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In 1954, American president Dwight D. Eisenhower approved operation Pbsuccess which aimed to depose the democratically elected Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz. American mainstream media accused Árbenz of communism because of his land reforms that granted unutilized land owned by United fruit company to landless peasants. It was a common practice of international agricultural corporations to acquire large tracts of land in poor Latin America and Africa countries and keep them unused to retain high prices. Carlos Castillo Armas established into power by the means of military coup supported by the U.S government. He reverses the social policies of his predecessors, imprisons and torture the political opposition and banned the opposition party. After Armas assassination 1957, Guatemala suffer 40-year civil war until a peace treaty was signed in 1996.
Nicaragua, another country in Latin America had fallen to chaos and political instability. Mainstream media promoted a new civil war in the country that suffer almost 30 years of blood and death. The Independent published "Nicaragua closer to new civil war than ever before, judge warns." The current president, Daniel Ortega, was a prominent member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). The FSLN fought guerrilla warfare(1978-1979) against the military junta supported by the U.S and then another war against the Contra(1981-1990). An election was held in 1984. It was described by the international community as free and fair compared to the elections in El-Salvador or Guatemala. The Nicaraguan government didn't kidnap opposition members or mutilate them. There was a spurt in opposition parties, and union organization, freedom of speech and assembly wasn't ruled out by the state of terror. Oxfam complements the Nicaraguan government for their efforts.
El-Salvador and Guatemala are a different case from Nicaragua because they are U.S client states. Mainstream media view the situation there from a different corner. Elections taking place in friendly client states received positive coverage from mainstream media, while elections in enemy states viewed in unfavoured light. The United States believed that it isn't obliged to apply the same standards to a country their government hostile to American interests. The conflict in El-Salvador and Guatemala was internal. However, Nicaragua was subjected to external incursion by the U.S sponsored and supported Contra. In El-Salvador, the election took place under extreme oppression, the free speech and assembly were suspended during 1980. In Guatemala, over 80 members of the judiciary system including lawyers and judges were murdered in early 1980. Freedom of the press deteriorated in El-Salvador as authorities closed two opposition newspapers, La Crónica del Pueblo and El Independiente, in 1980 and 1981. No free election can be held under such circumstances of extreme oppression.
In Nicaragua, registration to participate in the election was obligatory. However, voting wasn't. In El-Salvador 1982 and 1984 election, voting was mandatory by law. Failure to vote can be translated to monetary penalties. At the time of voting, ID card stamped to acknowledge the casting of vote. Anybody stopped by the police or army checkpoint or patrol must represent his ID, which indicates that the individual carried on his patriotic duty. Before the 1982 election, government officials in interviews with different newspapers described failing to vote as an act of treason.
The attempts of the United States and other colonial powers to intervene in the affairs of sovereign and independent states all over the world will not cease. Media that become experts in deception and practicing double standards supports government positions for political and financial reasons. The practice of dual standards is normalized by media propaganda. countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador are not the first victims of American intervention in Latin American affairs, and won't be the last. American intervention in the affairs of countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua and El Salvador included assassination attempt, coup d'état, death squads, election fraud and violation of the sovereignty of those States, directly or indirectly. The slogan "Ballots for the Lead" was a reality during that period in Latin America where the people were forced to participate in elections aimed at providing a legal cover for pro-US but unpopular regimes.
End
Nicaragua, another country in Latin America had fallen to chaos and political instability. Mainstream media promoted a new civil war in the country that suffer almost 30 years of blood and death. The Independent published "Nicaragua closer to new civil war than ever before, judge warns." The current president, Daniel Ortega, was a prominent member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). The FSLN fought guerrilla warfare(1978-1979) against the military junta supported by the U.S and then another war against the Contra(1981-1990). An election was held in 1984. It was described by the international community as free and fair compared to the elections in El-Salvador or Guatemala. The Nicaraguan government didn't kidnap opposition members or mutilate them. There was a spurt in opposition parties, and union organization, freedom of speech and assembly wasn't ruled out by the state of terror. Oxfam complements the Nicaraguan government for their efforts.
El-Salvador and Guatemala are a different case from Nicaragua because they are U.S client states. Mainstream media view the situation there from a different corner. Elections taking place in friendly client states received positive coverage from mainstream media, while elections in enemy states viewed in unfavoured light. The United States believed that it isn't obliged to apply the same standards to a country their government hostile to American interests. The conflict in El-Salvador and Guatemala was internal. However, Nicaragua was subjected to external incursion by the U.S sponsored and supported Contra. In El-Salvador, the election took place under extreme oppression, the free speech and assembly were suspended during 1980. In Guatemala, over 80 members of the judiciary system including lawyers and judges were murdered in early 1980. Freedom of the press deteriorated in El-Salvador as authorities closed two opposition newspapers, La Crónica del Pueblo and El Independiente, in 1980 and 1981. No free election can be held under such circumstances of extreme oppression.
In Nicaragua, registration to participate in the election was obligatory. However, voting wasn't. In El-Salvador 1982 and 1984 election, voting was mandatory by law. Failure to vote can be translated to monetary penalties. At the time of voting, ID card stamped to acknowledge the casting of vote. Anybody stopped by the police or army checkpoint or patrol must represent his ID, which indicates that the individual carried on his patriotic duty. Before the 1982 election, government officials in interviews with different newspapers described failing to vote as an act of treason.
The attempts of the United States and other colonial powers to intervene in the affairs of sovereign and independent states all over the world will not cease. Media that become experts in deception and practicing double standards supports government positions for political and financial reasons. The practice of dual standards is normalized by media propaganda. countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador are not the first victims of American intervention in Latin American affairs, and won't be the last. American intervention in the affairs of countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua and El Salvador included assassination attempt, coup d'état, death squads, election fraud and violation of the sovereignty of those States, directly or indirectly. The slogan "Ballots for the Lead" was a reality during that period in Latin America where the people were forced to participate in elections aimed at providing a legal cover for pro-US but unpopular regimes.
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