplan will not work and that it is the countries ofCentral America who are in the best position tosolve their own problems. However, the Sandinistagovernment has denounced the Costa Rican plan.The Sandinistas say that the Costa Rican plan sup-ports U.S. efforts to overthrow the Nicaraguan gov-ernment and subverts the efforts of the Contadora

U.S. influence.

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OutlookIncreasing American Presence In (he Region.

O *-J

Sines 1980, the United States has increased its pres-ence in Centra! America by increasing its aid andby introducing American forces there. For example,U.S.. military advisors help train the SaJvadoranarmy and American helicopters have carried Honda-ran troops Into combat. Some experts fear that thegrowing American presence could lead the UnitedStates into a war similar to our disastrous involve-ment in Vietnam.

The American presence is especially strong inHonduras, where American soldiers have construct-ed airfields, roads, bridges, and training bases. Themilitary has also conducted large-scale maneuversthere. Since 1983, there have rarely been fewer than1,000 U.S. troops stationed in Honduras, and tensof thousands of oLhers have participated periodicallyin military exercises. The strong U.S. presence hasplaced Honduras in a d i f f icul t position. On the onehand, Honduras wants the aid and protection provid-ed by the United States and the spending that thebases and maneuvers pump into the economy. Onthe other hand, Honduras'reaJizes that Nicaraguaviews the U.S. presence wi th alarm. Honduras tearsthat the United States may use their country for aninvasion of neighboring Nicaragua.

Civil wars, revolutions, coups,-poverty, and unjusteconomic and political systems have plagued Cen-tral America for many years, and the situation prob-ably will not improve soon. The question for theUnited States is: Can Congress and the presidentagree on a policy to deal with injustice and upheavalin Central Ajnerica, especially in Nicaragua? Pres-ident Reagan is determined to stop the spread ofcommunism in the region and supports sending mil-itary aid to strengthen anticommunist forces there.Many members of Congress believe that the realenemies in Central America are economic and socialproblems, which cannot be defeated with guns. Theyare reluctant to send increased military aid, espe-cially in light of the [ran/ron/ra scandal, and havevowed to seek a more peaceful solution to the prob-lems in Central America.

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NAME:

DATE:

PERIOD:

BACKGROUND NOTES ON NICARAGUA

1. Summarize, in writing, the relations between the United States'government and Nicaragua during the years of 1909-1979.

2. List the reasons given as pros and cons to the question of whetherthe Sandinista government threatens American national security.

Pro Con

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3. Define-the

a.

V?* • . ; "•4-v*- -.. -fl •..:_* '

b. Sandinistas

c. Iran/Contra, Scandal ?+:$:•

d. Contadora Peace Plan

e. Costa Rican Peace Plan

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M A N Y FLEE TROUBLED N I C A R A G U A?ear S a n d i n i s t a s , c h a o t i c econoiy

By Saa Dillonflerald Staff'.'liter

H1H4GU1, Mcaragaa— aicaragoans atestreaming cut oftheir country inan eiodas aflthor-ities attribute toecouoaic chaos andth; davning r e a l i -zation that theSandinistas arefinly entrenchedin pover at theclose of theReagan adiinis-tration.

icross thisbattered country,Eroi the barriosof Hanagaa toPacific coastfishing tovns andcattle targetingvillages of-the •highlands, Hlcara-gaans ate sellinghoies and goods toflee the countryon foot and inbases, by car andby plane.

'Six lonths agothe belief thatlicaragaa cooldchange vas ;us-talning thepeople, bat novthey've lost allhope. Hicaragua1: going to reiainin the Sovietcaip, and peopleare looking forescape,1 Dr.llberto Saborio,president-of thelicaiaguan Barisaociation, saidin an interview.

Thousands ofnearly franticllcaragnans lobbedligration offices

eaily this lonthafter ntvs leaiedof governmentplans to quadruplethe piice o£ a nevpassport to doublethe sonthly salaryof a skilledvoider.

About a do:tnnev has coapanieshave sprung op inrecent lonths tocash in on theburgeoning esi-grant traffic toGnateiala, theonly Centrallaerican coantryto vhich Hicara-'gcans can travelvi t h o a t a visa.

The Migrantsinclude doctors,lavyers, engineersand other profes-sionals as vellvasvendors, andstilled andunskilled toilers.

The Sandinistashave laid off athast 20,000 stateeiployees thisyear and devaluedthe currency threetiies. InflationIs oat of control,estiuted atseveral thousandpercent annually.

'Joriing peoplesiiply can't livehere anyiore,'said PabloBarbosa, 17, ovnerof a 10-vorhrglae factory inManagua.

Carlos KanaelHotales, the San-dinista governorof three northern•provinces, ac-knowledged the

Mi-

gration.'.[ think aha

reasons are soreiconoaic thar,political, 1Horales said."Soae nay belhvetheir opvo:-tanities forpersonal accoau-latlon are betterin the UnitedStates or Canada.'

Others pointed topolitical factors.

