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Gabriela Mistral's real name is Lucila Godoy Alcayaga and she was a poet and educator. After being trained as a teacher, she became a director of a school for girls in Santiago in Chile. When invited to the Mexican government in 1922, she introduced educational programs for the poor. In 1945, she was the first Latin American author to win a Nobel Prize for literature.
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Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez was a Colombian writer, known throughout Latin America. Considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century, he was awarded the 1972 Neustadt International Prize for Literature and
the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature. He wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude. He used magic realism in his works.
the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature. He wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude. He used magic realism in his works.
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Oscar Niemeyer was a Brazilian architect who is considered to be one of the greatest architects in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was best known for his design of buildings for Brasília, a planned city that became Brazil's capital in 1960, as well as his collaboration with other architects on the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
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Luis Echeverria was the president of Mexico from 1970-1976. Became the private secretary of the president of the PRI. When he became president, he released prisoners, redistributed land to peasants, expanded social security, housing, and transportation programs, and he also put money into public works. He also opened diplomatic relations with China and supported Latin American solidarity. From 1977- 1980, he was ambassador to both Australia and New Zealand.
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Jose Lopez Portillo was born on June 16,1920 in the Federal District of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a lawyer before he began politics and in 1976, he was elected president of Mexico. He was president of Mexico from 1976-1982. The making of the Mexican petroleum industry happened because of him. He de-emphasized land redistribution.
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Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban communist revolutionary and politician who was Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces from 1959 to 2008, and as the First Secretary of the Communist
Party of Cuba from 1961 until 2011. Politically a Marxist-Leninist, under his administration the Republic of Cuba became a one-party socialist state; industry and businesses were nationalized, and socialist reforms implemented in all areas of society.
Party of Cuba from 1961 until 2011. Politically a Marxist-Leninist, under his administration the Republic of Cuba became a one-party socialist state; industry and businesses were nationalized, and socialist reforms implemented in all areas of society.
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José Duarte was born in San Salvador on November 23, 1926. He graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in civil engineering. He helped co-found the Christian Democratic Party and was elected as Secretary General.In his first run for presidency, the armt has permitted more political activity allowing the Chrisitan Democrats to join with two other parties to form a coalition. Other complications occured thus leaving him in exile in Venezuela. When he came back to become a provisional president, his reforms were violently oppressed. It caused the Christian Democratic Party to be associated with injustice, corruption and opression rather than reform. Duarte at this point has also become frail due to his cancer. In the U.S., both president Reagan and Bush praised Duarte for promoting democracy. They supported El Salvador with millions of dollars to help with economic and military aid.
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The Somoza Family was an influential political dynasty who ruled Nicaragua as a family dictatorship from 1936 to 1979. They were the power
behind the other presidents of the time through their control of the National
Guard. Their regime was overthrown by the Sandinista National Liberation Front during the
Nicaraguan Revolution. Three of the Somozas
served as President of Nicaragua. They were:
- Anastasio Somoza García (1896–1956; ruled 1937–1947, 1950–1956), the father.
- Luis Somoza Debayle (1922–1967, ruled 1956–1963), his legitimate eldest son.
- Anastasio Somoza Debayle (1925–1980, ruled 1967–1972, 1974–1979), his second legitimate son.
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Manuel Noriega is a former Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989. In the 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States he was removed from power, captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States.
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The new military regime was unsure of how to deal with the working classes until one of its members, Juan Peron, devised a new strategy. Using his position as labor secretary in the military government, Peron sought to win over the workers, known as the descamisados (the shirtless ones). He encouraged them to join labour unions. He also increased job benefits, as well as the number of paid holidays and vacations. In 1944, Peron became vice president of the military government and made sure that people knew he was responsible for the better conditions for workers. As Peron grew more popular, however, other army officers began to fear his power, and they arrested him. Peron was elected president of Argentina in 1946. His chief support came from labor and the urban middle class, and to please them, he followed a policy of increased industrialization. At the same time, he sought to free Argentina from foreign investors. Perons regime was authoritarian. He created Fascist gangs modeled after Hitler's Brownshirts. The gangs used violent means to terrify Perons opponents. Fearing Peron's power, the military overthrew the Argentinian leader in September 1955. Peron went into exile in Spain. Overwhelmed by problems, however, military leaders later allowed Peron to return. He was reelected as president in 1973 but died a year later.
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In 1938, Raul Alfonsin was
elected president and worked to restore democratic practices. The Peronist
Carlos Saul Menem won the presidential elections of 1989. This peaceful transfer
of power gave rise to the hope that Argentina was moving on a democratic
path.
elected president and worked to restore democratic practices. The Peronist
Carlos Saul Menem won the presidential elections of 1989. This peaceful transfer
of power gave rise to the hope that Argentina was moving on a democratic
path.
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Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. Menem's presidency was initially supported by the significant economic recovery
following Cavallo's appointment as Economy Minister. His Justicialist Party enjoyed victories in mid-term
elections in 1991 and 1993, as well as in his 1995 campaign for reelection.
following Cavallo's appointment as Economy Minister. His Justicialist Party enjoyed victories in mid-term
elections in 1991 and 1993, as well as in his 1995 campaign for reelection.
