Saturday, September 25, 2010

Faces of Latin America: Hero or Villain?

César Chávez

Fidel Castro

Túpac Amaru II

Simón Bolívar

Manuela Sáenz

José Martí

Augusto Pinochet

Pedro Albizu Campos

Hugo Chavez

La Malinche

Emiliano Zapata

Juana Inés de la Cruz

Hernán Cortés

Eva Perón

Christopher Columbus

Benito Juárez

Rigoberta Menchú

5 comments:

Nohelys Sanchez said...

Rigoberta Menchu was born into a poor peasant family on January 19th, 1959. Rigoberta joined a social reformer activity group in the catholic church she went to. As a teen she became well known in the womens rights movement. She was also well known as a leading advocate of not only Indian rights but ethno- cultural reconciliation in Guatemala and the Western hemisphere. Rigoberta did so many things to be recognized and to send her message out. She fled to Guatemala and later to Mexico to stay safe. She told her story to a lady named Elisabeth Burgos Debray which resulted in a book entitled "I, Rigoberta Menchu". Rigoberta earned many international awards for what she did.

Nohelys Sanchez said...

Maria Eva Duarte De Peron was the Wife of the president in Argentina making her the first lady. During the six years that she was president Eva did many things to help women and just people in Argentina. Eva ran the ministries of labor and health, ran the charity Eva Peron Foundation and supported the womens suffrage in Argentina. To women, Eva was a hero because she fought for their rights to vote. Even when it was declined she kept trying until Juan Peron signed the law and handed it to her, making it her law. Although Eva died young, 33 years of age, she still did great things for Argentina and she was honored for that. She was considered there hero.

Nohelys Sanchez said...

Emiliano Zapata was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution which began in 1910. On 1909 Zapata was elected leader of his village and immediately after being elected he recruited some farmers to protect the farm land from invaders. Porfirio Diaz, the president, was being unfair and taking land away from the peasants and little by little entire villages disappeared. Zapata didn't want that to happen to his village so he began to expand his land and recruit a variety of people to fight and be on his side. This caused Diaz to get upset and thats when the revolution began. Zapata and his men fought the government troops. Zapata did everything he could to keep his land safe. As a new president was elected and made many promises, Zapata noticed he didn't follow through with his promises. This made Zapata angry and the revolution continues. Until one day Zapata is murdered because he continuously fought against what he thought was wrong. "tiera y libertad" was his famous chant. Emiliano Zapata will forever be a hero to Mexican and his name lives on.

Nohelys Sanchez said...

Don Perdo Albizu Campos was a well known Puerto Rican politician and the leading figure of the Puerto Rican independence movement. Perdo's military and political actions lead to better labor conditions is Puerto Rico, a better relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico and a set of political and social condition that led to positive changes in the political environment. Another this that Pedro fought for was to keep Spanish as our main language. The US tried to change it to English but he fought back.He is considered a hero to many Puerto Rican.

Nohelys Sanchez said...

"Do you think for a moment that, after being beloved of this General for years, and with the security that I possessed his heart, I would choose to be the wife even of the Father, Son, or the Holy Ghost, or of all three? I know very well that I cannot be united with him under the laws of honor, as you call them, but do you believe that I feel less or more honored because he is my lover and not my husband? Oh, I do not live for the prejudices of society, which were invented only that we might torture each other." -- Manuela Sáenz
Only with this quote Manuela stated you can automatically assume that this woman spoke her mind and wasn't pushed around. Manuela was was a figure who fought to free Spain. Manuela fought for what she wanted with no problem. Her father sent her to get married with a older guy in Peru. She was an undercover spy and handed out revolutionary pamphlets, when her husband asked her to stop, she didn't. she was the first women to receive the Order Of The Sun, the first honor given by the republic. Although Manuela was considered a prostitute and called bad names this didn't stop her. She continued to do what she loved to do and what was he passion which was to help Simon Bolivar free Spain. In my eyes Manuela should be considered a hero even if she did what she wanted to do with men.