The heritage of the past heavily weighed on Latin America. Political and social changes were many, and pressures for these change came from variety of sources, such as progressive politicians, modernizing military men, oppressive regimes, a growing urban population, dissatisfied workers and disadvantaged peasants. Along the history, despite many Latin America revolutionists struggled with violent methods; arm struggle, Latin America remained remarkably unchanged. Revolts were frequently striking to every corners of Latin America, but revolution that changed the structure of society or the distribution of land and wealth were few, and reforms intend to make such changes usually were unsuccessful.
However, bitterness, revenges and explosive hopes are still keeping on the path of bloodshed days in Latin America especially in the Cold War era, and Latin America became one of the frontline of the battles between communism and liberalism. On the other hand, some activists and ordinary people have been carefully learn the experiences from bloodshed smell of violence and try to open the gate of new history in peaceful road. The prevalence of nonviolent struggles in Latin America in the past few decades is also striking to other societies around the world.
Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolution may attract to generations in the cold War era, and his social change programs are also in significant history of 20th century. However, peaceful transition events in Chile, Argentina, El Salvador, and Venezuela give surprise to both revolutionists and oppressive regimes and evidenced people power can change brutal situation to peaceful atmosphere in every society. The story about courage of anonymous and ordinary mother of Argentina is one of the successful nonviolent struggles in Latin America. Argentina was in chaos and conflicts that ruined political frame and country’s economy in 1970s. The brutal attacks were created by both extreme Leftists and Rightists. The rightists murdered many intellectuals and lawyers while leftist rebels were trying to seize Tucuman. Both sides committed kidnappings, robberies, and extortion, and the country lived in fearful situation. Despite Isabel Peron united hands of army to crush the dangers of rebels, the military took advantage the political stages and could able to country the power. A junta headed by General Jorge Rafael Videla, the army commander, and army did not go back to barrack, but instead, the oppressive regime campaigned state sponsor terror. The more fearful nightmares were ruining lives of Argentina people. President Videla opened with threatened speech “A subversive isn’t someone with a gun or bomb, anyone who oppose the Argentina way of life. First, we will kill all the subversives. Then we will kill their collaborators; then….their sympathizers” Since that times, people disappearance rate was higher and higher into the forest, into the Rio de la Plata, into the ocean from helicopters , and state sponsor terror was at the peak. According to historical records, “as many as 30,000 Argentines would disappear,” and there was no clue or trace to inquire about victims. Indeed, the state sponsor terror not only favored the taking journalist and intellectuals but ordinary women and children.
Despite mothers informed and inquired to Interior Ministry for their disappeared children, the government neither took responsibilities nor had comfortable answers for them. Thus, most of mothers of disappeared were so depressed and shattered; they could not eat, sleep, or rise form bed. But they gradually realized they had to solve the misery missing of their children themselves. Mother touched hearts each other; sharing stories of their unspeakable beloved one and begun to shed the resistance. However, they also realized that responding with weapons for angers might raise the military oppression. They arranged silent denial to unjust of the Junta. Indeed, it was very dangerous to organize people as many security police around them, but mothers carried different things which identify they are mothers. A mother carried a small purse instead of handbag. Another would hold a twig in her hand, and other would pin a leaf to her lapel. But they did not gather at the Plaza de Mayo, in the civic heart of Buenos Aires, at first. They sat on the benches with their knitting or stood in small groups, and they had to talk each other in low voice quickly so that the police did not notice they had meeting. When the police ordered them to move to another places, they began to walk to the edge of square. Despite there were few mothers at the square, they tried to show people they are exit. Later, mothers speeded up their silent resistance. They moved their denial unjust shows at the square, around the monument, and personal effects of their disappeared children were piled up. Sometimes, they brought nails to show they are solidarity with holy mother. In fact, mothers changed the atmosphere of plaza to become a political theater. In 1977, mothers got a chance to tell their unspeakable stories to strangers. It was the annual pilgrimage to pay homepage to the Virgin Marry at Lujan, and people needed to walk at least thirty miles from Buenos Aires. During the long walk, every mother wore a head scarf embroidered with her child names, and it was a significant image among crowed. The successful campaign from long walk drove mothers to wear head scarf at every meeting. Afterwards, mothers put on scarf “Aparicion con Vida-literally, reappearance with life” - because they were no searching for one child but for all disappeared children.
