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=== Latin America ===

=== Latin America ===

“Latin America” includes all of the Americas south of the United States.  Put another way, Latin America consists of the Spanish-speaking countries plus Brazil, which speaks Portuguese.

“Latin America” includes all of the Americas south of the United States.  Put another way, Latin America consists of the Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America, plus Brazil, which speaks Portuguese.

Prosperity did not come to Latin America when the people won their independence from European powers.  Even after successful revolutions, land ownership remained in the control of a very small group of people.  Even today, in Mexico almost half of the nation’s wealth is owned by only 10% of its population, and 20% of the people earn too little to pay for a healthy diet.  The country as a whole is not poor, it is just that the wealth is poorly distributed.

Prosperity did not come to Latin America when the people won their independence from European powers.  Even after successful revolutions, land ownership remained in the control of a very small group of people.  Even today, almost half of the nation’s wealth in Mexico is owned by only 10% of its population, and 20% of the people earn too little to pay for a healthy diet.  The country as a whole is not poor, it is just that the wealth is poorly distributed.

For hundreds of years, Latin Americans have accepted rule by an elite, and often corrupt, few.  The revolutionary leaders ruled as caudillos (dictators).  Eventually democracy took root, but a narrow few would still hold power no matter what the outcome of the voting was.

For hundreds of years, Latin Americans have accepted rule by an elite, and often corrupt, few.  The revolutionary leaders ruled as caudillos (dictators).  Eventually democracy took root, but a narrow few would still hold power no matter what the outcome of the voting was.

Few Latin American countries developed their own economies and banking after obtaining independence.  Instead, they would import goods from the United States and Europe and take on large foreign debt that they would be unable to pay.  Latin American countries did begin to export agriculture to the United States and Europe once the refrigerated car was invented in 1882, which kept the food from spoiling.  The weather seasons are the opposite in South America from the United States, enabling us to purchase fresh fruit in the wintertime from South American countries such as Chile.

Few Latin American countries developed their own economies and banking after obtaining independence.  Instead, they would import goods from the United States and Europe and take on large foreign debt that they would be unable to pay.  Latin American countries did begin to export agriculture to the United States and Europe once the refrigerated car was invented in 1882, which kept the food from spoiling.  The weather seasons are the opposite in South America from the United States, enabling us to purchase fresh fruit (like grapes) in the wintertime from South American countries such as Chile.

United States President James Monroe ended European imperialism in Latin America with his famous “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823, which demanded that Europe not colonize any more areas in the Western Hemisphere.  Britain quickly agreed and the other European countries followed suit.  Spain pulled out of its last remaining colonies (Cuba and Puerto Rico) in 1901, when the United States defeated it in the six-week-long Spanish-American War.

United States President James Monroe ended European imperialism in Latin America with his famous “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823, which demanded that Europe not colonize any additional areas in the Western Hemisphere.  Britain quickly agreed and the other European countries stopped new colonization also, while keeping some existing colonies.  Spain pulled out of its last remaining colonies (Cuba and Puerto Rico) in 1901, when the United States defeated it in the six-week-long Spanish-American War.

Some in Latin America complain about imperialism by the United States there.  After the French unsuccessfully attempted in the 1880s to build a canal across the thin isthmus of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Americans were ready to apply our “can do” determination and innovation to the project.  President Teddy Roosevelt rejected a demand by Colombia to sell the land to us, and waited until after Panama won its independence from Colombia.  Panama then granted the United States a ten-mile-wide path across its country.  The United States completed the Panama Canal in 1914 and it became an instant success for shipping.

Some in Latin America complain about imperialism by the United States there.  After the French unsuccessfully attempted in the 1880s to build a canal across the thin isthmus of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Americans were ready to apply our “can do” determination and innovation to the project.  President Teddy Roosevelt rejected a demand by Colombia to sell the land to us, and waited until after Panama won its independence from Colombia.  Panama then granted the United States a ten-mile-wide path across its country.  The United States completed the Panama Canal in 1914 and it became an instant success for shipping.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter arranged for the United States to agree to give the canal back to Panama, even though Americans paid for its construction, beginning in 1979 and culminating in 1999.  President Carter claimed the canal was part of improper imperialism or colonization by the United States in Latin America.  In New Jersey, a Republican Senator who favored the give-back treaty was defeated in his own primary for reelection, reflecting enormous public disapproval of the treaty.  Today Panama allows communist China to run the canal, making many wonder if the United States would even be able to use it in wartime.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter arranged for the United States to agree to give the canal back to Panama, even though Americans paid for its construction.  The transfer of the Canal back to Panama began in 1979 and culminated in 1999.  President Carter claimed the Canal was part of improper imperialism or colonization by the United States in Latin America.  In New Jersey, a Republican Senator who favored the give-back treaty was defeated in his own primary for reelection, reflecting enormous public disapproval of the treaty.  Today Panama allows communist China to run the canal, making many wonder if the United States would even be able to use it again in wartime.

The Monroe Doctrine has an important corollary today, known as the Roosevelt Corollary, announced by the aggressive President Teddy Roosevelt in 1904.  Under the Roosevelt Corollary the United States may intervene in and occupy any country in Latin America to protect interests of the United States.  Communism remains a threat to the United States in the Latin American countries of Cuba and Venezuela, and very recently the president of Venezuela (Hugo Chavez) called President Bush the “devil” in a speech given before the United Nations.  In December 2006, Chavez then won reelection in Venezuela by a 61-38% margin (based on early election returns), and promised more socialism for that country and perhaps others in the region.

The Monroe Doctrine has an important corollary today, known as the Roosevelt Corollary, announced by the aggressive President Teddy Roosevelt in 1904.  Under the Roosevelt Corollary the United States may intervene in and occupy any country in Latin America to protect interests of the United States.  Communism remains a threat to the United States in the Latin American countries of Cuba and Venezuela, and in recent years the president of Venezuela (Hugo Chavez) called President Bush the “devil” in a speech given before the United Nations.  In December 2006, Chavez then won a landslide reelection in Venezuela, and promised more socialism for that country and perhaps others in the region.

=== India ===

=== India ===