'Micaragnans arerealizing that theU.S. is cot goingto send, in theKarines, and thatcoiaunisi is goingto consolidate.They say, 'Ifthat's the case,then I'ileaving." said adiploiat vho hasintervieved Si-caraguans abontvhy they aredeciding to eii-grate.

The U.S. Congresscat off lilitaryaid to the contrarebels inFebruary. Sincesandinlsta-contrapeace negotiationsbroke dovn inJone, theSandinistas havelargely abandonedthe deiocraticrhetoric that vasin fashion hereafter the signingof a 1931 peacepact. They havejailtd scores ofSandinista oppo-nents, seizedseveral privatefans and ioter-littently sanc-tioned the icdia.

"hey have receat ' .yt a r g e t e d R o a j aCnhol ic CirdUii'iKigoa! Obandc y3 : a v o v i t b at i a r a s s i e f i tC-j2n3!l ' l .

Many a p o l i t i c a lSicaragaans vh:have lived itaneasy coexistt.icev i t h the San:;-oista revolutionfor cine yeais arepu l l i n g up stakss.In a d d i t i o n , asignificant imib::of state vo:U:svho, until QOV,have appeared tosyipathiie vithSa n d i n i s t apolicies are alsosuddenly eii-grating.

Biigrant: ir.recent veeh froiEsteli, a tornnorth of Hanag'ja,have include" ththead or the Iocs]educatior.iinistiy, the so^oE a foundifi?teiber of theS^ftdlfiista rtofi;in the itgiofi, ar.dthe top adiials-trator of a stat*-run tobacco tnte:-prise. !h?l a t t e r , anagriculturalengineer, leftNicaragua afterbeing proiisec -.job lilHng cov-:for a living IECosta Ricj,according tc his ;friends.

'It's a Etver--they'rt leaving insuch alaning

(Reprinted with permission of the Miami Herald.}

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G u s t a v o B a r r a n t e s ,an Es te l i lavy;:.B a r r a n t e s s a i dmigrants in th6

past have beenailaly Dalejgars avoidinguilitary semce,bat ;aov eatue

are

Is Barraotestalked to an

last ?esk, anotherlavyai, 31,?jaring jeans andsangUsses, bintbifiatahsiiy intohis Isteli legaloffices.

['They just sentpapers to syoffice orderiag itinto the anyreserves," hesaid.l 'I'vedecided -- I'igoing to Loslagelss.1 Thelavyer said thatsine: lany of hisclients baveeiigrated he hadbeen consideringhis Q7n departure.

The president ofthe Istell BatIssodation, ByroaUrgaesoada, eil-grated to Canada .last icnth. ID aninterrogation,stats securitypolice tried tolink Hi to analleged Cll plot.*U Seguridadvill never be ableto call le in'again,1 Larga-sjpada toldassociates al hisdeparture.

to the east, ID •the provincialcapital ofJinotega, resi-dents reportedthat since theeiigration to thesuited States USepteiber of one

physician, threeotbsr doctors haveresigned froa thelocal Saadicista-"TG3 hospital andut prspaiiDg toemigrate.

iDotber poveifulJlaotega citizenpreparing to have?as nntil recentlythe Sandinistas'regional directorof a lajor state-ran iiport coi-pany. The head ofJinotega's SocialChristian Party inJiaotega alsoeiigrated to Cana-da recently, partyofficials said.

The vife of aSaodinista deputyla the lationalIsseibly isseeking a D.S.visa to eiigrate,according toanother deputy, anoppositionist, vhosaid he is helpingher vith thearrangeients andjhoved a reporterthe voiao's !lca-ragaan passport,1 reporter's

interviev vith theopposition deputyat a hoie in araral to?n vasinterrupted vhecthe local distri-butor of Barri-cada, the Eandi-aista daily nevs-^apeif knocked attht deputy's door.The distributor,preparing to eil-grate, ias seelingadvice about hovto arrange traveldocuienta toCanada.

Canada Is thedestination of

choice DOV bicaaseSicaragoans cantravel there as

, taarists, tatailict to stay onvith a chance forpenaneat: resi-dence, accordingto Ligia Kocge, ^Qofficial atCanada's eabassyin Costa Rica.

tie U.S.Consclate inManagua has beer.closed since theSandinistaseipelled eightD.S. diploiats inJuly. Officialsat the U.S.Sibassy in Gaate-iala City saidthat hundreds oflicaragaans eachreel apply forU.S. visas there.Kore travel onthrough Kexico toenter the U.S.illegally.

'Reagan'isleaving -- and thedevolution stays!1says a Haoagaabillboard. ManyHanagoans, hov-ever, are notstaying.

8osa Gaido, tSstood in Managua'sMiraflor ntighbor-hood last vetk.For a reporter,she pointed northalong a dirtstreet to theeipty house leftbehind by theUriarte faiily,vhlch recentlydeparted for levlork. She pointedsooth, to thehouse eiptied vhentht Barreto faiilyleft for CostaIlca, then vest,beneath a setting

son, to the booseevacuated by atrod dr i v e r vhotool his faiily toHouston lastsonth.

'Generally theyiaie their plansqaistly, and thentoey Jsavc. loudon't inov itnatil suddenlythey're gone,'Guido said.

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