The Tree of Red Stars (Historical Context)

Historical Context

Early History

Uruguay's original populations consisted of the Charrúa Indians. They were a group of hunter-gatherers and, according to most historical accounts, they disliked outsiders. In 1516, when Spaniards first stepped foot into Uruguay, the Charrúa Indians killed Spanish explorer Juan Díaz de Solís and most of his party. Later, in the seventeenth century, the Charrúas became somewhat more friendly and set up trade with the Spanish explorers.

By the latter part of the seventeenth century, a settlement called Colonia was established by the Portuguese at the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. The Spanish, who did not approve of this settlement, built a citadel in Montevideo and later fought the Portuguese and won and then exiled José Artigas, an early Uruguayan hero. In 1828, the Uruguayans, inspired by Artigas, rose up against the Spanish and claimed Uruguay as an independent state.

During most of the nineteenth century, Uruguay had to fight either the Argentines or the Brazilians to maintain their independence. The British arrived in Uruguay and established several new industries, including importing British-raised cattle. Internal politics were made unstable by the two warring political parties, the Blancos and the Colorados, who were responsible for a civil war and several dictatorships.

Modern History

At the beginning of the twentieth century, José Batlle y Ordóñez was elected president. It was under his leadership that Uruguay became what is often referred to as the only welfare state in South America. He served two terms, during which he initiated a wide range of social welfare programs and abolished capital punishment.

Unfortunately, due to Uruguay's lack of natural resources and a slump in the demand for wool and meat, the two principal exports, to refurbish its economy, the country slowly became weighted down by the heavy expenses of Batlle y Ordóñez's social programs. By the 1960s, there was mass unemployment and inflation. Added to this was an overgrown government riddled with corruption. These factors led to a loud outcry from the Uruguayan population who was most affected by the decline in the economy — the unemployed workers, the poor, and the student population. It was during this time that the urban guerrilla movement was created.

The official name for the group was the Movimento de Liberacion Nacional but was known by most people as the Tupamaros, named for the last of the Inca royal family, Tupac Amaru. The movement was founded by Raúl Sendic, a student at the university in Montevideo.

At the beginning of the creation of this group, Uruguayan military and police membership was very low. Uruguay had enjoyed several decades of peace, and it was believed that there was little need to reinforce either establishment. The early goal of the Tupamaros was to embarrass the Uruguayan government. They stole from banks and gun shops. As their membership grew, they began to kidnap government officials.

As the economy grew worse, Montevideo often experienced student rioting. By 1968, a national emergency was declared. In 1970, Dan Mitrione, an American policeman who had been sent to Uruguay from the United States reportedly to teach Uruguayan police forces how to control the rising chaos, was kidnapped and later killed when the government refused to release political prisoners.

The Tupamaros, after the government made it illegal for any radio broadcast or any other media to mention their name, began their own underground media and produced much print and broadcast propaganda. As they grew stronger in force, they made the police look inept. After several policemen were killed, the police force went on strike, demanding better pay and more protection. As the economy continued to fail and after a series of corruption scandals, public support for the government began to diminish.

In 1971, a more liberal political party called the Frente Amplio gained support and looked as if they might actually have a chance to win the election. However, when the Tupamaros came out in favor of the Frente Amplio, the Uruguayan population, still stunned by the murder of Mitrione, turned away from the party and elected Juan María Bordaberry, who immediately suspended civil liberties and declared a state of internal war with the Tupamaros. Toward this end, the army was called into action, and mass arrests, torture, and freehanded search operations ensued. By the end of 1972, the Tupamaros ceased to be a threat.

Once in power, the military demanded that all left-wing political activity be suppressed and the legislature dissolved. For the next eleven years, Uruguay was ruled by one of the most repressive dictatorships in South America.

In 1984, Julio María Sanguinette won the presidential election. Under his leadership, Uruguay returned to democratic traditions. The government issued a massive political amnesty, but no other farreaching reforms were made. Luis Alberto Lacalle was elected in 1990 but proved unpopular due to his attempts to restructure the economy. In the following election, Sanguinetti was returned to office.

The year 1999 saw the election of Jorge Batlle, who has promised a return to progressive social programs. He is the first president to call for a search for those people who disappeared during the reign of the Tupamaros. Although the Uruguayan government begins to show signs of a return to democratic rule, there still remain severe restrictions on the Uruguayan press to refrain from publishing any stories that speak out against the government and can be viewed as inciting violence or insulting the nation. Stiff penalties for such crimes range up to a possible three years in jail.