Although Las Madres de Mayo mother movement was began with 14 women, they could organize over 150 protesting mothers and had connection with over hundreds at the end of 1977. However, mothers were not satisfied in the small progress, and thus they moved on to another phases with powerful message. Their explosive advertisement was appeared in newspaper on Mother Day, and the ad “The most cruel torture for a man is uncertainty about the destiny of her children. We asked for a legal process to determine their innocence or guilt” demanded to the president of Supreme Court, armed forced commanders, junta leaders, and the Church. On the other hand, they followed up the movement with 24,000 petition signatures to international communities. Their message was effective, and news media, human rights organizations and governments around the world became aware in it. However, the junta did not notice that those women could change the history, and thus their security forces and police did not seriously destroy the movement. They regarded the mothers as mad women. But foreign journalists and diplomats were curious and impressed in the mother movement and came to ask about situation for disappeared children and future mothers’ move. When the movement broke through foreign media and international communities, the junta faced pressure around the world. Thus, the junta took an action; arresting leaders including 3 militant women and threatening volunteers. After 14 women leaders were arrested, the junta thought the movement would be paralyzed. But they did not understand that the oppression would be strengthened the mother movement. On the other hand, the international communities stood up with Argentina mothers. When the World cup of soccer was hosted in Argentina, man European soccer players came to square and showed solidarity with mothers. The struggle experiences taught mother into better campaigns to international atmosphere. Later, mothers were not only in International Health conference with swarm foreign media but also in trips to around the world. The new slogan “They took them away alive, we want them returned alive” was defying to the junta. Many Human Rights organization took an attention on brutal crime of Argentina junta, and as a result, the association of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo received an opportunity for legally registration. On the other hand, the junta also realized that they needed to crack down the movement as soon as possible. Thus, the police set dirty oppression, truncheons and dogs on mothers to leave from Plaza de Mayo. But the resistance did not give up hopes of mothers, and their strong dreams for disappeared children kept on striking back to the junta. Mothers came back to Plaza every Thursday and defied the unjust. Meanwhile, the air force split from navy, and dirty war between them also collapsed the country economy. The president of junta had to transfer to new military general. Another bad luck for the junta; fought a war with the British for Falkland Island and most of Argentina soldiers surrendered, caused the end for final days of brutal regime. The new direction began for mother of the Plaza de Mayo despite the police fired back with hostile behaviors on women during political transition era in 1980s. Indeed, the people power the mothers fashioned became permanent nonviolent struggle for Argentina political landscape for future.
Las Mariposas, the butterflies, are underground code names for three beautiful girls from Dominican Republic in 1960s. Under oppressive Trujillo’s military regime, three girls would like to embrace the idea of living a free country, and Minerva was a first person with motivation in her dream. All girls went off to school for the education, where the revolution spark was rooted. Since Discovery Day Dance, they seriously decided to fix their country after she slapped the general Trujillo in front of crowed for sexual harassment. By thinking education rights and justice society in Dominican Republic, one by one the girls joined with revolutionary force started by Minerva and husband. Later, the butterflies became beloved heroes for Dominican Republic people. But it is not easy life for Las Mariposas’ family as Trujillo responded with more and more brutal tactics. Many times, they had to go through times in prisons, interrogation center and torture, house arrest and no friends, and harassments on their family. But they kept in their hope and believed in their cause despite the oppressive junta had been cracking down their days of lives. In a final day, they were assassinated in the jungle by the military junta. However, their tragic end did not ruin the hope of people struggle. People valued the dream of three girls Las Mariposas, the butterflies, and the struggle was carried on generation by generation. The assassination to butterflies fueled angers of ordinary people and international communities. People around the world mark that tragic day as International Day Against Violence Toward Women in many Latin America countries. Indeed, Las Mariposas - the butterflies - were born to semi-rural comfort, servants, and a convent education and evidenced heroes might be made. Despite butterflies were brutally assassinated, people did not ignore their struggle, and honored with statues and museum in downtown of Dominican Republic. Later, history tells us the spirit of Las Mariposas spread to not only inside Dominican Republic but Latin America and around the world. Women get equal education rights and are still finding for justice, liberty and freedom in the spirit of butterflies.
Indeed, nonviolent struggles in Latin America changed the bloodshed century and open new chapters. Liberation theology of Oscar Romeo and El Salvador struggle, “No” campaigns for rejection to military referendum in Chile during 1980s and Venezuela student movements also shaking the heartless military dictators and authoritarian governments. Nonviolent movements did not stay only in Latin America, but Orange revolution in Ukraine, woman movements in Iran, the Saffron revolution in Burma have been absorbing strategies and tactics from the spirit of Oscar Romeo, the Las Mariposas and other peaceful strong heroes. Indeed, the nonviolent movement, people power, is political landscape for not only Latin America but also societies around the globe.
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