“Long live the Unity of Latin America.”
In recent affairs and specific media interpretation you tend to forget sometimes that when you hear or read the name “America” on TV, Radio or written media you immediately focus on the United States. The Americas, or America, also known as the New World, are the combined continental landmasses of North America and South America. The US media in particular even refers to all of the Americas south of the United Stated. There was a time when economists looked at South America with a certain sadness and generalisation. Dictators, corruption, civil wars, Debt, plagued by hyperinflation, and ravaged by unemployment, the region was a financial disaster zone. But western mainstream media kept influencing us with this image for more then decades now besides a couple of articles here and there about Brazil’s growth. But what is really happening and what is it that we really know from this continent? The days of financial hardship are over. Despite its many inequalities and failings, most of Latin America is reasonably well governed, market-orientated, has a rise in middle class (VIDEO), and democratic governments. Countries like Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil (CNBC) and Argentina have been growing moderate since 2011 in economic GDP growth. (IMF) (BBC). The region will have a 3% growth in 2014. Interesting side note is that even Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff’s publicly used unusual strong language on the NSA scandal of US, and called it “totally unacceptable.” She even cancelled a high profile US trip. With that having said I think it’s time to indulge ourselves a bit more in this beautiful and historical significant continent. Go here for a simple test called Think you know Latin America? Listen to voice of Latin America Mercedes Sosa here and watch Scenic Routes Around the World – South America here. China Rising) with the fastest growth then other country in history, and India (India Rising) (Off the Grid) (ABC NEWS) that is going through an unique entrepreneurial revolution. Listen to Swedish author Fredrik Haren’s concept of The Developed World and the actual Developing World (Youtube). And how is your Idea Perception? (Youtube) Hereby a couple of historical significant documentaries, books and articles I went through throughout the years about this important and almost forgotten continent by us ignorant westerners. (Will keep updating the list throughout the year).Noam Chomsky – History of US Rule here,Latin American: Brand power on the rise (FT.com) here, BBC’s Lost Kingdoms of South America here, The Emergence of Latin America (book) here, Latin America and the Caribbean from National Geographic here, Latin American Revolutions (Crash Course) by John Green here, Audrey Brohy and Gerard Ungerman 2003 Plan Colombia: Cashing In on the Drug War Failure 2003 here, Rachel Boynton’s 2005 Our Brand Is Crisis here, Alan Lowery’s 1983 Nicaragua: A Nation’s Right to Survive here, 2008’s short Justicia Now here, PBS’s Latino Americans here, Avi Lewis 2004 film The Take here, John Pilger’s 2007 The War on Democracy here, Kim Bartley’s 2003 The Revolution Will Not Be Televised here, Fernando E. Solanas 2004 A Social Genocide here, Maria Berry 2007 The True Story of Che Guevara here, Oliver Stone’s 2009 South of Border here and 2003 Comandante here, Lucy Walker’s 2010 Wasteland here. Current TV’s 2011 "City of God, Guns and Gangs" here, VICE reports on South America here and here. (Image from myself. Personal Bahia, Brazil trip.)