Giovanny Bravo

Motorcycle Diaries

My discussion question is: How did the architecture Che and Alberto saw in Cuzco reflect themes of indigenousness and oppression?

Throughout Che Guevara’s and Alberto’s travels in Cuzco, they observed several buildings reflective of indigenous and oppressive themes. For example, they saw a fortress that was built with heavy defenses, which created the impression that Quechua warriors were always successful in defending the fortress (Guevara 105). The fortress’ representativeness of Quechua strength reflects a theme of indigenous power. Moreover, Guevara and Alberto noticed that the Church of Santo Domingo was built over the remains of the indigenous Temple of the Sun (Guevara 112). This structure represents the efforts of Europeans to destroy indigenous culture and religion in favor of European culture and religion. Additionally, while visiting the Church of Saint Christopher, Guevara and Alberto observe the indigenous art on the choir stalls (Guevara 114). The art serves as another expression of indigenous identity and ultimately reflects how indigenous culture still pervades Peruvian society despite the history of European oppression the nation has experienced.

Class Notes 2/24/20

There were two historical questions discussed in class today. The first question was: What can Mexican murals tell us about the vision of Mexican nationalism that emerges after the revolution? The second question was: What vision of Mexico, and Mexican history, do these artworks promote? The class began with a discussion from Dr. Holt on the recent Carnival celebrations in Brazil, which are a series of Christian festivities leading up to Lent. Videos of Carnival parades and festivities were shown in class to demonstrate how celebrations were held and highlight how forms of social protest were implemented into the parades.
Afterward, the class discussion transitioned toward a conversation on Mexican forms of artwork that developed after the Mexican Revolution. Dr. Holt presented several works from José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Diego Rivera, three of the most prominent figures in Mexican muralism. A significant theme in the art of Mexican muralists that was discussed was the importance of Mexico’s indigenous history and population. Additionally, another important theme covered in the murals was the oppression imposed by the ruling classes throughout Mexican history
One important historical piece that was discussed in class was Jose Clemente Orozco’s The Epic of American Civilization. This piece is related to the main point of that day’s discussion because it features Emiliano Zapata, a nationalist figure, in the middle of the artwork, which can symbolize the emphasis on indigenous rights and indigenous pride following the Mexican Revolution. Additionally, the artwork is related to the main point of the class discussion because it features government officials greedy for money and violent military officers, which are figures meant to depict the history of Mexico.

Key Terms
Fresco: a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.
Historical Memory: the way by which groups of people create and then identify with specific narratives about historical periods or events.
1917 Mexican Constitution: The current constitution of Mexico, which was drafted during the Mexican Revolution. It outlines provisions on workers’ rights, land reform, etc.
PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional): The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party founded in 1929 that held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years from 1929 to 2000. The PNR was founded in 1929 by Plutarco Elías Calles, a prominent Mexican leader and significant figure of the Mexican Revolution.

Links
https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2020/noticia/2020/02/23/belford-roxo-imperatriz-e-unidos-de-padre-miguel-se-destacam-no-2o-dia-de-desfiles-da-serie-a-no-rio.ghtml

https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2020/noticia/2020/02/24/mangueira-viradouro-e-grande-rio-sao-destaques-do-1o-dia-do-grupo-especial-do-carnaval-do-rio.ghtml

https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/carnaval/2020/noticia/2020/02/24/mangueira-busca-bicampeonato-com-releitura-critica-da-vida-de-um-jesus-cristo-nascido-no-morro.ghtml

Potential Questions

1. How did Mexican muralists emphasize the importance of indigenous people and their history through art?
2. In what ways did Mexican muralists depict oppression in their art?
3. How did the art created by Mexican muralists obtain appeal beyond Mexico?

Azuela

My discussion question is: What motivated Demetrio and his men to join the revolutionary cause?

Throughout the novel, Demetrio and his men offer several different reasons to explain their motivations behind deciding to fight for the revolution. In Demetrio’s case, he claims he joined the revolution because he was involved in a conflict with Don Monico and needed to flee Moyahua to avoid attacks from the federal government (Azuela 40). However, Luis Cervantes, who Demetrio revealed his motivations to, refused to believe Demetrios’ reasoning and instead insisted that Demetrio joined the revolution to fight against the malicious government that controls Mexico (Azuela 42). Similarly, Cervantes declares that he joined the revolution to fight against the tyrannical government and even proclaims that all of Demetrios men are fighting for this same purpose as well (Azuela 42). Despite the different explanations offered by Demetrio and his men to explain their reasons for joining the revolution, Cervantes’ statement provides an explanation that seeks to connect all the mens’ motivation into one cause: the destruction of the unjust government.

