ANTH 1140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Chicle, Chiquita Brands International, United Fruit Company
Document Summary
United fruit company: us company buys land in south america in 1800"s, interested in exporting fruit cacao, chicle, rubber , work out deal in guatemala. Allowed to build/own all railroads in guatemala to export chicle. Bananas thrive, causing united fruit chiquita banana: granted 40% most fertile land in guatemala (not taxed, end up owning all radio stations, port facilities (invent refrigerator compartments) 1951 election: 1840-1951 = dictators, finally time for election, jacobo arbenz elected as president. Thinks that chiquita being wealthy while rest of g = poor wasn"t right. Goes to chiquita and asks to purchase the land they"re not using (~550,000 acres) Us flies over guatemala and drops pamphlets saying commie army is rising to kill those who live in guatemala city. Rebel army doesn"t exist, but everybody is so scared that they stage a coup and force arbenz out of the country. After that, no democratic election for guatemala until the 90"s.
