A highly revealing and informative short documentary that analyses and criticises the U. S. government behind the scenes involvement in
overthrowing socialist/nationalist leaders and supporting dictatorial regimes in Latin America and how poor civilians always end up becoming victims
of the system. We follow the main events that happened in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Chile (from South America and thrown into the
mix due to similarities with how the left-wing parties were deposed). Big money America's intention was to prevent all of those allied nations in
becoming another Cuba and keep their business flowing as the world was facing a polar of opposites with the Cold War and U. S. and URSS trying to
conquer allies and win over enemies. Huge paranoia, those countries were only trying to overcome povery, unfairness and fighting for better life conditions and progress - of which capitalism wasn't helping at all.
The film by Obie Benz offers a very resumed scope of events related with the changes faced by Latin America nations, especially in the 1980's
(Panama case isn't featured as it broke out the following year of the film's release). The interviews with ambassadors and government officials
telling all of how things roll and nothing changes as each new American president goes by, is frank and revealing. But when you know history and
politics long enough this kind of film only hits on deeper levels with few aspects instead of the whole thing; outside of history buffs, the viewer
who'll get to see "Americas in Transition" will be rewarded with an enlightning and curious piece that can anger you to the core. You'll see the
world in a different manner.
My small contention with the documentary comes with the omission of South America as an equal case with small variations (the opposition formed
by guerrillas on Central America went through with middle-class and intelectuals who went up with arms, creating an armed revolution that challenged
militaries in the streets rather than fighting in the jungle). Chile got mentioned as it's something that the world took notice in a wide manner, but
Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil (21 years and started out before all of the mentioned countries, except for Somoza in Nicaragua), and
the modus operandi were basically the same: strategic millitary training, financial sponsorship and intelligence training coming from U. S., books,
reports, documents and films can all prove it, and the justification was protecting business overseas and stop the rise of new Cubas. To have included
bits about South America, giving an extra time, it would qualify for the Oscar in the Documentary, Features category (it was nominated in the short doc).
Instead, we have a summarized view that ignores a couple of things when it shouldn't. It's still a very good work, it manages to go back to the hisotry
of Latin America before things get a lot more critical than what'd happen decades later. And Ed Asner delivers a great narration of everything. 9/10.