Narrowed Research Post: LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba

My research question is: How did deep prejudice toward homosexuals in Cuba during the Revolution motivate the development of Cuban LGBTQ+ rights to the present? This topic is significant because research on this area can help demonstrate how much progress or lack of progress has been made toward establishing more rights for the LGBTQ+ community in Cuba since the initiation and discontinuation of placing homosexuals in labor camps during the Cuban Revolution. Also, this research can be beneficial toward understanding modern Latin America because it will provide greater insight toward the development of the LGBTQ+ movement in Cuba, which may then be compared to LGBTQ+ movements in other Latin American countries to assess the development of these movements as well.

Sources

Guerra, Lillian. 2010. “Gender Policing, Homosexuality and the New Patriarchy of the Cuban Revolution, 1965–70.” Social History 35(3): 268–89.

Leiner, Marvin. 1994. Sexual Politics in Cuba: Machismo, Homosexuality, and AIDS. Boulder: Westview Press.

Majied, Kamilah F. 2015. “Racism and Homophobia in Cuba: A Historical and Contemporary Overview.” Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment 25(1): 26–34.

Montoya, Óscar E. 2012. “Leonardo Padura Fuentes: Las Máscaras Estéticas y Sexuales de La Revolución.” Hispanic Review 80(1): 107–25.

Pena, Susan. 2007. “‘Obvious Gays’ and the State Gaze: Cuban Gay Visibility and U.S. Immigration Policy during the 1980 Mariel Boatlift.” Journal of the History of Sexuality 16(3): 482–514.

Latin America in the News- Venezuelan Migration Crisis

Since 2015, around 4.8 million Venezuelans have fled from their country to Colombia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and other areas in Latin America and the Carribean (Grattan). These migrants are facing widespread xenophobia and the opportunities available to them in other nations are purposely limited. For instance, individuals such as Adriana Aldana, a 34-year-old Venezuelan mother of three, was verbally abused for being Venezuelan by her boss at her former restaurant job in Colombia (Grattan). Her situation is just one instance of the mistreatment Venezuelan migrants face in other nations.

Since migration has continued to increase, nations have placed tighter restrictions on allowing Venezuelans into their borders. For example, Visa requirements have been placed by Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Peru and Ecuador and seven nations have also placed passport requirements (Barajas). Also, xenophobia toward Venezuelans has become more violent. For instance, it has been revealed that between 2017-2019, the Colombian-Venezuelan border had witnessed 378 migrant deaths (Barajas). Individuals from host countries are against welcoming migrants because of the jobs and opportunities they take away from the already struggling domestic working classes (Grattan). As a result of the continued xenophobia faced by Venezuelan migrants, measures have been taken to promote a more welcoming environment in host countries toward Venezuelans. Specifically, the UNHCR established a campaign called “Somos panas” (We’re mates) to encourage Colombians to aid and welcome Venezuelan migrants the same way Venezuelans helped and welcomed Colombian migrants during their refugee crisis (Barajas). Regardless, the struggles endured by Venezuelan migrants continue to persist as more Venezuelans continue to flee the country.

In the article from The New Humanitarian, the author places great focus on telling the personal stories of Venezuelan migrants who have endured struggles in host countries. This approach effectively serves to more deeply humanize the migrants and condemn the individuals in host nations who have mistreated them. Also, while the article from the Los Angeles Times does admit that migrants have been poorly treated, it places more focus on how the increase in the flow of migrants has created a greater burden on host countries. Additionally, the article from the Los Angeles Times also explains in more detail the restrictions implemented by host countries against migrants.

Moreover, the articles relate to our course themes and readings specifically in relation to the issues with poverty in Latin America discussed in John Charles Chasteen’s Born in Blood and Fire. For instance, the concerns from host countries’ impoverished working classes against migrants’ acquisition of local jobs and opportunities reflect the widespread economic poverty in Latin America discussed by Chasteen (Chasteen 6). Additionally, the “Somos panas” initiative is similar to the Nativist use of the word “Americanos” during the independence era because both terms were used to foster unity among separate populations for the sake of cooperation (Chasteen 107).

Works Cited

Barajas, Julia. 2020. “Fewer Options Abroad for Fleeing Venezuelans.” Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-02-12/fewer-options-abroad-for-fleeing-venezuelans (February 14, 2020).

Chasteen, John Charles. 2016. Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.

Grattan, Steven. 2020. “Venezuelan Migrants Face Rising Xenophobia in Latin America.” The New Humanitarian. https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2020/02/13/Venezuelan-migrants-xenophobia-Latin-America (February 14, 2020).

Student Research: LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba

For my research project, I would like to explore: How did deep prejudice toward homosexuals in Cuba during the Revolution motivate the development of Cuban LGBTQ+ rights to the present? I am interested in researching this development because I would like to observe how much progress or lack of progress has been made toward establishing more rights for the LGBTQ+ community in Cuba since the initiation and discontinuation of placing homosexuals in labor camps during the Cuban Revolution. This research can be beneficial toward understanding modern Latin America because it will provide greater insight toward the development of the LGBTQ+ movement in Cuba, which may then be compared to LGBTQ+ movements in other Latin American countries to assess the development of these movements as well.