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was he 35th President of Brazil. Lula was finally elected in the 2002 and was inaugurated as president on 1 January 2003. In the 2006 election he was elected for a second term as president, which ended on 1 January 2011. He was Brazil's first left-wing president in four decades.
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Salvador Allende became Chile’s first socialist president. Born on July 26, 1908 in Valparaiso, Chile, he was part of an upper middle class family that had a history in politics. While attending the University of Chile, he was arrested for protesting. There he received his medical degree and went on to co-found the Socialist Party. 1937, he was elected Chamber of Deputies. He implemented social reforms such as higher pensions, free school lunch programs, and safety laws for factory workers. In 1940, he married Hortensia Bussi, with whom he had three daughters. He was elected into the Senate four times and defended the interests if the working class. He was against Capitalism and Imperialism and even sided with the Cuban Revolution. He ran for presidency in 1970. His supporters consisted of working-class constituencies. Chile was in a severe economic crisis when Allende took office. There were high unemployment rates and people were suffering from malnutrition. This caused him to put his socialist plans into action. He also expropriated American owned copper industries without compensation. President Richard Nixon led a military coup against him and Allende took his own life, September 11, 1973.
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Augusto Pinochet was born on November 25,1915 in Valparaiso, Chile. He is the descendant of French settlers and the oldest of six siblings. His father was a middle-class government worker. He entered military school at and has written five books, all on politics and warfare. he first met Salvador Allende at a concentration camp Pinochet overlooked. He was quickly prmoted aftee three years, proving himself by helping Allende to put down any opposition to Allende's econmic poilicies. He seized abolsute power for himself after the air strike on Allende. He procalimed himself the "Supreme Chief of the Nation." He and his government have been caracterized as "fascists" though he was not the typical fasict ruler because of his economic policies and personal unwillingless to help support national businesses. In 1988, the people denied him another term and he stepped down as President but remained a Sentor and kept his position as Commander-In-Chief. He was charged with several war crimes relating to his time as President, but he died in 2006 before he could be convicted of anything.
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General Velasco seized power on October 3, 1968 in a military coup, deposing the democratically-elected administration of Fernando Belaúnde, under which he served as Commander of the Armed Forces. President Belaúnde was sent into exile. Initial reaction against the coup evaporated after five days when on October 8, 1986 the oil fields in dispute were taken over by the Army.
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Alberto Fujimori served as President of Peru from 28 July 1990 to 17 November 2000. Fujimori has been credited with the creation of Fujimorism, defeating the Shining Path in Peru and restoring its economic stability. However, he was criticized for his authoritarian way of ruling the country and was accused of human rights violations. Even his prosecution in 2008 for crimes against humanity relating to his presidency, two-thirds of Peruvians approved for his leadership in that period.
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Alejandro Toledo is a politician who was president of Peru, from 2001 to 2006. He was elected in April 2001. Toledo came to his presidency after leading the opposition against President Alberto Fujimori, who held the presidency from 1990 to 2000.
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Alvaro Uribe was the new president that was elected in 2002 who promised to crack down hard on rebel groups. He served as the 31st president of Columbia (2002-2010). He and a group of political allies founded the Democratic Center movement to contest the 2014 national elections. In August 2010 he was appointed vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid. He was awarded the Simón Bolívar Scholarship of the British Chevening Scholarships programme and was appointed Senior Associate Member at St Antony's College, Oxford after completing his term in office as governor of Antioquia in 1998.
other important people in history
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Rigoberta Menchú, who came from a poor family, is a reformer that saved the Quiché Indians from the murder squads of the Guatemalan government. Her father created a peasant movement, but he and other family members were killed by government troops. However, Rigoberta played a big role in her father's movement, but eventually had to flee to Mexico due to being condemned by the Guatemalan government. Her autobiography showed the world that 150,000 Native Americans were being killed by Guatemalan authorities. In 1992, she received a Nobel Peace Prize and with her reward she created a foundation for the Native Americans.
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Eva Perón, also known as Evita, was the first lady of Argentina from 1946-1952. She was raised in poverty, but dreamed of becoming an actress. At 15, she moved to Buenos Aires and became a famous radio performer. She met Juan Perón in 1944 and they eventually were married. They both courted the working-class poor and promised higher wages and better working conditions. She formed a charitable organization that built hospitals, schools and orphanages. She campaigned for woman's rights. In her honor, there are streets named after her in Argentina and there is a movie named Evita after her.
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Vicente Fox was born on July 2, 1942 in Guanajuato and is 71. He is a Mexican businessman who was president
of Mexico from December 1, 2000 to November 30, 2006 under the National Action Party. He also defeated the PRI candidate for the presidency. He ran for president to focus on ending govenrment corruption and improving the economy.
of Mexico from December 1, 2000 to November 30, 2006 under the National Action Party. He also defeated the PRI candidate for the presidency. He ran for president to focus on ending govenrment corruption and improving the economy.