(Originais Teachy 2024) - Question Hard of History

During the Cold War, Latin America was the scene of several military dictatorships that, in many cases, were supported and financed by the United States. These authoritarian regimes justified their actions as a response to the advance of communism, but in practice violently repressed opponents and implemented economic and social policies that often led to serious human rights violations. In his book 'Open Veins of Latin America,' Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano describes the consequences of these regimes, stating that 'the dictatorship introduced reforms for export and not for internal consumption, and set the precedent for the accumulation of capital at the expense of labor and the nation.' (Galeano, Eduardo. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, 1971.) Based on the presented context and Galeano's quote, answer: (1) How did the geopolitics of the Cold War influence the emergence and maintenance of dictatorships in Latin America? (2) In what way do the economic policies adopted by these regimes reflect Galeano's assertion about the prioritization of capital accumulation over social well-being and internal development of the countries?